Meet Cute(34)

“I just think you need to seriously consider whether you really want him working at your firm. Is it worth it?”

I’m about to reply, but my phone rings—the only person who calls me outside of work is sitting across from me, which I realize is a little depressing. Work is my vice and my hobby, and possibly my boyfriend.

It’s probably a telemarketer or something. I check the caller ID and frown. Daxton is calling me on a Friday night? I hope nothing has happened to Emme.

“I need to take this.” Holly nods as I answer the call. “Hello?”

“Kailyn? Hey. Hi. Is this you?”

“It is, yes. Is everything okay?”

I don’t quite catch his reply, something about being dizzy or busy. Probably the latter since I can’t see him calling me about being dizzy.

The restaurant is loud so it’s hard to hear. “I’m sorry?”

“It sounds like you’re out somewhere. Are you on a date?” The last part has bite.

I sit up a little straighter. “Did you call to ask about my social life?”

“No, I—I didn’t…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called. I just…so—”

I lean back in my chair, too curious as to why exactly he has called to let him flounder for long. “I’m just wrapping up dinner with a friend.” It’s fairly vague; a friend could be male or female, romantic or not. He can draw whatever conclusion he wants. I glance at Holly, who gives me a questioning look.

“Oh, it’s nice that you can do that. Go out with friends.”

“Is there something I can help you with?”

He clears his throat. “Um, I’m real sorry for calling out of the blue, but I have a bit of an emergency.”

I’m back to being on alert. “What kind of emergency?”

“You get your period, right?”

“Excuse me?” This just got weird. Holly gives me the what the hell is happening? hand gesture. I hold up a finger. Not my middle one.

“Sorry, sorry. Fuck. That came out wrong. Emme just got hers, for the first time, and there was nothing in the house and I’m at the pharmacy but there’s, like, an entire aisle dedicated to this stuff. I don’t even know where to start. I need help and I didn’t know who else to go to, so I called you, and that was probably stupid.”

His panic is entertaining, so I feel justified in giving him a bit of a hard time. “So just to be clear, you’re calling me on Friday night for feminine hygiene product advice?”

“You’re laughing at me.”

“Yes, I’m laughing at you.”

“Well, can you laugh at me and help me? Emme’s locked herself in her bathroom and she’s crying, and I don’t have the skill set or the reproductive organs to know how to deal with this.”

That sobers me. “She’s crying?”

“I guess it’s pretty traumatic? I mean, I don’t know. But yeah, she’s crying and I don’t know where to start, so some brand guidance or something would be helpful.”

I consider what it would be like to be a thirteen-year-old girl getting her period for the first time after just having lost her mother, and only having a brother to go to for help. No one wins in this situation. I can’t leave him to deal with this on his own.

“Which pharmacy did you go to?”

“The one at Ventura and Laurel Canyon. Do you know the layout?”

It’s pretty close. “Hold on a second.” I press the receiver to my chest. “Are you okay with ending dinner a little early?”

“So you can buy feminine hygiene products? Who is that?” Holly narrows her eyes. “Oh my God. Is that him?”

“I’ll make it up to you with brunch on Sunday.” I bring the phone back to my ear. “Can you hold on for ten minutes?”

“Uh, I guess.”

“I’m in the neighborhood. I can meet you there if you’d like.”

“Seriously?”

“Unless you want me to walk you through it over the phone.”

“No, no. I can wait. I’ll wait. I might not wait in this aisle in particular because I feel a little weird about standing here looking at pads and stuff, but I’ll be in the CVS. Thank you so much, Kailyn. I really owe you.”

“I’ll be there shortly.” I end the call and meet Holly’s not quite approving gaze. “What?”

She crosses her arms over her chest and arches a brow. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

“Daxton’s thirteen-year-old sister has her period for the first time and he needs some help. It’s a good opportunity.”

“Opportunity for what, exactly?”

“To earn his trust.”

“Is this about making partner? Come on, Kailyn, I know you better than that.”

“Do you remember the first time you got your period? Imagine how hard this is for both of them. And it’ll help me figure out whose best interests he really has in mind. I mean, he’s calling me because she got her period and not just sending her to the store on her own. That says something, doesn’t it?”

Holly sighs. “Just be careful you don’t get yourself in too deep with this one.”

“Her world just fell apart.”