Page 521 of Manhattan Bossholes

“Okay, I’ll come. How long will you be there today?”

“I’m actually leaving shortly,” she said. “I have a doctor’s appointment that I can’t miss, but I’ll be back right after it. James has been in and out, but you can probably sync up your visits.”

“I’m going to head over now,” I said quickly. “I hope to see you, Bernie.”

“Me too, sweetheart.” She sighed. “Oh, what a rollercoaster life has been lately. Here’s to brighter days ahead.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell her that “brighter days” didn’t sound even remotely possible for me.

We hung up and I dragged myself from the couch.

“Good, you’re up,” Steph said as I passed her in the hallway. I wasn’t surprised to see that she was already in her workout clothing. “I’ve got a great new ab routine you’re going to hate. Go get changed.”

“Can’t. I need to get to the hospital. Christopher, uh, took too many sleeping pills when he found out his ex was engaged and pregnant.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Oh, wow. That’s awful. But Nat…do you really want to get mixed up in their personal lives given everything that happened with the bosshole? Maybe some distance is a good thing right now.”

I shook my head and my half-up bun flopped around, reminding me that I probably looked like I’d slept under a bush. “This is different. Christopher and I had a friendship that’s bigger than Branson. I need to at least show up and tell him I’m pulling for him, you know?”

Steph half-smiled at me. “You’re a good person. A pain in the ass, but a good person.”

“Thanks. You might be the only person who feels that way. James sure as hell doesn’t.”

The wave of unexpected grief made me nauseous. I loved that I could always count on Steph’s support, but it was a stark reminder that she was the one and only person I’d gotten truly close to who hadn’t let me down. My whole life had been a series of starting over, and here I was again, pretending that I was fine despite my fractured heart.

“Hey,” Steph said as she gently grasped my shoulder. “I know this is tough.”

She pulled me into a hug, and I finally let the tears flow. Better now in the privacy of my own home than at the hospital. I needed to be strong for Christopher, and also for myself if James happened to be there. I didn’t want him to know how badly he’d hurt me. Hiding my pain had always been a part of my coping mechanism when I was rejected. Chin up, shoulders back, and ready to move on as if I didn’t have a care in the world.

“I’m going to bake up the most sinful chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever tasted,” Steph said when she finally pulled back. “We’ll eat half raw, and the rest cooked. We can drain a bottle of that expensive cocktail blend you like from Elixir, too. Sound good?”

I sniffled. “You mean you’re not going to force me to work out?”

She placed her hand on my cheek and smiled at me. “My sister by another mister needs a break, and I’m going to make sure she gets it. Now, go get ready to show the Bransons that you’re unbroken. Go be there for Christopher, and when you get home, I’ll be there for you.”

My bottom lip trembled, and Steph wagged a finger at me.

“No more tears until you come home, got it? Dig up some of that strength I know you have, do what you gotta do at the hospital, then come home and break down with me.”

I nodded. “I can do it.”

“I know you can,” Steph said. “And that’s just one of the many things I love about you.”

She gave me another squeeze and I headed for my room, trying to figure out how to fake that I was okay yet again.

24

JAMES

“Ineed to talk to him.”

Amanda was the absolute last person I expected to see at the hospital, but there she was, standing in the hallway outside Christopher’s door. As always, she was impeccably turned out, her blonde hair pressed into a gleaming waterfall, wearing a dress that I recognized as Armani, paired with red-bottom stilettoes. I glanced at her still flat midsection, guessing that she had a few months left in heels that high.

I managed to camouflage my shock. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. He’s still recovering, and seeing you might set him back.” I moved between her and his hospital room door, a not-subtle reminder that I would always be my brother’s guardian.

I felt a pinch between my temples as I acknowledged that lately I’d fallen down on the job, and his hospital stay was the result.

“Don’t make this difficult, James.” Amanda scowled at me. “It’s Christopher’s decision, not yours. If he wants to kick me out, then I’ll leave, but you can’t make the choice for him.”