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My eyes widened. "Damn. I mean, a few minutes would be nice, but after that, I have things to do," I told her laughing.
"No, Rea, you're missing out. When it's with somebody who you truly love and adore, it's like having a soul orgasm," she enthused, looking dreamy.
I suppressed an eye roll, something I did often with Lucy because as much as I loved her, some of her ideas did not jive well with my own. That was all right, I was glad things were going so well between her and her husband, Sam. Considering the fact that Sam started as her blowhard boss, the fact that he'd transitioned into her sweet and doting husband had been something of a surprise. But they worked well together, and they seemed genuinely happy. I was happy for them…if not a little jealous.
Don't do that, a voice warned in my head. Comparison was the thief of joy. I knew that, and there was no point in comparing my life with those of my best friends. The three of us couldn't be any more different—that's what I loved about all of us. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel a pang of regret when I saw the two of them so loved up and happy.
Maybe that's what I'd been trying to force onto Brian, but it didn't matter how well I set the stage. Even if everything else was perfect, if that person wasn't right, I wasn't going to have the same thing that Lucy and Amy did, respectively. Maybe I just wasn't meant to have it at all.
Intellectually, that was fine with me. I was young and successful, and I loved my job as a probate lawyer. It definitely had its challenges, but I found it very rewarding. This slump was just that quarter-life crisis that I heard people talking about, even if I was a little past the quarter-life mark.
Lucy and I said our goodbyes, and I walked her out of the building with my box in hand. Better to get this over with now and move on with things.
***
Adam lived across town in a renovated brownstone. The bottom floor belonged to an older couple who ran a jewelry store a few blocks over. Adam occupied the top floor. It was prime real estate for New York, and no doubt expensive, but that made no difference to Dr. Adam Rollins.
I'm sure his practice kept him more than financially comfortable, but even if it didn't, he'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was several years older than Brian, but they had met in college. Apparently, Adam had been expected to follow the family legacy of being "professionally rich." But citing dissatisfaction and a touch of rebellion, he had gone to college a little later in life and became a doctor.
I shuddered to think about what it must have been like to be a patient of Adam's. He was grumpy, arrogant, and had the sense of humor of a teenage boy. Despite the fact that he was so much older than Brian, one wouldn’t know after watching them together.
While Brian navigated the world in clean-cut and expensive suits that let people know to take him seriously, Adam wandered around in a hockey jersey and jeans most of the time. And, by the way he interacted with others, I don't think he gave two shits about people taking him seriously. Part of me admired that a little bit, but I didn't have generational wealth to back me up, so I had no choice but to be a hard ass…especially in my line of work.
My grandmother always told me that some people would only be willing to hand you shit if you were willing to take it. So, I had made it my mission not to take any of it. That type of thinking was why Adam and I never got along throughout my relationship with Brian. He was obnoxious, and I hated his childlike antics. As far as I was concerned, Adam was a bad influence on Brian.
It was a shame, really, since Adam was not an unattractive guy, even with his perpetual five o'clock shadow. But there was a certain intelligence in his eyes that always made one wonder what he was going to do next. I couldn't say he wasn't interesting. Just annoying as hell.
As I climbed the stairs to his portion of the brownstone, I prayed silently that he was not actually home. At the top of the stairs, I looked around furtively. There appeared to be no one around.
Thank God.
I dropped the box unceremoniously onto the doormat in front of Adams's door. "There,” I said, rubbing my hands together, "that's the end of that." I straightened and turned on my heel to head back towards the stairs.
I stilled when I heard a familiar voice…a teasing, deep voice saying, "What? No hello for your favorite person?"
I turned around to face Adam. He leaned against his door frame, looking me up and down with that cat-that-ate-the-canary smile.
"Why, whatever do you mean, Adam? I left you a parting gift," I said, motioning to the box on his doorstep.
He looked down at me suspiciously. "I didn't peg you as the type of person to be willing to get your hands dirty enough to put actual shit in here. But I do peg you as somebody who pays somebody else to do it," he said, narrowing his eyes at me, that smile still curving his too-full lips. It was really a shame to make somebody so annoying so attractive.
"I do not have time for those kinds of childish games, unlike somebody I know," I pointed out.
He waved a dismissive hand at me. "Ah, come on, you know, I'm just screwing with you. You're too easy to do that with."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I've noticed that you feel that way. Luckily for me, I don't have to deal with it anymore," I said, starting to turn around.
"You know what your problem is?" he called from behind me.
I stopped in my tracks, clenching my jaw together. I hated that question. And yet, I could not help but engage. It was no wonder I became a lawyer, I loved to argue. I turned around, eyeing him cooly. "No, oh wise one, enlighten me."
"Oh, you take yourself too seriously. You need to loosen up and have some fun," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
I barked out a laugh. "That's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?"
His brow furrowed together in confusion. "What are you talking about? I'm a fun guy," he said in all seriousness.
I shook my head. "Asking somebody to pull your finger does not make you a fun guy, it just makes you an overgrown child."
