Life's Too Short (The Friend Zone #3)(7)

He dropped into the chair in front of my desk. “I hear you’re cutting out early,” he said.

I knew why he was here. My going home before 5:00 was tantamount to an emergency siren wailing around the office. A prized racehorse limping around the track.

He didn’t have anything to worry about. I funneled my stress and unhappiness into work. I always had. Even in high school. The more shit I was dealing with, the more productive I became. It’s why I’d graduated early at the top of my class and coasted into college scholarships. My depressing personal life was currently driving this firm into the top five in Minnesota. I didn’t fault Marcus for checking on me though. I liked that he was shrewd.

“I’ve got two ex partes on Wednesday,” I said. “I can do the paperwork from home. I think I’m getting a migraine,” I lied.

Telling him my real reason would only add to his concern.

“I could always put someone else on the Keller case,” he said, talking to his tie as he smoothed it down.

I kept my expression neutral.

He did this to poke me. He was letting me know that whatever my problem was, he expected me to wrap it up quickly and get back to my job.

Again, I did like that he was shrewd.

I didn’t look up as I keyed in an email to Becky. “I don’t think anyone else could handle what I have going on.” I hit Send with a final tap and leveled my eyes on him.

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his fingers threaded across his belly. “Keller and Garcia? What have those two idiots done now?”

“Garcia violated his custody order and took his daughter over state lines to visit his mother last week. They’re asking for full loss of his parental rights until the conclusion of the trial.”

He bobbed his head. “The guy’s being indicted for tax evasion. It’s not a violent crime. They won’t grant it.”

“I know. Maybe a slap on the wrist.”

“And Keller?”

I scoffed. “His ex-wife caught him jerking off outside her window at two in the morning in violation of her restraining order.”

“Ouch,” he chuckled.

“She is also asking for loss of custody.”

He looked at his watch. “And she’ll get it. That guy cannot keep his dick in his pants. This isn’t going to help his assault case.”

“No, it is not.” And I wouldn’t trust anyone else but me to deal with it—and neither would he.

Marcus nodded for a moment. “Well, have a good night, then.” He got up, then paused with a hand on the back of the chair. “Hey, why don’t you come up to the cabin with us for Christmas next month? Jessica’s just put a hot tub on the deck.”

I shook my head. “I think I might head out to Nebraska. Mom’s been asking me to see the work they’ve done on the house.”

Another lie.

I didn’t like spending Christmas alone, but spending it with Marcus, hanging out with his cranky wife and watching their loveless marriage, was my idea of hell. Marcus’s career was a monument to hard work and dedication, but his personal life was a cautionary tale.

I wrapped up things at the office and left by 3:00.

Mom called while I was driving home.

I stared at the notification on my car’s Bluetooth. I was not in the right headspace for her, but I didn’t like sending her to voicemail in case something was wrong—which was highly likely given her circumstances.

I let out a long breath and hit the Answer Call button, mustering more enthusiasm than I felt. “Hey, Mom.”

“Adrian. I’m just calling to see how your Thanksgiving was.”

Of course.

She was calling to browbeat me into coming for Christmas. Hoping I’d learned my lesson after spending Thanksgiving alone and was now ready to play nice.

No.

“Thanksgiving was fine,” I said flatly.

It wasn’t fine. I’d spent the day by myself eating Chinese takeout and reading transcripts.

She let out a sigh. “It doesn’t have to be like this, you know. We want you here. Please come for Christmas.”

My jaw ticked. “No.”

I could almost feel her pinning me with her disapproving stare. “You know, you’re not just hurting Richard with this boycott. You’re hurting me, and you’re hurting your grandmother. She doesn’t understand why you’re not there. She gets more confused by the day, and I don’t know how much more time you’ll have with her. Are you really willing to sacrifice that for this…this petty disagreement?”

I barked out an incredulous laugh. “Petty disagreement? Is that a joke?”

I could picture her throwing up her hands. “He made a mistake. And no matter how you feel about that, Richard is my husband now and he wants to get to know you—”

“I have absolutely no desire to allow him to do any such thing. He’s not good enough for you. You should have never married him after what he did.”

She paused for a long beat.

“Maybe one day you’ll need forgiveness, Adrian. And someone will give it to you.”

We fell into a silence.

She was crying. I could hear her sniffling on the other end of the line. I pulled into my space in the parking garage under my building and put the car in park.

I’d been close to my mom before this. Before him. I took care of her—I’d always taken care of her. I’d done it since I was fifteen years old and my piece-of-shit dad walked out on us. Normally I was over there every Sunday for dinner with her and Grandma. I paid for repairs on the house, drove Grandma to the doctor.