I wanted ketchup on my shirt because it meant that I’d been enjoying a meal with Ben or Viera.
I wanted the sleepless nights because they meant I was comforting them.
I wanted the crazy.
Not the easy.
Heather put her hand on my thigh. “I’m so glad things are going to get back to normal soon. I was talking to my parents and thought it would be good to set up a dinner. Just the four of us, what do you think? For old times’ sake? They really miss you… I do too, you haven’t been the same since everything, a little away time will be good.”
“I think I’m still your boss, so unless they want me to do their taxes…,” I joked, hoping she’d take the hint.
“Oh, I thought I told you. They fired their accountant last week, sorry, you haven’t really been in a ton, so it must have slipped my mind.” She examined her nails. “They want to hand over the Miller Enterprises account to your firm. Great news, right?”
I nearly choked.
“I think right now it’s worth around… a hundred and fifty million, give or take? I mean, obviously you’d need to be exclusively their accountant, but I’ll let Dad handle those details. They’ll give you a signing bonus and make sure you’re very taken care of. It will be like…” She paused. “Like you’re part of the family.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“See ya inside,” Heather said as she opened the door. “I’ll look at your schedule and see when you’re free for dinner or maybe even brunch?” She leaned over and kissed my cheek before getting out of the car and slamming the door.
I grabbed my coffee, left the weird quinoa burrito, and followed her into the building. I made my way to my office, only to retrace my steps and knock on Banks’s door.
“Hey.” He didn’t look up. “You never stop at my door.” He smiled like he knew what I was going to ask as he took in my coffee and the rage on my face.
Heather chose that moment to walk by and grin. “Oh, good, you’re finishing off your coffee, I’m just grabbing your schedule now.”
I opened my mouth.
Closed it.
Stared at Banks harder, then closed the door behind me.
“Gonna stop you before you make an ass out of yourself trying to explain your feelings when I already know what they are. Yes, you like Colby, yes, Heather’s a social-climbing psychopath that you’ve entrusted to help run your firm, and finally—” He took a deep breath. “Would I date Colby? Yes. I would jump at the chance. She’s hilarious, she’s full of life, she’s my perfect match like that stupid MTV show, but I also know the heart wants what it wants, so what should you do? Glad you asked. You go home tonight and you kiss her. That’s it, no speeches needed, no grand gesture, you pull her into your arms and you do what you’ve been dying to do ever since you got pissed off at the movie theater and almost killed me dead.”
“But—”
“Oh, and make it a good kiss, not like this controlled let-me-only-give-ten-percent-tongue-just-in-case kiss. Girls like Colby? They want to be picked up and set on a counter, they want you to push them up against a wall, pull their hair.” He started tugging at his shirt. “Sorry. That just got weird. Anyway, point is, don’t be such a chickenshit and listen to your best friend.”
I shook my head. “I’ll at least admit you’re a good friend…”
Banks’s head jerked up. “I knew I’d wear you down.” He smiled. “As for Brooks, he would have encouraged this entire scenario. Some might say he inspired me.”
“To go after the woman I wanted,” I grumbled. “I could just see him sitting in the back of the theater with Monica, laughing their asses off.”
“Affirmative. Because you’re blind as shit,” he pointed out. “And because I know you, remember? Monica always said you needed more of a shove instead of a point in the right direction, and I figured shoving would help you see what all of us have seen for years.”
My chest tightened. “And what’s that?”
“You need to stop controlling the world around you—and stop worrying about the life you’ve always wanted, especially since it’s been in front of you all this time. Want to know what Monica told me a week before she died?”
I walked slowly toward his desk and pulled out a chair. “I don’t know. Do I?”
He leaned forward. “Me, Monica, and Brooks were all out for drinks, and I think you were working late. She was telling me about Colby and the disastrous date you guys went on, and I laughed and said, ‘That’s exactly what stick-up-his-ass needs.’”
“Hey!”
“And Monica? She just smiled and said, ‘One day it’s going to happen. I can feel it. One day, she’ll be his family.’ Obviously it happened in a horrifying way, but I know, in my soul, that she’d be happy that you and Colby are together, that you’re following your heart, and dude, if you start crying, I’m gonna start crying, and I have an image to uphold, so just say thank you, shake my hand, make a grunting noise, and walk out of my office. Do some math or something…”