A few tears tracked down my cheek.
He lifted his hand, like he might wipe my cheek, but then he swallowed hard and dropped it to his side. He grabbed his coat from the rack and walked out the door.
Bruce got up from his spot in the living room and padded over to my chair. He nuzzled my hand, and I scratched him behind the ears, his favorite spot. He let out the snorting noise and I smiled.
“At least someone enjoys my company.” My voice shook and pitched up at the end. I quickly cleared my throat and swallowed past the thick knot. Nope. Not going there. If Brogan could barricade his feelings behind a Berlin-size wall, so could I.
He licked my hand in response.
Another onslaught of tears pricked at my eyes, but I pushed them back. I would not cry over something that was so silly to begin with. No one knew Brogan, and I was deluding myself to think I could get close to him. It was much better this way. I could focus on my work and my mom. Shudders wracked me as I sat hunched over, rubbing my arms in an attempt to fight the chills overtaking my body. I glanced around the empty condo. Barren, skin-deep, a shallow shell. This was what Brogan chose, what I had hoped he’d change once we spent more time together. Tears streamed down my face, and I pulled Bruce closer, nuzzling into his fur. At least we ended things before he could break my heart.
Jackson shook Bruce’s leash, and the vein in his forehead throbbed double-time. “I can’t believe I’m stuck walking that damn dog again. He destroys everything good in this world.”
“He likes being scratched behind the ears when you first come in,” I said, quietly. Tears pricked my eyes the instant I’d tossed his leash on Jackson’s desk this morning.
“What?” he snapped.
“If you show him affection, he’s less likely to eat your clothes,” I offered. Although really, why would I want to stop Bruce from destroying the Italian loafers Jackson had been bragging about for the past three weeks?
“The only thing I’ll show him is the door if he ruins my new loafers.” Even I knew this was an empty threat, because Jackson would never do anything to purposefully piss off Brogan.
Both elbows were propped on my desk as I rested my chin in my hands, staring at my computer. I’d been reading the same email for twenty minutes.
To: Lainey Taylor
From: Brogan Starr
Subject: Leash
Please promptly return the leash and key to Jackson. He will take care of everything else. I expect files on the Anderson account on my desk first thing Monday morning.
Best,
Brogan Starr, CEO Starr Media
I’d pushed him too hard and lost him. But did I ever really have him to begin with?
I’d once had a membership to a purse website that rented out high-end bags for a great price. I’d gotten this cream Michael Kors bag that really was the mecca of all purses. When I’d mailed it back, I felt like a piece of myself had left with that bag. This was worse. So much worse, because purses didn’t give me butterflies or make me smile even if I was having a horrible day. They also didn’t look nearly as good in a towel.
Then again, how could I possibly be with someone I knew nothing about? The answer was simple: I couldn’t. So, it was time to put on my big girl panties and devise a plan to get Brogan off my mind for good.
Chapter Twenty-One
Lainey Taylor Rule of Life #17
A jealous boy can be a good thing.
“I think we should go out,” Zoey said, staring at me from across the living room.
I grunted, continuing to devour rocky road ice cream from the half-pint carton in my lap. The whole plan to get Brogan off my mind had tanked the second I’d stepped out of work. A person passed by with a dog that looked like Bruce, and I’d effectively lost all interest in doing anything but sulking on the couch. I’d been doing a fantastic job at this task for the past week.
She eyed me. “You’re starting to scare me, cave girl. Use your words.”
I glanced up at her, the spoon still in my mouth. “Me no want go out.”
“Much better. We’ll work on correct pronoun usage another day.”
I shot her a look. I was completely fine binging on ice cream and Netflix. Definitely not gummy worms, though, because that would make me think of Brogan and how he hated anything with ingredients that couldn’t be pronounced.
“Seriously, whatever happened, you just need to shake it off. It’s Friday. Scientifically speaking, we are never going to be as hot as we are now, and we need to use that to our advantage to get free drinks while we can.”
“This is supposed to make me feel better?” I said.
“No, it’s supposed to get you off the couch.” She took the ice cream off my lap and placed it on the coffee table, and then grabbed my wrists and pulled me to my feet.
“Hey, I was just about to watch the swan episode on Gilmore Girls.”
“Jess’s black eye can wait. Let’s go to Dean’s. We don’t even have to drink if you don’t want to, but you have to stay out for at least forty minutes.”