A Different Slice

48 - Missing You (Kieran)

"Thanks for not..." His bottom lip trembled, and he met her blue-eyed gaze. "You're a good friend."

She squeezed his hand. "So are you."

Once he'd calmed down, Brinny gave him more space. "Naomi's the one who told me."

He tensed. "Did she share it on social media or something?" His heart raced. Would he lose his job again? What about the few friends he'd made?

"No, she called me to ask about it. She's upset you never told her."

While it'd been wrong to keep from her, he had planned on telling her today. Her douchebag ex beat him to it. "I'm upset she chose her fucking ex over me."

"Would she be calling me about this if that was more than a panic reaction?"

That gave him a little hope, but not enough to reach out to her again. She still hadn't responded to his message, and that spoke volumes. He'd given her a piece of his heart, and she tossed it in the sun to rot.

***

After Brinny left, Jake, who must have departed sometime earlier, appeared at Kieran's doorway, knocking on the frame. "Can I come in?"

Kieran nodded, not wanting his silence to keep negatively affecting his brother, especially since he was one of two people who supported him through these accusations that continued to haunt him.

Jake stared at his thin black socks, rubbing his feet together. "I'm sorry I let her in the apartment. I didn't know what else to do."

"It helped, thank you." Kieran had no desire to punish his brother with his misery. That was a page out of their mother's book.

Jake nodded without making eye contact. "Can I make you a meal? It can be anything you want."

"Sure, I can help."

Kieran's legs struggled to support him as he rose from the bed. Pins of shooting pain danced within as blood returned to them. He told Jake he'd meet him there, so he could change out of the clothes he'd worn to meet Naomi yesterday. He'd reassured himself earlier in the week that she'd react okay to the news if he approached it the correct way. What a joke. It turned out his anxiety was right the whole time.

Each step toward the kitchen was slow and laboured, but he made it there. He set his hands on the cold, dark countertop. "So, what's on the menu tonight?"

Jake's sadness-filled brown eyes met Kieran's with a look of defeat. "Whatever you'll eat."

Jake had been cooking meals all day and knocking gently at his door to tell Kieran they were ready. But each time, Kieran remained in bed without opening the door. Guilt was overtaking the anger and pain in his body.

"Whatever you think is best."

"And will you eat it? There's frozen pizza if you want one."

He shook his head. That would only remind him of Naomi. "Would you make me something off the app?"

Jake sighed and scratched at his bare chin. "You hate the app."

"Some days it's not so bad."

Jake's lips turned into a forced smile. "At least it's not a total loss."

It was bad enough that Kieran was devastated, but he refused to let it rub off on his brother. "Plenty of people love your app. You have many users and positive reviews."

"Just not the person I created it for. I can never find the right way to reach you, like trying to respect your space to process when you needed support that Brinny, of all people, offered you."