"She should know better," he says. "Your sisters are going to complain, but that’s what you get when you take my woman away from me." That is what I want. What I strive to have. That is what I dream of, but hey, I got two gorgeous girls out of it. I can’t say no to that.
"Thanks, Dad," I say, feeling so much better than I did when I walked out of the office. "For everything."
"It’s my job. The four of you are my life. Your brother not so much these days." I laugh, thinking about Chase and his refusal to do anything with hockey until he got a degree in medicine.
"He’s a good kid," I say finally. "Tell Mom I say hi, and I’ll see you guys on Friday."
"I’ll text you when I have the details. I think even Uncle Max is also coming down." I laugh, and I don’t know why I’m surprised that everyone is coming down this weekend. This is what we do. When one needs help, we rally.
"Sounds like fun," I confirm, a little excited they are going to come down. "Love you, Dad."
"Love you more," he says and disconnects the call. I pull out of the parking lot and see the sun shining high in the sky. The phone rings, and I see that Erika texted me a couple of times.
Erika: But how are you feeling?
Erika: Silence must be a full-blown pity party.
I laugh at the last text. After I park my SUV, I get out and walk toward the elevators, pushing twenty-five and putting my key in the keypad. The elevator only moves when it recognizes the key, and the door opens a couple of seconds later. The sunlight fills the condo, and it should since the whole back wall is floor-to-ceiling windows.
Tossing my keys on the counter, I walk over and grab the orange juice from the fridge. Pouring myself a glass, I clean up the counter where the girls left their breakfast. I hang the pictures they made me this morning on the fridge, and I’m going to the bedroom to make their beds when I hear a knock on the front door. I smile to myself, knowing exactly who it is. To be honest, I’m surprised she lasted this long without coming over.
I open the door, and there she is, my rock. "Knock knock," she says, holding up a bottle of Macallan whiskey. "I’m here to collect the rent." I laugh as she walks in. When I was looking for a place to stay, she didn’t even hesitate to offer me her condo. Even though I rejected it, she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
"I have to give it to you," I say, closing the door behind her and then walking to her and putting my arm around her shoulder. "You are totally slacking."
She gasps and pushes me away from her. "How am I slacking?" I grab her again.
"One, you weren’t lurking in the parking garage," I tease as we walk side by side to the kitchen.
"I was giving you space," she replies, walking out of my reach. "And making you sort shit out before."
"Well," I say, putting my hands on my hips. "Don’t do that shit again."
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "What would you have done?"
"I would have been sitting in the lawyer's office waiting for you," I say, and she opens her mouth and closes it.
She shrugs. "Well, I guess I’m a shitty friend. Instead, I gave you space and bought you booze." A smile fills her face. "You’re welcome!"
Chapter 4
Erika
"Well, I guess I’m a shitty friend. Instead, I gave you space and bought you booze." I smile when I see his eyes are lighter than they were this morning. "You’re welcome!" I walk to the place where I used to keep the shot glasses and see a pink sippy cup beside it, making me smile even more. "Do you want a shot glass or the sippy cup?" I ask over my shoulder and see him staring at me.
"Definitely the sippy cup," he jokes and walks over to his phone. "Pizza?"
"It’s not even eleven." I grab two shot glasses, and then he tilts his head and takes off his baseball cap, tossing it onto the white marble island. When I bought this condo, I had plans to live in it. It was right next to the office in the heart of downtown, so I thought it was the perfect move for me. What I thought would make me a career woman. I lasted a full month before the novelty wore off, and I realized I wanted a home with a backyard and a pool and grass. Fuck, I wanted to walk on the grass at the end of the day. So I used this as an investment property and rented out the condo to people I knew or were referred by the management.