With one last look at Milo, I binned my empty cup and walked five minutes to my temporary office in a modern building that had not been updated for at least two decades.
I used to have a view of downtown Chicago. Now I was facing a park with kids playing on swing sets, elderly folk walking dogs, and fit-looking people jogging. It wasn’t too bad, but I felt like I’d been demoted. I still earned the same and held the sameposition, but the stark contrast to the surrounding area seemed like I was about to be yelled at by my boss for mixing up the letters that arrived in the morning, not about to deal with a multi-million company’s loans.
I’d worked hard to get to where I was in my career. My discomfort wasn’t about the change of scenery but the undeniable proof that I didn’t matter. Not really.
When I was a kid, I towered over my classmates, and by the time I was eleven, even the teachers. My basketball coach had been as excited for me to join the team as I had been. The game had been my life until I’d realized that I was being treated like a tall piece of meat for dunking, which took away the charm of playing. Out of spite, I quit basketball and signed up for the math club. Now, I was spending my days in a soulless office instead of on a basketball court. I still shot some hoops alone in the evenings, wondering if I hadn’t been a stupid kid who’d given up on an opportunity. Success had never been guaranteed, though, and at least I’d quit on my terms, not because I hadn’t been good enough to make the game my career.
“Have you seen the seating plan?” Troy’s voice brought me back to the present. We’d met in college and ended up working alongside each other for years. Now the geeky brown-skinned hazel-eyed werewolf was about to marry my eldest sister.
Initially, I hadn’t been excited about them dating, but Troy’s heart eyes for Raina convinced me quickly. They’d been together for five years, and I’d never seen either of them happier.
“Yeah. Raina sent me the file this morning, and I told her I don’t want to be seated next to random singles.” My eldest sister was the epitome of organization, which may have roots in her having three younger siblings. Between Riley, Ruben, and me, we had been looking up to her and sought her advice in matters where only siblings could help, like what to buy our parents for their anniversary. Or, in Ruben’s case, how to prevent Mom andDad from finding out that he’d slept through the orchestra he’d been professionally playing piano with.
Troy smoothed his black curls back, but they returned with a bounce. “She left a provisional plus-one for you, so maybe you’ll find someone by then.”
“The wedding is in two weeks, Troy.”
He shrugged. “I knew she was the one that evening at the party we met. But you can get someone for the night to keep Raina’s friends off your hairy ass.”
“It’s the dick they want,” I said, grinning.
Troy snorted. “The killer dick that scared people away from your bed at college? Sure.”
“You’re just jealous.” I elbowed him, but both of us knew how the size of my dick both terrified and fascinated my previous lovers.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
“Whatever. I’m going out tomorrow to a local club. Will you be my wingman?” We’d been hyping each other since college, and even after Troy had got together with Raina, he’d go to bars with me to hang out.
“I can’t.”
“Are you blushing?”
His fingernails suddenly became very interesting to him. “I have a video date with Raina.”
“Oh. Ew. Okay, I’ll go alone.”
“I’m counting the days until Friday,” he added quickly. “I’ll get to see her for the entire weekend.”
“Sap.”
“Fuck you.”
I gave him an exaggerated once-over. “You’re not my type.”
Troy grinned. “That guy from the coffee shop is, though?”
“What?”
“Oh, come on. You mentioned him several times today.”
“He’s easy on the eyes, but I won’t ask him out when he’s at work. I’ll find someone at the club.”
“Whatever will make you less grumpy next week.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but he quickly continued.
“I’m going to the hotel for my lunch cause Raina is showing me the flower arrangements. I might stay to work from there for a while after.”
