Page 5 of The Meeting
She dropped her purse noisily on the edge of his desk. He rolled his eyes again and looked up at her.
“I think we need to break up. This isn’t working anymore.”
He stared at her without responding for what felt like the longest time. Finally he sighed, heavily. “Look, I’m sorry about the shoes. I should have apologized before I left, but I was irritated. You just have too much shit.”
A laugh escaped her. “Um, in case you aren’t aware, that’s barely an apology.”
“Well, I’m not really apologizing, so…”
She blinked at him. That was all she needed to hear. “Wow. Okay. So, yeah, this is done.”
She grabbed her purse and walked into her office with her head held high. Sitting down at her workstation, she looked around at the different unfinished projects, but her mind just wasn’t in it. Nor was her heart.
Screw this. After picking up her purse, she walked out without another word to Drew, and he made no attempt to stop her.
* * *
Kailynn’s carwas packed with just about every belonging that was hers and hers alone. Anything that was mutual, she left and would argue about with him later. Surprisingly, she didn’t own much, just a meager trunk full… proving just how little ‘shit’ she had.
Dialing Abi, she drove along the streets toward her apartment. When the perky sound of Abi’s voicemail picked up, she sighed and hung up, having already left her two messages. She drummed her fingers on her steering wheel. She was only a few minutes from Abi’s place and dreaded beating her there. Abi was likely still at work, and Kailynn wasn’t entirely sure when she got off. Kailynn decided she would just wait in the parking lot when she arrived, if no one answered the door. It beat hanging out at her own apartment and risk seeing Drew again.
After slinging a duffel bag over her shoulder, she walked over to Abi’s apartment and knocked.
“Come on, Abi,” she said, more to herself.
She knocked again and then stepped back, scanning the parking lot for Abi’s car. Nothing.Damn it.
Turning back toward her car, she ran straight into a hard chest. Steady hands shot out and caught her before she fell over.
“I’m so sorry.”
She looked up at the man to whom the voice belonged. His short brown hair was catching in the slight breeze. He was wearing a suit, but she could easily see that he was fit beneath it. When he smiled, dimples appeared that melted her heart.
“It’s… it’s okay.”
He stepped past her and walked to the door next to Abi’s. “I’m in a bit of a hurry and wasn’t watching where I was going. Have a good day.”
“You too.”
He disappeared into his apartment. She shook her head.
Stop staring, you weirdo.
She walked back to her car and sat back down. Now she just needed to wait.
Before she even had the chance to get settled into the seat, her phone rang and Abi’s name flashed across the screen.
“Hey girl, where’s the fire?” Abi asked as soon as Kailynn said hello.
Kailynn laughed. “Oh, you know, it’s just following me around. I broke up with Drew and packed my car.”
“Whoa. Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” Tears sprang to her eyes. She didn’t knowwhy,though. She truly wasn’t sad about leaving Drew, but perhaps getting out of a long-term relationship no matter how dead it was would be draining. It wasn’t something she expected.
She sniffled. “Um, would it be okay if I crashed with you for a little bit?”
Kailynn’s parents lived nearby, but she wasn’t quite ready to face them and their interrogating questions about why she and Drew broke up. Not to mention the endless questions about what she was going to do with her business and the ‘I told you so’s she would get from her dad about starting a business with Drew in the first place.
