AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The day Mr. Miles, Colton, offered me a position as head of HR, I honestly thought he had lost his marbles. Who on earth would choose me for a job like that? I barely graduated high school. No way did I have the right qualifications.
Only, it turns out, I'm really good at it. I get to focus on people and leave the paperwork to my staff. Staff! Things were going so well. Then I downloaded that dating app, and for a while, life was even better.
I've dated here and there. Some in high school, some since. But no one like Keith. He was handsome and confident. He knew exactly what to say, and before I knew it, we were in a relationship. He made me feel special in a way I never had before. He made me feel like I was important.
Looking back, I should have known better. There were people running cons in my old neighborhood all the time. It's not like I wasn't aware it could happen. But he had me fooled completely.
I still don't know how he did it. All I know is I have a mountain of debt in my name I didn't know about and an empty bank account. I'm back to square one.
Not even square one. Square minus one hundred.
Lost in my thoughts, it takes me a minute to realize that the line is dispersing. Soon, I'm standing against the wall, skin icy, staring at a locked door. I've never been on this side of it before. I always managed to get here on time. But tonight, close to Christmas, with a deadly cold blowing in, there are more bodies needing shelter than there are beds.
I don't give myself much time to worry. There's no point. It won't change anything. I just cross the road and duck into the small bus shelter. All that matters is staying warm tonight. The rest I can figure out tomorrow. Just keep swimming.
I don't have any other options.
4
JONAS
She's walking away before I can gather my thoughts. I had a plan. I was going to invite her to trim the tree, she would say yes. I would take her home with me and let her pick the music in the car. I would get to put my hand on her back like Zach does Maya's because she's there with me, and I have the privilege of escorting her.
So much for the plan.
I'm an idiot, bringing up her ex-boyfriend. That must be where I went wrong. I won't do that again. This simmering emotion in my chest is a constant presence, and from everything I've read, I know it's jealousy. I'm jealous that another man got to be hers, even for just a while.
I do not like this feeling or the lack of control. This would be so much easier if she were like every other woman.
But she's not. She's fascinating and frustrating, and I don't know why she won’t love me.
I'm actually quite lovable once you get to know me. My brother's women say so. So how do I get her to feel the same way?
The elevator chime tugs me away from my planning. I lock eyes with Janey as she turns, and just like every time I see her, my heart jumps in my chest. The woman is my future. I have no doubts.
According to my brothers, I am a persistent motherfucker when I want something. It's time to put that persistence to work. I'm done with the friend zone. Kade was right, I do not want to be in the friend zone.
I'm going straight to the husband zone.
I stare at the closed elevator doors for a while. Time passing doesn't matter. Only my planning. But eventually, I'm brought back to the room by a growling stomach. I have to eat. Now. I spin, thinking about the granola bars in the cupboard — once I satisfy my hunger, I can go back to planning — and my eyes catch on Janey's winter coat on the back of her chair.
"Shit." It's my fault. I chased her away. I grab the coat, ready to run it to her, then register the clock over the elevator. 6:23 PM. I've been standing here for an hour. She's long gone.
I still grab her coat and run down the stairs. Maybe she's sitting in the lobby. I can apologize and convince her to spend time with me tomorrow. I shouldn't have pushed her to cancel her plans. I hate when people do that to me.
Staying home to work on a puzzle is a plan.
The lobby is empty, except for the guards at the front desk. A quick check with them confirms she left long ago. Into the night. Without a coat. Acid jumps up into my throat, and I choke it back. She's out there, cold. The phantom sensation of bugs crawling on my arms sets me in motion.
I run back up to HR, and let myself into the records room. Declan could get me her address in minutes, but I want to do this myself. The paper copies of the employee files are neatly organized, and it only takes a minute to find Janey's address. The route to her apartment runs through my mind, as efficiently as any GPS. I know every corner of this city, though I should spend more time looking at the public works website so I can keep track of road work and closures.
As I run to the car, I program her address into my phone...I don't want to risk getting slowed down, and carefully rest Janey's coat on the passenger seat. And since no one is in the car to comment on it, I turn the passenger seat warmer on.
Janey's apartment is in a well-kept, working-class neighborhood. I pull up to the curb outside and peer up at the three-story building. This is a nice normal apartment building in a nice normal neighborhood. It's surprising, though. We pay her really well. I would have expected her to live somewhere a little nicer. Even with her receptionist's salary, she should have been able to afford more.
Where I live is not normal. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Would Janey like living in our high rise? The views are great, and our apartments are really private. Except for all my brothers walking in whenever they please.
I cut the ignition and close my eyes, focusing on calming my racing heart. I won't screw this up again. I'll go in there, give her the coat, apologize, and convince her to let me pick her up tomorrow for whatever happens after tree trimming. Maybe we can get food. That’s a date thing. I want to date her. Well…marry her. But a date is okay too.
