Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86741 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Less than a minute later and my phone rang again. A photo of Kell and me appeared on the screen, both of us smiling up at the camera with alcoholic drinks in hand, and the song “Gold Digger” by Kanye West and Jamie Foxx playing as his ringtone. He’d set it as the ringtone during one of our drunk nights out a couple months ago and I never got around to changing it.
“It’s nine in the morning, Kell,” I answered groggily. “What do you want?”
“Just checking to see if we’re still on for today, sis.”
“Of course we are. Every Wednesday, right?” I sat up, pressing my back against the wall. I had no headboard, not even a bed frame. Just a mattress on top of wooden pallets that I’d found, sanded, and painted white. I think of it as bohemian. My roommate, Shelia, thinks of it as a homeless move.
“Right—no, babe.” Kell’s voice was distant. “That’s the tie for my meeting today. Yes, I’ll talk to her about it later.”
“Talk about what?”
“Sorry, I was talking to Ana.”
I rolled my eyes at the mention of Ana. “Ah, right.”
“Anyway, see you at twelve?”
“Yes, Kellan,” I said through a yawn. “Twelve it is.”
“Good. And please try to be on time, Mira. I have to meet a client afterward.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll be on time. Promise.”
“Good. See you then.”
Kell hung up abruptly and I turned back over in bed, sleeping for another hour.
CHAPTER TWO
“You’re late.” Kell stared at me from across the two-top table, his dark brown eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed thin. “I told you to be here on time. I literally just told you this morning, Mira.”
“I know, I know! I’m sorry! I was just really tired this morning because I spent all yesterday job hunting—”
“Job hunting?” he interrupted. “You lost another job, Samira?”
“Yeah. I was let go for being late too many times.” I waved a dismissive hand.
“Are you serious? I set that job up for you with Miranda. I told her you were accountable and good for her store. She’s a client of mine! Do you realize how that’s going to make me look?”
“Yeah, I know, but it’s not my fault, Kell! And to be frank, your client is a bitch and we weren’t meshing, so it’s fine. I’ll get another job, send her a fancy forgive-me basket or something.” I sipped water from one of the glasses already placed on the table for us. “I’m also tired because Shelia wanted to cheer me up for being fired, so we got drinks last night at this new club and we stayed out a little too late—”
“Look, Mira. Just stop.” Kell lifted a firm, impatient hand in the air.
I blinked and clamped my mouth shut, staring at him.
“I don’t want to hear your excuses anymore.”
“Um . . . okay. Noted. What’s with the attitude, though? Is this about me being a little late getting here? I’m always a little late, Kell! I’m sorry! What’s going on with you?”
Kell looked me over twice and then sighed, the seriousness that was once gripping his features now fading. I took a moment to really look at him since walking into the restaurant.
He wore a navy-blue suit with an olive-green tie over a creaseless tan button-down shirt. His hair was freshly cut, a gold watch on his right wrist.
Kell had been dressing different lately. Before, he’d wear plaid button-down shirts and khakis or black slacks. But now it was crisp three-piece suits, flashy watches, and weekly haircuts when before he wouldn’t bother going to a barbershop until absolutely necessary. All of these changes came shortly after he proposed to Analise seven months prior.
Despite my brother’s done-up appearance, I could see the tiredness in his eyes. To the average man, they’d see a dapper guy, handsome and alert, but as his only sibling of twenty-eight years I could see right through whatever façade he was trying to put on.
“Kell,” I called when he turned his head to look out of the window, at the Miami traffic. He hadn’t answered my question and he was avoiding my eyes. Something was clearly wrong. “You’re worrying me now. Did something happen?”
“No, nothing happened.” He sighed and I lifted my head, relaxing my shoulders a little. “Look, Mira, there’s no easy way for me to say this so I’m just going to put it out there, okay? I can’t help you out anymore.”
I frowned, confused. “Help me out? With what?”
“As far as finances go. I can’t keep sending you money every month anymore.”
“Why?” I countered quickly. “What happened?”
“Ana is pregnant,” he murmured, and immediately lowered his gaze. “I just found out yesterday. I wanted to tell you in person, over lunch.”
“Wow!” I stared at him, stunned. “Pregnant? Wow, Kellan, that’s—that’s so great! I didn’t know you guys were planning on having a baby so soon.”