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“Leave that with me.” He nodded to the stack of papers she held. “I’ll take care of it. Go be with Kyle.”
“Are you serious?” Melanie’s hand twitched toward his desk, papers rattling.
“Absolutely.”
She dropped the papers in front of him. “I swear, Brendan, this place would not run without you. You’re a saint.”
“I try.” He smiled at her.
Smiling back, she turned to go. “Your brother’s wedding is next weekend, right? Do you have a date?”
He spread his hands. “This is my relationship, Mel. Right here. Days, nights, weekends. All the sweet, sweet love of politics.”
“Come on!” She shook a pen at him. “I’ve seen you with women. They go wild for you. You should have no trouble finding someone.”
“Tell you the truth…” Brendan leaned forward confidingly, inviting Melanie to lean closer too. “I’d rather go alone. I’ll be spending time with family, helping my brother and his fiancée. It’ll be a busy weekend. The last thing I’d want is for my date to feel neglected.”
“Saint Brendan.” Melanie patted his desk. “I’m going home to Kyle before he falls asleep. Take care of yourself.”
“You too, Mel.”
Brendan watched her go, hurrying home to her husband.
It was after midnight when he unlocked his apartment door. His roommate, Jonah, was asleep and the lights were out. Going to the fridge, Brendan took out the last bottle of beer from Ian’s visit in December and popped the top.
In his room, he hung up his suit, pulled on a fresh pair of boxers, and lay down in bed. A sheen of sweat coated his skin from the humid air outside.
A few years ago, Friday night meant freedom. It meant drinking, parties, friends, and girls. And most of all, it meant time with Ian, whether they were being crazy, just talking, or hanging out in comfortable silence.
Well, he had a beer in his hand, at least. But now that the high of the evening had worn off, he was alone, living a life college Brendan wouldn’t recognize. Just a typical Friday night.
Maybe he should get a girlfriend, but like he’d told Melanie, he didn’t have time. He’d constantly be canceling plans to work late. And while he loved women, he’d never felt the closeness he’d experienced with Ian. Not even with Diana, whom he loved like a sister.
That kind of understanding might come once in a lifetime. If it did, it was fucking over for him, because Ian was completely wrapped up in Di.
Swigging his beer, he pictured his brother.Talk to me.
You dug your own hole, bro,Ian said with a shrug of his shoulders.You picked this crazy career. How about you chuck it all and get a job at my gym? I can be your boss for once. Would you like that?
Brendan turned on the TV to unwind, but he kept seeing Sonia superimposed over the flickering images. Her sneer, her curves, the curl of her short dark hair. Her surprisingly sweet smile that would never be meant for him.
Why was he so defeated? He was Brendan O’Brian.
He could do anything, be anything, have anyone.
Except the people he wanted most.
Setting the beer on his nightstand, his eyes drifted closed. As sleep overtook him, he knew better than to expect sweet dreams.
*
In an empty corridor outside a whispering wedding hall, Brendan adjusted his tuxedo. The air crackled with anticipation. But his jacket was too tight, and his bowtie refused to cooperate. As he wrestled with it, a hand brushed his collar, then took his arm. The intense scent of stargazer lilies made him break out in a sweat.
He knew Sonia was walking beside him, though he couldn’t see her. He heard her bouquet rustling, the soft petals somehow louder than the whispers in the room. The hall went silent as they entered, every guest swiveling to stare at them.
Except they weren’t sitting in elegant wedding chairs, but orange vinyl seats. Metal handrails lined the aisle, and maps covered the walls. The entire wedding was on a Metro car, underground, moving forward with a jerk.
Ian and Diana waited at the end of the train car. Di’s veil fluttered around her heart-shaped face. But as they joined hands under a flowered arch, the train started to shake. Guests grabbed the poles in a panic.
