Page 41 of FWB

Kenny

T iegan likes the flowers. I’m glad I went with the red roses.

They match her signature red lipstick. I miss kissing those ruby-red, perfectly plump lips.

I knew she would get the song lyric reference too.

Smart girl. It didn’t take her long to figure out it was me who sent them.

I had to get here at the ass crack of dawn to drop the flowers off before Rob arrived for his shift.

He always gets here at least an hour before he’s supposed to.

Lilii catches her first cold. I was terrified when she first started sneezing.

I immediately rushed her to the emergency room, convinced she was dying.

The hospital staff assured me it’s just a cold.

They gave her some medication and sent us on our way.

She ended up being fine, but I felt like I was going to have a heart attack at thirty-eight.

Max has been really cool about letting me work from home. When Lilii first got sick, I worked from home for that whole week, and now I continue to only go into the office once or twice over the next few weeks. He’s also a single dad to a young child, so he gets it.

When I do come into the office, I rarely encounter Tiegan.

It’s been torture. According to Rex, she’s been hinting around for information regarding my whereabouts.

I haven’t told anyone at work, besides Max, about Lilii.

Once word gets out, it will spread like wildfire.

Kroger runs on gossip. I’m not ready to be the target of more after the holiday party fiasco.

One day, I’m talking with Jerome in the kitchen and he brings up something Tiegan said. “How is she?” I ask, knowing that he knows the whole story about us.

“Who?”

I shoot him a look like, really? He laughs and pats me on the back. “I’m messing with you, man. She’s … okay. I know she misses you, even though she won’t outright admit it.”

“What makes you think she misses me? Isn’t she dating some Silver Fox now?”

“I can just tell. She doesn’t have that sparkle now that you’re not there for her anymore. I wouldn’t worry too much about the new guy.”

“I never wanted to stop being there.”

“By letting her into your heart, you’re being there for her.

Let her know what’s going on with you. It’s none of my business what’s going on in your life, but I have a feeling it might be hers.

You want my advice, as someone who knows her well, tell her what’s going on.

Let her in. She might just surprise you with how she takes it. ”

I walk back to my desk after my conversation with Jerome.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m not giving Tiegan enough credit.

I should at least give her the facts so she can make her own decision on if she wants to be with me, and Lilii, or not.

But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s seeing someone else now. I think I’ve really blown it this time.