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“Why does it look like someone died in here?” my uncle Max says as the voices come closer to the kitchen.
“Jesus,” my uncle Viktor says, “can we turn lights on in here?” I shake my head, not even surprised the four of them decided to take a road trip from New York, where they are mostly based, to come and see me.
“Holy shit,” Matthew swears once the light’s on, and he sees me. “What the fuck are you doing sitting in the dark all by yourself?”
“I didn’t even notice,” I answer him, turning to see all four of them almost dressed the same, in golf attire. I have to imagine they were probably all playing golf when I called my father.
“You didn’t notice you were sitting in the dark?” Viktor asks. “Are you okay?” His voice is soft, as it always is. He married my mother’s twin sister, so it’s like he’s my second father. They were always together. He also is a recovered addict who got traded when he was in rehab, and then met my aunt Zoe.
“No.” I look at them and then at my dad. “I don’t know what the fuck I am, but it’s not okay.” I shake my head.
I get up from the stool and walk over to the living room and sit on the couch, putting my head back. The four of them slowly come into the room, taking their spots and waiting for me to talk. It’s something they do all together. I’ve heard stories from Mini Cooper and Michael about how they just band together and wait for you to share your story before they tell you what you’ve done wrong. I rub my hands over my face, laughing because if anyone would have said that this would be me, I would have told them they were out of their mind. “What exactly are you feeling?” my uncle Matthew starts, standing with his hands crossed over his chest, his legs apart, watching me.
“I think I’m in love with Ryleigh.” I say the words out loud, looking at all four of them.
“What is wrong with you guys and thinking you’re in love?” Viktor shakes his head. “Matty said the same thing.”
My father is the only one sitting next to me. “When you’re in love with someone, you don’t think it. You just know it.”
I take a deep inhale. “Okay, fine, then I’m in love with her, and it’s just so fucked up.”
“Why?” Max sits on the other side of me with his hands in his lap. “Also, love is fucked up. It makes you do things you can’t explain.”
“Like elope with my sister.” Matthew side-eyes him as Max just smirks at him.
“Like marry the love of my life without her overbearing brother there.” He points at me, totally ignoring the way Matthew is giving him a death glare. It’s been a hundred years since they got together, and he’s still not over them dating behind his back.
“Can we focus on the present and not talk about that?” my father snaps. “Why is it so fucked up?”
“Because I live in Nashville and she lives in Chicago, and I hate that I can’t see her when I want. I hate coming home and she’s not here. I hate that every single time I’m with her, all I do is fall more and more in love with her, and I don’t know if she feels the same. I hate we have so few hours to spend with each other when we finally see each other. I hate I feel so totally fucking helpless, and I have no solution for it.” I look at the four of them, thinking one of them will have the answer to this. But they just look at me, and at one point, I even see Uncle Viktor grimace. “Thanks for all your help,” I bark. “Good talk.”
“What is it you want us to say?” Matthew says. “You both have careers. She’s a fucking ADA. Did you think she could come whenever she wanted?”
“I didn’t think of that, obviously.” I glare at him, and he laughs at me.
I look at my father. “How did you do it?” I ask him. “How did you do this whole long-distance thing?”
“It fucking killed me. I hated every single second of it. But unlike Ryleigh, I was lucky, your mom was able to work from anywhere she wanted unless she had to go meet clients. But she usually did that when she knew I was traveling, so we wouldn’t lose that time together.”
“Great.” I put my head back. “So basically, I’m fucked.”
“Not exactly,” Max chimes in. “There is one thing you can do.” He looks over at Matthew, who closes his eyes.
“Don’t say it,” Viktor says to Max.
“Why?” Max retorts. “Evan did it.” He then turns to me. “You ask to be traded.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
ryleigh
Istep off the elevator with my coffee in one hand and my phone in the other. “Good morning, Claudia.” I smile at her as she waves at me, picking up the phone that’s ringing.
I walk down the hallway toward my office, looking around to see who else is in. I lean my head to the right, wondering if Kristal is in. Both of us walked out of our offices last night at ten. Both of us dragging our asses, mine especially since I didn’t really sleep two nights before. I was running on caffeine, energy drinks, and peanut M&M’s, and since I’ve been back from that impromptu trip, it’s been balls to the wall. But I filed the brief that I’ve been working on for my big drug case and the trial is in a week. I can check that off my to-do list.
I look forward to getting some much-needed sleep in the next couple of days. My head automatically goes to Stone and the last message he sent me yesterday morning.
SR: Sorry, I had an impromptu visit from my father and uncles. Call me later.
