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“If that shit hadn’t happened out on Merit, would you have taken her home with you?”
“Yes.” There’s no point in lying now.
“So, she’s the one.”
I grind my teeth and lay my head back on the seat. “There is no the one.”
“How can you say that? Have you met my perfect in every way for me girlfriend?”
I shake my head and sigh. “Fine. You found the one. Congratulations on winning life, Ave.”
“You found Breanna.”
Only Avery would dare to say something like that to me, even after all these years. “Perfect. I found the one and she died. Thanks for the pep talk.”
“She was the one for you then. Breanna swooped in when you were going through some heavy family shit and pulled you right out of it. Helped you stand up to your parents. Helped you get through law school after you thought you were going to fail. And she gave you Ainsley.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting it out long and slow. “You’re right. She was the one.”
“And what if you’ve found the one for the man you are now? You’re in a new chapter. Stepping away from some of the firm responsibilities as the younger partners step up. Sending your kid off to college. Committing to being at The Sands more. This is a fresh start for you, and what do you know? The perfect woman for your new start shows up right on time.”
I don’t have to think hard to know Breanna would agree wholeheartedly with him right now. I can see them in my mind, laughing over this whole thing and telling me not to screw it up.
“I think it’s perfect that Ains brought her to you. It’s a fucking love story, man. Like a movie.”
“Glad I’m keeping you entertained.”
“Don’t fucking do this. Don’t do the thing where you decide one problem is big enough to kill everything good in your life. It’s too short.”
I don’t have a response for that, so I say nothing. I’m sure Ave’s just getting started.
He doesn't make me wait. “If this shit with Ainsley hadn’t gone down, and Victoria was living at your house with you right now, would you tell me she was the one?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then. You’ve got your answer.”
Smug fucking bastard wraps the whole thing up with a box and hands it over, expecting me to thank him.
“When are you coming back up to New York?” I ask.
Ave is quiet for a long moment, and I know he’s deciding whether to let me change the subject. Finally, he relents. “Ains and I have tickets to see The National next month.”
“Let’s get dinner.”
He laughs. “We’re going to get a lot more than dinner, Ben. I’m staying at your house. I’m going to be all up in your bullshit.”
I laugh then, shaking my head. “Sounds good, man.”
“Tell Vicki I said hi.”
Arriving home is usually my favorite part of the day, but today it just feels heavy.
I set my briefcase down on the entryway table with a thud that echoes through the empty halls. As I walk, lights gradually brighten to greet me, something I generally enjoy, but today it just seems pathetic.
I have my house programmed to greet me because I'm always alone.
I mentally curse Ainsley for sending me down this path of morose thoughts. I’m not pathetic. I’m doing just fine. I’m a partner at the largest, most prestigious firm in the city. I have everything I could ever want in life.
