AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"If you're talking about the party, that was not my fault. I invited a few people and--"
"Things got out of hand. More people showed up. Adam had to kick them out and clean up before Paige found out. He didn't take you out riding and hiking for a while after that, did he?"
"So that's what this is about? He's tired of cleaning up after me?"
"You think he was mad because he had to clean up? You really didn't get it, did you? Not then and not now."
I glared at him. "Yes, I'm not as smart as you, okay?"
"No, you're just a helluva lot less considerate than I am."
"Excuse me? Considerate? This from the guy who probably walked in here today without acknowledging a single employee, snapped at them if they dared say hello, told them off if they asked whether he'd like a coffee--"
"Apples and oranges."
"Like hell. You're rude and dismissive--"
"To people I don't know and don't care about. You'd never catch me treating Jeremy or Elena the way you treat Adam. Back then, Adam said that you couldn't have a party, and explained why. Now, he says you need to come to Miami, and explains why. Both times he was right. Both times you went ahead and did your own thing. Both times you dragged him into it with you. At fifteen, that's just teenage arrogance and rebellion. At twenty-one, it's a complete and utter lack of respect for someone you're supposed to care about."
"I do care about--"
"You're in love with him."
"No, of course not. He's a friend and--"
"You're in love with him. Always have been and everyone knows it. Everyone except Adam. You're as bad as Jaime was with Jeremy. Sure, you don't make an idiot of yourself over him, but it's just as obvious. You never would have caught Jaime treating Jeremy like that, though. You know why? Because she's an adult."
"And I'm not."
"Most times, yeah, you act like an adult. But what everyone else calls recklessness, I call a lack of basic respect for others. That's immature, and that's why you're never going to have a shot at anything with Adam. The age difference makes it tough enough for him to see you that way. The maturity difference means he can't."
I nodded and picked up another file.
"Not going to run away?" he said.
I shook my head.
"Good."
I let him make a few more notes, then said, "So, having diagnosed my romantic issue, are you going to suggest how I can fix it?"
Clay looked at me. "You're asking for relationship advice from the guy who panicked and bit his fiancee when things went wrong?"
"Good point."
"If you want that kind of thing, call Nick. His advice is shit, but he really likes to give it."
I laughed and shook my head. I opened a file, then glanced at him again.
"You may have screwed up more than any guy on the planet, but you got Elena back. How do I convince Adam I've changed?"
"You can't convince him of anything. You need to do it. Change. Grow up."
"Right. So . . . any advice on a slightly . . . smaller scale?"
"Nope."
"Damn."
