Page 117 of From the Start

I set my phone down and inhale a deep breath. It’s okay. I’m okay. The bar isn’t going to burn down because I’m an hour late. I was planning to do payroll in my office during the downtime anyway.

Payroll. Right.

I get back to work. But I can’t concentrate. I check the time at least once every five minutes. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m checking it every thirty seconds and getting madder by the minute.

Seventeen minutes and thirty-three seconds later – yes, I timed it – the door opens and Kai strolls into the house.

I jump to my feet. “Where have you been?”

“I…ah…” He drags his hand through his hair. “I overslept.”

“Overslept? Overslept? It’s past three in the afternoon. What did you do last night?”

Normally, Kai visits me at the bar when I’m working but he didn’t last night. He was probably out with his brothers, causing chaos. Silly me. I thought he’d grown up. I’m such an idiot. Such a fool.

“I never should have trusted you. I knew better. You’re way too young. You don’t take anything serious. You think life is a great big joke.”

“Be fair, Slugger.”

He starts toward me but I hold up a hand to stop him.

“Fair? What does fair even mean? Is it fair, my mom died when I was a teenager? Is it fair, Dad had a stroke a year later? Is it fair, I have to take care of every damn thing?”

“Hey!” Dad shouts. “Leave me out of this.”

My cheeks heat up with embarrassment. I’m having it out with my boyfriend in front of my dad. Can things get more humiliating?

“I never should have trusted you. You will never grow up.”

Kai growls. “I didn’t break your trust.”

I throw my arms in the air. “Didn’t break my trust? I trusted you to show up here to watch my dad so I can go to work.”

“I’m here now. Go on to work. Henry and I will be fine.”

I’m shaking my head before he finishes. “No way. I can’t trust youwith Dad.”

His shoulders fall and hurt clouds his blue eyes. A pang of guilt hits me but I ignore it. I’m not the cause of his pain. He brought this on himself when he didn’t show up when he promised he would.

“Come on, Slugger. So, I’m a bit late. It’s not the end of the world.”

“Maybe not. But it is the end of us.”

“Hold on. You’re breaking up with me because I made one mistake?”

“One mistake?” I wince at how I’m screeching but I can’t seem to stop myself. “One. You didn’t show up on time. Two. You didn’t answer my phone calls. Three. You didn’t respond to my messages. Do you want me to go on?”

“My phone battery died. I didn’t receive your calls or messages.”

“Your phone battery died? Another stupid excuse.” I point to the door. “Just get out. I can’t look at you right now.”

“You’re kicking me out? What about your dad?”

“Now, you care? You didn’t care for the past two hours while I worried you were lying dead in a ditch. But you were totally fine sleeping off your hangover with a dead phone.”

“I didn’t—”

“No. I’m done with your excuses. Please leave.”