26
Kendra
I heard the shower turn off in the bathroom.
Glancing over my shoulder, my ribs squeezed.
After Kelly refused to tell me who the woman was he was with yesterday morning, I didn’t bother asking again. It wasn’t worth the fight and since he said that I would be staying with him until further notice, it was enough reassurance to convince me that I was in fact the only woman in his life who truly mattered.
Plopping down on the edge of the bed, I couldn’t stop myself from staring at the many photographs of Alex’s family. They both haunted me and created a sense of envy, wishing sometimes my family life could have been like hers.
My bottom lip curled and pouted.
I was here to collect my things, pack them up and move them to Kelly’s. Not that I had a whole lot here to begin with but enough to want to clean up the mess I’d created since I moved in and occupied the guestroom in Alex’s apartment. Besides, Nash was soon to be home and I didn’t want to be staying here once he got back. I could only imagine the shenanigans he and Alex were going to get into upon his return.
Dropping my head into my hands, I couldn’t stop thinking about my uncle and how I wished I’d never agreed to meet with him later today. But it was the only thing I could say to convince him to leave yesterday. I didn’t want him at my apartment, and it already freaked the fuck out of me that he knew exactly where I lived.
A dullness spread across my chest.
Light footsteps padded across the hall and when I lifted my head, Alex was leaning her shoulder against the doorframe. She was beautifully wrapped in a bright yellow towel, her hair wet and smelling of fruits and flowers. I watched her eyes travel over my clothes laying in the center of the bed before giving me an arched look.
“Sorry, I should have called. But it was too early and I didn’t want to risk waking you.”
She smiled and floated across the room before filling the empty spot directly next to me. We leaned into each other, letting our heads come to rest against the other’s. “I have another busy day.” Alex sighed.
“You don’t regret the position, do you?”
She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
We both laughed.
“Nash requested lots of iterations to the current project and I still have a lot more editing that needs to be done.”
“He’s such a dictator.” I smirked.
Alex snickered. “But he’s my dictator.”
“And when does this tyrant come back to rule your castle?”
“Two days.” She frowned.
Reaching around the back of her shoulder, I wrapped her up in the best hug I had to give. Closing my eyes, I nodded. “I’m really going to miss this.”
Slowly, Alex pulled away and flashed me a questioning look. Then she glanced over her shoulder to my pile of clothes. Reeling in my arms, I ducked my head and stood, turning to face the bed. I couldn’t even look her in the eye without the threat of me gushing tears. It wasn’t like I wasn’t ever going to see her again but that was what it felt like.
“Just leave them,” Alex pleaded.
“It’s useless,” I said, beginning to rip the sheets off the bed. “Once Nash is back in town I won’t be staying here anyway.”
“It’s not like he’s coming back tomorrow.” Alex scooped my clothes off the bed and tossed them into the suitcase I’d brought with me.
“You and I both know that I’m not going to want to be here when he does return.”
Alex glanced up at me and pursed her lips. “Are you all right?”
Diverting my gaze, I knew by the twisted concerned look on her face that she knew I wasn’t feeling completely myself. “Yeah, I’m fine.” It was a lie but I didn’t have it in me to tell her about what was really dragging me down.
“Hey.” Alex moved closer and smoothed her hand down my upper arm. “Sit.”
I nodded and we sat once again on the edge of the bed. My head hung to my chest the moment I closed my eyes. “You’re waddling around, you know that?”
My hands moved to my stomach and I held it as if something inside me was preparing for the sharp pain I felt looming, waiting to strike down upon me any minute. I knew I had to tell her that I was with Kelly last night. It was important she knew. “I stayed at Kelly’s last night.”
Alex’s eyes widened as she turned her head forward. A minute passed where neither one of us said a word. I could only imagine the disappointment she was feeling knowing that she didn’t think I should have gone back to Kelly so soon after seeing him with another woman.
“You’re mad at me, aren’t you?”
She shook her head slowly. “I’m not mad.” Her voice was soft, forgiving. “I just thought that maybe you would give it more time until we figured out what was going on is all.”
“He gave me flowers.” I smiled.
Her brows lifted on her forehead and she nodded once. “Is that right?”
“They were beautiful.”
She cast her gaze to the pile of clothes she’d dumped into my suitcase. I knew what it was she was thinking—that Kelly had bought me those, too. And she was right.
“Did you ever figure out what he was doing at the cemetery or the name of the woman he was with?” I asked.
Alex turned her gaze to me and shook her head.
“What about whose grave they were visiting?”
“I don’t know,” Alex whispered. “Kendra, that’s your job. I thought you would have at least asked him.”
“I did.”
“And?” Alex’s voice raised, along with her spine.
“He says I’m his only woman.”
“And you believe him?”
Our eyes danced but my words hesitated. “I do.”
“Then what is it?” Her brows pinched.
“I didn’t get a name because I couldn’t find the strength to push him.”
“Honey,” Alex’s forehead wrinkled, “This man is killing your spirit.”
“Kelly’s not dampening my spirit.”
Alex’s mouth slackened.
“My uncle showed up.” My eyes rounded above my flat-lined lips. “To my apartment.”
Her brows drew together and by the look on her face, I knew that this was news to her. Alex didn’t know I had an uncle, let alone an open and active relationship with any member of any part of my family. As far as she was concerned, I was an orphan because that was the family dynamic I self-imposed upon myself in an effort to flee the drama that consumed much of my childhood.
“I didn’t realize you had an uncle in LA.”
Tipping my head back, I stared at her wall of family photographs. “I don’t.”
“Judging by your reaction I assume he wasn’t invited.”
And just like that, I managed to steer her concerns of Kelly away and present her with a much greater personal dilemma. “Just showed up out of the blue,” I said, thinking that I saw this coming. Knew it was lurking in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to present itself. When I turned to look her in the eye, I said, “Baby, my family is fucked up.”
She bit the inside of her cheek as concern flashed across her eyes.
Standing, I went back to gathering my things, packing them up in preparation for taking them to Kelly’s. “I’m meeting with him today. My uncle. I don’t know why he’s here, now, after all these years, but I can’t imagine he’ll be sharing any good news with me.”
Alex tugged on her towel and glanced at the clock near the bed stand. “I have time for a quick breakfast. Do you want to talk about this over bagels?”
Shaking my head, I said, “I’ll take a raincheck. When Kelly learned my uncle was in town he insisted I stay with him until he stated otherwise.”
“Shit, Kendra.” Alex stood and cocked her head. “I know you’re totally gaga over this man, but don’t you think that you need to know more about who he is before moving in with him?”
“It’s only temporary.”
“And so is my offer.” Her hands rooted into her hips. “Stay here. Stay with me.”
“Look,” I took her by the shoulders and smiled, “I’ll be fine. I’m supposed to be having lunch with my uncle and have a million other things I need to finish before then.”
Alex gave me a hard look. “Promise to call me after your lunch?”
I smiled and nodded. “Pinky-swear.”
We hugged.
“Oh, and before I forget,” I spun around and started digging through my purse. “Let me give you this back.”
Alex stared at the key to her apartment.
I wanted to give it back so I didn’t have an easy out if things got tough with Kelly. I wanted my relationship with him to work and with my apartment compromised and knowing Alex’s place wasn’t an option, I knew deep down that I would try harder to make things work with Kelly.
Shaking her head, she lowered my hand and clasped my fingers over the thin piece of jagged metal. “Keep it. As long as we’re friends, you’ll always have a place to stay in my house.”