Page 10 of Should Our Hearts Catch Fire

What a shocker. “I feel like shit. Iamshit.”

“Ellis,” Jordan says disapprovingly. He’s been subjected to Ellis’ pity-parties way too often, even more so in the past month. “Come on, man.”

“Don’tcome onme. You know how many people I had to fire in the last eight years?”

“Well…”

“Two,” Ellis cuts in. “You know how many I have to fire now?”

Jordan lets out a sympathetic sigh. “Ellis.”

“Six, Jordan.Six. And not because they showed up to work high as a kite or because they were harassing a secretary. No, it’s because my fucking brother fucked up and now everyone else is taking the fall.” There he goes, getting himself all riled up again.

Jordan barely blinks at the outburst. “It happens more often than you think.”

“Not here,” Ellis grits out. “Not on my watch.”

“It wasn’t on your watch,” Jordan reminds him.

“No. I’m just the one who has to deal with the aftermath.”

He could really use a drink these days, but ever since he found out about Cal’s addiction, he’s been careful not to fall down the same rabbit hole.

“It sucks, Ellis. It does. But there’s nothing else you can do.”

“That’s not quite true.” The more Ellis thinks about it, the more he’s warming up to the idea.

Jordan’s eyes narrow in suspicion. “What do you mean?”

“I could cut people’s hours.”

“And by hours, you mean their pay,” Jordan points out. “They’ll end up leaving anyway.”

Ellis purses his lips, drumming his fingers on the desktop. “Maybe I wouldn’t have to cut their pay.”

Jordan’s features fill with confusion, which is quickly replaced by dismay. “Ellis William Reeves, you are not paying them out of your own pocket. Are you nuts?!”

Ellis shrugs uncomfortably. “I wouldn’t be paying all of them.”

Jordan has to visibly take a second to compose himself. He takes a deep breath before speaking again, sounding much calmer now. “What about Cal, huh? You gonna cut his pay too? Maybeheshould be paying these people. It was his fault, after all.”

“He doesn’t remember that.”

“Doesn’t change anything. You’ve always had to clean up after him. And now he decides he doesn’t want to come back? The least he could do is take some responsibility.”

He’s not wrong, but the mere idea of doing so makes Ellis cringe. He can’t simply walk up to his clueless brother and dump all this stuff on him. Cal has his own shit to deal with. Plus, if Ellis started whining, it would put more stress on Dawson too.

“Yeah, well, this isn’t exactly a run of the mill situation.”

“Same difference.”

“I’m not cutting Cal’s pay,” Ellis says with finality.

“Cool. You’re not cutting yours either,” Jordan informs him, not even giving him a chance to protest. “Ellis, for the love ofgod, grow some balls and deal with this like an adult. It sucks ass, but it is what it is. Deal with it and move on. Okay?”

“Fine,” Ellis grunts, surrendering but not happy about it.

“Good. Work aside, how’re things?” Jordan switches the subject. “Made any friends yet?”