Questing (Cosmis Connections, Book One)

by Huffert, Barbara

  Kiley watched as Dee picked up the item Brett left at the table and opened it. When Henry took it out of her hands and motioned for Kiley to follow, she felt even worse. In the months that Jordan and Brett had eaten lunch at Mr. Paul’s, they’d both become part of the group, part of Henry’s substitute family. She’d ruined that too.

  “Kiley.” Henry closed the door to his office behind them. He propped Brett’s sketch on the desk. “Tell me, what do you see when you look at this? Ignore the fact that it’s a drawing of you. Tell me what you know just by looking at it.”

  “Henry, I can’t…” Kiley felt tears in her eyes.

  “Sure you can. I just want to know if you see the same thing I see.” He tried to keep his tone pleasant.

  “I… Well… I guess…” She took a deep breath and fought to steady her voice. “I see two people in love.”

  “Huh.” Henry studied the sketch again. “Yep. That’s what I see too. What I find amazing is the accuracy in Brett’s details. Yesterday, a mere twenty-four hours ago, you and Jordan looked at each other exactly like that. Now, rumor has it you broke it off with him. I’m sure you have your reasons but I need to ask you this anyway. Do you know what you’re doing? Are you sure you gave this enough thought? Maybe I’m wrong but he seemed like a real good guy to me.”

  “I don’t know anything anymore, Henry. But, if it’s okay, can I get back to work now?”

  “Why don’t you take off and go see him instead? Maybe talk about whatever happened?”

  “There’s nothing more to say after yesterday but thank you for the offer.” She obviously wanted to escape from his office and stay busy.

  “All right, Kiley. You know best. If you change your mind though, just say so.” He watched as she pulled herself together. “Don’t forget to take this home with you when you’re done today,” Henry said in a way that told Kiley not to argue.

  * * * * *

  Brett walked into Jordan’s office but only Dwight was there. “Jordan around?”

  Dwight nodded. “He’s upstairs. I haven’t seen him today but every now and then I think I can hear him. It sounds kinda like he’s smashing things. What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure yet but I recommend giving him some space.”

  “He didn’t go to lunch today. Did something happen with Kiley?”

  “That’s my guess but like I said, you might want to steer clear of him today, okay?”

  “No problem. Let me know if I can help.”

  “Thanks, Dwight but I doubt there’s anything we’ll be able to do.”

  Brett found Jordan on the balcony off the kitchen in the back of the house. There was a bottle of scotch on the table next to his coffee cup. Wordlessly, Brett poured himself some coffee and went out to join his friend. He sat and waited for Jordan to speak.

  “Hey,” Jordan finally acknowledged Brett without looking at him.

  “Want to tell me about it?” Brett asked quietly.

  “I guess I should have called you,” he stated flatly.

  “You could have, anytime.”

  “Was she there?”

  “Yeah. She was busy when I walked in so I went and sat where we usually do.”

  “She talk to you?”

  “No. When she turned around and saw me, she got very pale and panicked-looking. Dee told me.”

  “Told you what?”

  “That she was surprised to see me since Kiley ended it with you yesterday.” He waited but Jordan was back to staring blankly at the city. “Why didn’t you call me last night?”

  “Because I still don’t believe it. I’ve been sitting here, thinking I’ll wake up and that it’s all been a nightmare. I considered drinking but I keep expecting her to call and ask me to come over.”

  “Dwight thought he heard things breaking.”

  “Yeah. I keep pouring shots then throwing the glass before I drink any.”

  Brett peered over the edge of the balcony and saw the broken glass. Briefly, he wondered if his friend had any glasses left. “What happened?”

  “Hell if I know.” Jordan picked up the bottle and stared at it like he was ready to throw it too. “I got to her apartment yesterday and she wouldn’t look at me. She wouldn’t talk or listen. She made it clear that she didn’t want me to touch her and then she spouted some bizarre mumbo jumbo and told me to leave.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Me either.” Jordan told Brett everything that Kiley had said.

  “She can’t really believe that bullshit!”

  “Apparently she does,” Jordan sighed tiredly. “What the hell do I do now? For the first time in my life, I don’t have a clue. I keep hearing her say it’s unfortunate that I love her and there’s absolutely nothing else in my mind. What should I do, Brett?”

  “I’d give anything if I could answer that one,” Brett said sincerely. “You need to get her to talk to you.”

  “She won’t. Kiley made it clear that she never wanted to see me again. She’s, in her own words, done with me.”

  “Maybe you should get some sleep.”

  “What if she calls? Look, I know I’m not making any sense but I can’t help it. I think my mind stopped functioning yesterday. Right now, I’m not sure if it’ll ever start again.”

  “How about if I call Dee and find out if Kiley’s working all day? You could sleep until she gets off and be more alert if she wants to see you later.”

  “You can’t call there. She’ll answer the phone and know it’s you.” In a gesture of pure frustration, Jordan snatched the bottle he’d just returned to the table and heaved it into the courtyard below.

  “I have an idea.” Brett walked through the kitchen and opened the door that led downstairs to Jordan’s office. “Yo, Dwight. Get up here.” When Dwight appeared, Brett dialed Mr. Paul’s and handed him the phone. “Ask for Dee. Do not identify yourself.”

  When he reached Dee, Dwight asked her to hold on.

  “Thanks.” Brett waved him back downstairs. “Hey, Dee, its Brett but I don’t want Kiley to know I’m calling. Yeah, I’m with him. How the hell do you think he is? You got any ideas? Tell me exactly what she said. So what do you think? Is she planning on staying all day? Okay but I need you to call if that changes, even by a few minutes. He hasn’t slept and he’s afraid that if he does he’ll miss her if she calls. Yeah, that’s what I said too. Right. Thanks Dee. You too.”

  Jordan continued staring blankly while Brett spoke with Dee. “Well?” he finally asked.

  “Kiley waited until right before they opened and asked all the waitresses to listen for a minute. She said she’d decided not to see you anymore. She explained that she’d made a bad decision and jumped into something without thinking it through. She said it was her fault entirely for showing bad judgment in encouraging you from the start and she hoped if anyone ran into you that they would treat you with the same courtesy they always had. She stressed it wasn’t anything you did, just that she has no sense. She asked them all to bear with her for a few days until she pulled herself back to normal and thanked them in advance for not expressing their opinions or questioning her. And then she went back to work just like every other day until I walked in.”

  Brett paused, debating whether or not he should mention the sketch. He decided not to. “After I left, Henry took Kiley into his office and tried to convince her to talk to you. She refused and was escaping when Dee cornered her. She asked Kiley for more details, thinking she had the right, due to their friendship but all Kiley would tell her was that it was wrong of her to get involved with you. She insisted that she should have realized that instead of being flattered by your attention.

  “Dee’s afraid to push more today because she doesn’t want to alienate her. She thinks there’s something going on in Kiley’s mind that’s out of whack and that eventually, she’ll work it out and come running back to you. Dee’s not sure Kiley will know what to do once it registers how much she hurt you but said she’ll keep trying to get her
to see you.

  “Dee also said to tell you she knows Kiley loves you, no matter what she’s saying. Dee wants you to call her if there’s any way she can help. In the meantime, she’s sure that Kiley is determined to stay there all day. She says you should get some sleep. She’ll call if Kiley’s plans change and she’ll do her best to take care of her as much as Kiley will let her.”

  Jordan considered what Brett had said. “It’s over, Brett. It was over when I called her yesterday, before our meeting. She isn’t going to change her mind.”

  “She will, Jordan. She’ll think about what she said to you and what she knows about you and she’ll know she was right to love you in the first place.” Brett hoped he sounded convincing.

  Jordan just looked at him. “Go back to work. I’m glad you came by and I’ll talk to you later.”

  “I’ll stay. It’s no problem.”

  “I know and I appreciate that but I’m going to sleep. She’s not going to call or show up, not today, not ever. There’s no point in me waiting around like I have been.”

  “It’s not like you to give up without a fight, Jordan. Go rest and tonight we’ll come up with a plan.” Brett was even more concerned than he had been.

  “There’s nothing to plan for Brett, but thanks for the offer. I’d tell you there’s no need for you to stop by later but I know you will anyway so thanks, okay?” Jordan took his cup inside and threw away the rest of the coffee in the pot in a gesture of resignation. “Tell Dwight I’ll see him tomorrow and I’d appreciate it if he hangs out the rest of the day.”

  “Sure thing, buddy. You are going to sack out, right?”

  “Yeah, I will. Right now, I’m so tired I can barely move.” Jordan waited until Brett opened the door to go downstairs to add, “Hey, Brett? Thanks for not saying I told you so.”

  “Damn it, Jordan, I wouldn’t do that. I never wanted this to happen. I never expected it from Kiley either. You two had me believing in happily ever after.”

  “Me too. Guess you were right after all,” Jordan sighed. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. See you.” He walked away, not giving Brett a chance to respond.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Will stormed into Jordan’s office and confronted Dwight. “I need to see Jordan.”

  “I’m sorry but he’s not available,” Dwight responded as Jordan had instructed him to.

  “I’ll wait.” Will stared.

  “You can’t. He’s tied up all day,” Dwight replied.

  “Look, you don’t get it. I know he’s here. I’m a friend as well as a client and I don’t care how long I have to sit here, I am not leaving until I speak with Jordan. You can either get used to me or go tell him I’m here. I only need a few minutes.”

  Dwight watched Will settle into a chair. He saw the determination on his face and was unsure of what to do. When Will continued staring at him, he felt very uncomfortable. Half an hour later, Dwight decided he’d had enough. He’d rather risk Jordan’s disapproval than sit there with him all day. Or longer since Dwight was beginning to believe he’d still be there in the morning if he didn’t succeed in speaking with Jordan.

  “You win,” Dwight muttered as he went into Jordan’s private office. “I’m really sorry. I know you said you weren’t in for anyone but there’s a guy here who isn’t ever going away until you give him a minute.”

  “I said no one, Dwight. Is that so difficult?” Jordan spoke quietly.

  “No, sir, but he says he’s a friend.” Dwight didn’t give up. His boss had been working nonstop since sometime Wednesday night with an intensity he hadn’t seen before. It was like he was possessed. If that guy really was a friend, maybe he could get Jordan to take a break. “His name is Will.”

  “Oh.” Jordan suddenly appeared extremely tired. “I guess this is one that I can’t avoid. Thanks, Dwight. We’ll be upstairs.” Jordan went to greet his friend. “Why don’t you come up?”

  Will waited until Jordan was seated across from him, then pulled a paper from his pocket and spread it on the table. “You care to explain this to me?”

  “What’s to explain? I think it’s perfectly clear.”

  “Come off it, Jordan. You know damn well I’m not asking about the contents. I get the fact that you turned our account over to someone else. What I want to know is why? And why you sent this instead of telling us? I thought Dee and I were more than clients.”

  “You are, Will. And you’re right. I should have called you. I’m sorry. It’s just that I haven’t felt much like talking lately.”

  “Understandable but if the fact that we’re friends with both of you is behind your decision…”

  “That’s not it at all. I know you’re not going to take sides. Hell, Will, there’s nothing to take sides over.”

  “Then why are you tossing us?”

  “You remember the big meeting Brett and I talked about? Well,” Jordan said, explaining their plans.

  “You guys are full of surprises. That’s one hell of an idea.” Will paused. “What about Kiley?”

  “What about Kiley?”

  “I thought you loved her.”

  “I do. I’m always going to. But she made it very clear that it’s one-sided.”

  “She’s lying,” Will declared. “Or she’s in some sort of weird denial. Dee’s trying to figure out what’s going on with her but whatever it is, that girl definitely loves you.”

  “She doesn’t want to though. She wants me to leave her alone. She told me there’s no place for me in her life.”

  “She doesn’t mean it.”

  “Will, I know you’re trying to help but please don’t. Kiley made her decision and, as hard as it is for me, I have to respect it. I can’t cling to false hope or it’ll end up hurting even more than it already does.”

  “It’s not false hope, Jordan.”

  As they sat there, Will worked to keep Jordan talking. The poor guy was suffering but it was obvious he needed to get it out. Eventually, even though Jordan kept changing the subject, Will heard the shocking details of what had transpired with Kiley.

  When the door swung open and Brett stormed in, Will was even more stunned.

  “Why didn’t you warn me about this when I saw you earlier?” Brett was waving a letter that Will guessed matched his. “Imagine my face when I get back from lunch and my boss corners me, demanding to know why my best friend is no longer his financial wizard. Hi, Will. Sorry if I’m interrupting something.”

  “I’m actually here for the same reason, Brett. Jordan told me your plans. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” Brett took a calming breath. “Jordan, I thought you were going to wait a while before you started this. And do it gradually so you could notify most people in person.”

  “I changed my mind.” Jordan shrugged. “There’s really no reason to wait. I decided to just get it over with.”

  “No wonder Dwight looks stressed. Have you spoken to anyone today other than Will?”

  “Nope. I’m working on something else.”

  “Something else?” Will asked. “There’s more?”

  “Not really, just some personal investing. Dwight is holding up fairly well but I’m afraid Monday is going to be worse.”

  Brett and Will exchanged a worried look. Jordan kept steering the conversation away from whatever he was doing. Eventually, Will felt it was time for him to go so Brett could ask more in-depth questions.

  “Thanks for telling me of your plans, Jordan,” Will said lamely. “Think about what I said, okay?”

  “I will even though it won’t do any good.” Jordan stopped him at the door. “Have you seen her, Will?”

  “Not yet but she’ll be there when I get home. Why don’t you come with me?”

  “Can’t,” Jordan refused. “I need a favor though, if you don’t mind?” Will nodded. “Could you hold off telling Dee the reason for this?”

  “Because you don’t want Kiley to know?” It was Jordan’s turn to nod. “Of course, if that’s what
you want. I’m not sure I understand but fine. You two can come by and tell Dee all about it yourselves sometime.”

  * * * * *

  Kiley was leaning against the counter, chatting while Dee cooked, when Will got home. Wordlessly, he crossed the kitchen and pulled her into a hug. The gesture triggered the sobs that Kiley had been struggling to hold in all day. Dee met Will’s gaze over Kiley’s head and nodded, knowing that this release was exactly what their friend needed.

  After Kiley cried herself out and returned from washing her face, Will asked her to sit with him.

  “Thanks, Will.” Kiley tried to smile. “I guess I needed that more than I thought.”

  “Glad to help. Now I want to talk.” Will held her gaze as he handed Dee Jordan’s letter. “What the hell are you thinking?”

  “Will,” Dee gasped.

  “I heard what you said and frankly, it’s the most asinine load of bullshit! I’m surprised Jordan didn’t laugh in your face.”

  “He told you?” Kiley was mortified.

  “Yeah, every ridiculous word. You sure must have put on quite a show. I don’t know how you did it but Jordan actually believes that you don’t love him.”

  “Oh, God,” Kiley groaned.

  “Will, that’s enough,” Dee tried again.

  “No, it’s not, Dee. Somebody needs to talk some sense into her. Look, Kiley, I don’t know what’s behind this but I suggest you work out whatever stupidity is playing tricks in your mind and get over it. Go see Jordan and tell him honestly how you feel because you and I both know that you love him. And that you belong together. What I don’t get is why you decided to deny it now.”

  “Will, I…” Kiley was at a loss for words.

  “I’m not done.” Will silenced her. “You know I’m only saying this because I care,” he paused. “It’s time for you to put aside the embarrassment you must be feeling after your foolish detour into la la land. Jordan loves you, even though you gave it your best shot to destroy that. He wants you in his life just like he did before you lost your mind. We all know he’ll forgive you and forget all this nonsense if you ask him to. If you don’t do something about it, you’ll be making the biggest mistake of your life. But do it soon, Kiley. The longer you wait, the worse it’ll be for you. Another thing, and I’m not really sure why I think this, but I have the feeling that you don’t have unlimited time to fix it. Oh, I don’t mean Jordan’s going to stop loving you. It’s just that I doubt he’ll be around indefinitely and I’d hate for you to wait too long realize how wrong you are.”