Never Kiss A Stranger

“Ah, ok.” My body relaxes as I thank my lucky stars the asshole isn’t around.

“He doesn’t come in much anymore.”

I pick up a small silver frame from the cluster on his desk and stare at Urban’s wiener. Dog, that is. “He just likes the title still,” I surmise.

Urban laughs a bit. “Yeah, I guess.” He leans back in his chair and frowns. “It’s not good, El.”

“What isn’t?”

“The business. The brewery. It’s going under.”

I return the frame with his dog to its place, hoping I misunderstood. “How can that be? Things were going so well.”

Urban rakes a hand through his hair, his frown now a permanent feature on his face. He’s older than me by a few years, and he’s a fucking wiz at business. I don’t see how this could be happening with him running the operation. Unless…

“Is it because of him?”

“Yeah.” He worries the corner of his lip and then continues, “He’s developed a bit of a gambling addiction.”

“Of course, he has,” I mutter.

Urban stares at my throat, not meeting my eyes. “I’ve been having to bail him out with a lot of the profits.”

I stand and cross to the window, looking at the rows of cars in the employee lot. Lots of people depend on a paycheck from this business. “Dammit, Urban. What about the IRS?”

“We’re fine there, promise. He took it out as a loan from the company.”

“Let me guess, he’s gonna default on the loan?” I shake my head. “How long have we got until we’re completely fucked?”

Urban scrubs a hand across the stubble on his jaw. “We’ll be completely out of business within the year.”

“No fucking way.” I had no idea it was this bad. Guilt slams into me like a concrete wall. I should have been here.

“I’m sorry. It all happened rather suddenly.” He pushes back his chair and stands. “The market is oversaturated, Ellis.” Urban walks around his desk, leaning back against it, slipping his hands into the pockets of his khakis. He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me for a moment. “I don’t know if anything will help at this point. It would be like throwing a water bottle at a blazing fire.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Giving up is not an option. “Remember Henry Faniki?” I ask.

He smiles for the first time since he started telling me about the business. “Yeah, how is he? I haven’t seen him in ages. Isn’t he in real estate?”

“Investment firm. He’s doing great. I ran into him here at the pub.” I tell him about our conversation and my plan to get the brewery on his firm’s radar with a push from Henry. “He’s getting married and he asked me to be his best man. So, I said yes.”

“Really?” Urban stares at me for a moment. “Wasn’t he always going from girl to girl?”

“Yeah,” I answer. “Sort of like you.”

“Can’t help it if I haven’t met the one,” he says with a wink. “When's the big day?”

“A few weeks. I’m not really sure.” My face grows serious. “I asked him about investing in the brewery.”

“Ah, what did he say?”

“Said I help him, he’ll help me.”

Urban smiles. “Perfect, you better be the best damn best man he’s ever seen.” He laughs.

I don’t laugh along, wondering if I should fill my brother in on the rest of the story. “I met his fiancée.”

“Is she nice?”

“Yeah, seems to be.”

His eyes narrow. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Well…” I pause but know he will keep on till I come clean, “we kind of kissed.”

Urban raises both brows. “Kind of? What do you mean? Like a long time ago?”

“No. Right after I got into town.” He lets out a low whistle. “It was stupid. I’d broken this trellis thing in the parking lot, and she was yelling at me, and Dad and Yasmin were driving by. And I just knew if they saw me they’d stop, and I just couldn’t face him, yet. So, I did the first thing I could think of and grabbed her.”

“And you kissed her? Did she slap you?”

I laugh, remembering back to Kiki’s reaction of our kiss. “She was pretty pissed.”

“You gonna tell Henry?”

I pace the large office. “What do you think?”

“Was it just a kiss? Or are you wanting more?”

My brother knows me so well. It’s been ages since we’ve had a real talk about feelings and women. Normally, we talk shop or about the latest sports game and head on our way.

“I’ll be fine.”

He smiles. “I didn’t ask that, Ellis. You have a thing for this girl?”

My face grows hot with his line of questioning. Under different circumstances, I would have already asked this girl out to dinner. I’d already be planning my second date with her, and how I could get to kissing her again. Full time. But, this is not that circumstance. “If things were different, sure. But, they’re not.”