In the middle of the workday. “You said you ate this all the time when you were little,” I said as we made our way to the elevators. “Nigel, did you grow up in France?” Because he’d done a pretty great accent when he’d dressed up as Francois the other night.
“Oh…I’ve moved all over.”
“That’s what Tanner always says too.”
“He has also moved all over. Staying in one place gets…boring after a while, you know?” He sighed and stared at the elevator.
“Am I boring you, Nigel?” I asked with a laugh.
“No, it’s more like the place gets bored of us.”
That was such a sad sentiment. “I don’t think I could possibly get bored of you, Nigel.”
He smiled.
“Really. We’re friends.” I put my hand on his shoulder. Despite all the weirdness, Nigel truly was my friend. And he’d helped me out of my situation with Poppy. I owed him a lot.
“Friends? You mean it?”
I nodded.
“Okay, I’ll go through with my plan then.”
“Um…what plan?”
“You’ll see. Let’s go get our meat on!” He hurried onto the elevator and slid his hand down the entire row of buttons.
“Nigel, why didn’t you just hit the first floor?” I asked and stepped on beside him.
“Don’t you have to give it directions?”
“Hitting the main floor button is the direction.”
“But like…tell it the path?”
“Nigel, don’t you take the elevator up to Tanner’s penthouse?”
“No. I like the stairs.”
Of course he did. We slowly descended, the doors sliding open at every floor. “You know what? I like the stairs too. Let’s take them.” Otherwise we’d be in this elevator all day. I felt sorry for the guy who got in as we were getting off.
“What the fuck?” he said under his breath as the doors closed shut.
Nigel and I both laughed.
“Will you be coming with me to practice today too?” I asked.
Nigel nodded.
This would actually be great. Kennedy agreed to come to practice too. And I was pretty sure that if Kennedy could win Nigel over, then Nigel could convince Tanner that she was good for me.
I’d get a signature from Poppy.
I’d propose to Kennedy.
And I’d finally get the family I always wanted.
But as soon as I thought it, I heard Tanner’s words in my head. “Can you really have a whole life with someone when your heart still belongs to another?”
