Our relationship was professional. All I needed to know was that he had a job for me, what that job entailed, and how much he would pay me for it. End of story.
As for how attractive he was, I was going to have to get over it. Ogling him every so often was as far as I could take it.
As I walked down the street, tipping my head back to feel the sun on my face, hope bloomed in my chest. I had the money for my rent in my pocket, and hopefully, it wouldn’t be a problem again.
Lowering my hand into my purse, I pulled my phone out and scrolled through my contacts until I found Kyle’s name. I couldn’t wait to tell my brother about this new development.
He answered on the second ring. “Hey, sis. What’s up? How are you?”
“Better than I’ve been all week,” I said cheerfully. “I got a new job. It’s for a big logistics company. I’m going to be a client liaison.”
“That’s great, Addy. Wow. Congratulations. How did that happen?”
I paused, sinking my teeth into the inside of my cheek before I answered. There was no way I could tell Kyle I’d taken a shift at a strip club. He wouldn’t understand, and chances were, he’d beat himself up over it.
“I met the owner at a club,” I said finally, being as honest as I could. I hated lying to my brother. Since it had only been him and me growing up, I had the utmost respect for him. We were too close for lies to come between us. “We got to talking, and he gave me his card. I went in for the interview this morning, and he liked me for the job.”
“Obviously, he liked you for it,” he said, pride swelling in his voice. “You’re the smartest, most likable person I know. You’d be an asset to any company. You sure would have been an asset to mine if you’d stayed.”
I laughed, but my cheeks still flushed. “You’re biased. That’s the only reason you think all that about me. Besides, I wouldn’t have taken a handout from you even if I had stayed. You’re a successful businessman in your own right. You had to work for everything you have. I want to do the same.”
“You would have and you will,” he said with no trace of uncertainty. “I’m not saying it just because I’m biased. I’m saying it because it’s true. You have so much potential, baby sis. I’ve hated knowing you were struggling when you could have been making actual money.”
“I was making actual money. They deposited it into my bank account and everything.” I sighed softly. This was always a bone of contention between us. “It might not have been millions, but I got by.”
“Barely. I’m happy you’re doing better, though. What happened with Antonio? Have you resigned yet?”
“Uh.” Shit. My eyes closed as I braced myself for telling him the truth. “He fired me actually. Last week. We got into it over a customer’s meal. He ended up firing me for comping the meal, even though the customer had found a hair in his spinach.”
“That’s disgusting,” Kyle said. “The hair and that sorry excuse for a man. I hated him. I’m glad you’re free of him. Onward and upward.”
“Yeah, but just not too much,” I joked. “You know me. I don’t like having too many responsibilities.”
His deep exhalation was filled with a thousand arguments we’d had before on this topic. “All that will change when you have kids. You’ll have to step it up eventually. Having a kid instead of being the kid will force you to.”
“No worries there. I’m not having kids, big brother. I like being the kid too much to have any of my own.”
“We’ll see.” The knowing depth of his voice made me narrow my eyes. God, he can be so annoying.
“Yeah, we will see. Or you will anyway. Why don’t you stop worrying about my lack of kids and start doing something about your own?”
“I’m trying. Believe me. I just haven’t found the woman I want to put a baby in yet. I will, though. I want the family you and I never had.”
“White picket fence and Labradoodle included?” I teased because I couldn’t let myself think about what we’d never had.
Growing up, I’d also wanted it. Now I knew better. The odds weren’t on my side with that one. There were the fortunate ones who got to have and be part of families. Then there was me. I always had been an outsider to that life, and I always would be.
I wasn’t pitying myself or anything. It just was what it was. The few attempts I’d made at finding some place I belonged had flopped spectacularly. No, it was better to create that place for myself instead of looking for it elsewhere.
And that was what I was busy doing, creating my own place to belong.
Kyle, however, still harbored dreams of the idyllic life we’d dreamed of as kids. “Fuck yes. I’ll repaint the fence so it stays white as snow and throw in a breeding pair of Labradoodles while I’m at it.”
I snorted when I tried to hold back a laugh. “Good luck with that.”
“Thanks.”
Someone called his name at the other end of the line. My heart panged when I realized it meant he was about to end our call. Being in Italy was my choice and a dream come true, but it had never gotten any easier being this far away from my brother.
“I have to go, Addy. I’ll speak to you soon?”
“Love you, Kyle.”
His tone softened. “I love you too, kiddo. Stay safe over there, okay? Call me if you need anything.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath to keep the tears that were begging to fill my eyes from forming. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
As I
