He wasn’t answering me, just finished filling his bag with a few more items.
“Neil,” I said again, my voice desperate.
He shouldered the bag and pushed me aside with it as he left the room.
I turned and followed, feeling like a pathetic puppy. “You’re really just going to walk out?”
Silent treatment.
“Neil, I can’t live like this,” I said, squaring my shoulders.
He put on his jacket and boots at the door.
“Neil! Goddamn it!” I couldn’t fight—couldn’t get my point across—if he wouldn’t even meet me halfway. “If you walk out, I’m changing the fucking locks.”
“Piss off, Seb.” He opened the door and left.
Chapter Five
“YOU LOOKlike shit.”
“Thank you.”
The Emporium was able to open the next morning, the storm having ended sometime during the night. The mayor had lifted the ban on driving, and the MTA, however briefly before the next storm, was running. With delays.
Of course.
Max was over an hour late getting to the shop, but frankly I didn’t mind.
I had been sitting in my office, staring at the black computer screen when he came in.
“It’s not meant to be interpreted as a compliment,” Max continued as he tried to fix his hair after taking his winter cap off.
“I know, but seeing as I feel worse than shit—”
“A tapeworm in cat crap,” Max offered helpfully.
“Yeah, sure. Anyway. Thejust shitis a compliment.”
Max turned and pointed at the counter. “I brought you a coffee.”
I looked up with what was certain to be a pathetic smile, because Max suddenly looked so concerned. “Thanks.” I stood.
“Neil?” he guessed. Not that it was hard.
I wished I had some minor aggravation to complain about, like the water heater in my apartment building broke, or the college kids who lived above me had a party until four in the morning. Something.Anything. But the reality was, my super was extremely good at his job, and the kids above me were the bookish sort.
“It’s fine,” I said while waving my hand. I eyed the four cups. “Why so many?”
“They released new flavors,” Max explained. “Two for each of us!”
I grabbed one of the coffees that looked like it had my name scrawled on the side and took a sip. Another sugary concoction from Starbucks, but Max loved them. He was trying to sway me in their favor, but I liked my coffee dark and bitter.
Maybe that said something about me. I set the cup aside and reached for a piece of saltwater taffy I left in a bowl on the counter. Bitter coffee and old-man candy.
“—Japan has the cherry blossom flavor,” Max was saying.
“The what?”
