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And ordered vodka and cranberry juice to be delivered. I was getting ready for a night of getting fucked up. I would bet my father was seeing everything on my phone. So let him see how fucked up I was going to get.
I doubled the order.
When it arrived, I put some hard rock music on my phone and proceeded to get sloshed. Let him wonder what I was up to.
The next morning, I went to the office where I’d worked until all this shit started. I needed to get my job back, if possible. I needed something to do, and my father would assume I was slowly giving in. It turned out my boss hadn’t completed my termination paperwork yet. He’d put me on a leave of absence, so returning was easier than I thought it would be. We shook on it, and I moved through the office, socializing and letting everyone know I would be put on a project by the end of the week. Killing time.
A few of my colleagues who were closer to friends, or always had been, greeted me, excited to hear I was coming back. We all went out for an early lunch at a place we frequented often. Sitting around a large table with them seemed surreal. We had done this many times, but this time felt fake. I didn’t know these people anymore. Had it only been a few days? A week? It seemed like years.
Everyone was talking about how they were looking forward to Christmas. The firm shut down from Christmas Eve until January second. People went on vacation. Had family time. I had nothing to say. I liked these people but didn’t want to talk about my situation and how shitty Christmas would be this year. I would have to go to my parents, and the rest of it would be spent alone. There was one bright spot to hang on to—Daddy Quinn. But I didn’t want to share that with them either. And I was still holding my breath that he’d stick around through this bullshit and still be my daddy when it was over.
I wished I could work with Jax instead of being here. I’d thoroughly enjoyed my job prior to this. Helping other companies plan strategies and develop marketing plans had been satisfying. But now, I didn’t want to go in faking a smile and acting like I gave a damn. I didn’t. I wouldn’t be able to do a good job with that attitude. But the truth was the only person I wanted to help was me.
My father sucked.
It was a short drive back to the office after lunch. I parked and swiped my badge to go up the elevators to my old office. There, I sat at my desk and stared at my laptop. The update on my case was better than I could have expected. So why did this feeling of loss still reverberate painfully in my chest?
A few minutes later, Brianna stopped by. “Knock-knock. Good to see you back, Royce.”
“Thanks. What’s up?” I needed to get to the point and avoid personal conversations. The last thing I wanted was my dirty laundry spread all over the company.
“Looks like you’re going to lead the Apex project coming up. Thought I’d say hello and see if you wanted to grab lunch tomorrow to talk about it.”
“Sure. Sounds good.”
“You say that, but your face looks like you don’t give a shit. What’s up, man?”
I could imagine how my face looked—sour. “Personal shit. Nothing to talk about.”
Brianna crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe you shouldn’t have come back so soon. Hey, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you don’t look happy. At all. You don’t look anything like the Royce who left here a few weeks ago. I’m just sayin’.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” That wasn’t a great response. Even I heard the anger in my voice. I was beyond grumpy over everything. “Sorry. You might be right. I have too much going on outside of work, that’s all.”
“Maybe I can help with some of it.” She shrugged. “Who knows.”
“Maybe.” What did I know about Brianna? We hadn’t been very close, but I knew she came from a middle-class family that strived for their children to be successful. That was about it. “Do you know anyone who needs to move to a cool place with a cool roommate?” Maybe I could put out feelers to help get Todd a new roomie. Not that I minded paying rent on a place I wasn’t staying at, well, I’d do that for Todd in a heartbeat, but he wouldn’t want me to. He had his pride despite it not showing often.
“Uh…maybe. My brother. He’s been struggling and needs a less expensive place to live. I guess it depends on what the rent is. And where.”
I could subsidize half of his rent or more to make it affordable if I had to. This could work. “Let’s get them together and see if we can make it happen.”
“Now your face looks a little happier. You should let me help more.”
“You’re going to be helping a lot with the Apex project. In fact, I’m appointing you co-lead.”
“Great. I think.” She narrowed her eyes and glared at me. “Unless that means you expect me to do all the work. I’m not about that, mister.” She pointed at me.
“Not at all.” But if I won my case, she might be taking over as lead. I wasn’t ready to say that though.
Brianna agreed to grab her brother and meet me at Todd’s that evening after work. I needed to get the rest of my things anyway. Well, what I wasn’t leaving there. They met me in the garage, and I walked them up the stairs.
Her brother, Levi, was sullen and pouting but cute with curly hair that looked a bit overdue for cutting. “I don’t know. This place looks nice. Too nice.”
“It’s nice and a great location. Not terribly far from UT.” Brianna smiled, encouraging him.
“It is, but I don’t know that I can afford this,” he grumbled.
I hadn’t told them I planned on helping. “We’ll work something out, I’m sure. You’re doing me a favor by taking this over. Wait until you see the place.” I opened the door and let him in.
