Forrest novel Chapter 23

FORREST

SOMETHING WAS off in the air as soon as I walked into Kyland’s office. He was definitely wearing a knowing grin on his face. I could feel in my bones that this call had nothing to do with me turning down the manager’s position.

“Why am I here?” I slumped into the couch, resting my arms on the backrest. I thought of playing cool would do the trick, just like how I dealt with them when they grilled Megan last weekend.

“I want you to convince Megan to take my position.” Kyland didn’t look at me, keeping himself busy stacking papers into the folder. “I’m gonna work at home. Bianca is catching a cold. I have to babysit Kelly.”

“Can I help?”

“Nah. I got it covered. Just do what I ask you to do.” Sure, man. As if Megan would listen to me. If they couldn’t convince her, they thought I could?

“She will take it when she feels the job is right for her.”

“So you two are a thing, huh?” Of course, it was only a matter of time before his turn. He’d never missed that. Pyke and Xandry were done with their threats and warnings that left him and the girls.

I drilled him with penetrating glare, instead, he smiled evilly at me. “I see, you never deny, and that’s not the look I was expecting.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, man. Are you on a deal with Pyke and Xandry? I can make you win. How much?”

Kyland scowled, stood up from his desk, and stopped right in front of my seat. “I care about Meg. She’s my wife’s best friend.” I rolled my eyes. This is the third time I heard of my wife’s best friend shit. “I don’t know about your previous relationship or if you even had one, but I don’t give a fuck, Forrest. Just don’t hurt her. It’s not a newsflash that she’d never been in a serious relationship, but whatever her reasons, it’s her choice. Seeing the two of you eye-fucking and have the same looks on your faces, I know there’s something serious going on, and I know you both are investing in this relationship. So, just take care of her, okay? And don’t ever break her heart.” The mumbo jumbo kept going on until he finally stopped.

“Are you done, dad? You’re full of shit if you call me to give me a pep talk about relationships. Here’s the real deal, Wright, you, Hughes, and Williams were experts of gallivanting, and I ain’t said a word. What I and Megan have is none of your fucking business. So, stop talking about me hurting her and what you’re gonna do to me if I did.” I stood up.

My mood soured. I wasn’t exactly thinking of the consequences before I slept with their friends. Kyland was sleeping with Bianca before they got married who happened to be Camila’s best friend. Yeah, I knew all their shits. As far as I knew, I didn’t break any rules or codes, did I?

“Look, Forrest. You are the closest to a brother to me. I also care about you, but I know you are stronger and have a huge heart regardless of whatever facade or walls you built to not let people get into your life, but Megan somehow gets into you, and it’s not a bad thing, man. I’m proud of you. I might not know anything about your personal life, but I trust you than any man for her. So, just don’t let me down.”

“Proud of me? That’s the last thing I was expecting from you. But thanks for the pep talk anyway. My shift just started five minutes ago.”

He changed the subject even though my muscles were still quivering with anger. “Do you want me to arrange your off?”

“No. Thanks.”

“So, where did you go every time you asked to arrange your offs?”

I eyed him suspiciously. “My family.” That was true. But I’d been to Maldives, Italy, France, Cuba, Hongkong, Mexico, Russia to find the ghost when I shouldn’t have been looking because I knew what I’d been doing would backfire on me.

He was convinced by my answer. “Right. Good luck.”

“I don’t need luck.” I snorted, walking out of the office.