Page 135 of Crazy Thing

I notice that he’s holding a bouquet of wildflowers. I can tell he picked the flowers himself, because most of them still have the roots and dirt dangling from the ends.

He reaches out, handing me the bouquet.I accept it, in a daze.

Darius doesn’t waste time with any pleasantries. He gets right to business. “Ziggy, I love you,” he says in that abrupt way of his. “I love you more than anything in this world, and I just want to be near you. Even if you want no part of me. I’ll wait as much time as it takes until you trust me fully. Because the last sixteen years have taught me that I willneverbe over you. So there’s no point in walking away from you now.”

I mash my lips together, struggling against theI-love-you-toostuck in my throat that’s making it impossible to breathe.

Darius gives his head a small shake. “It’s okay. You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to. Just know that I will be here, hoping that one day soon you’ll change your mind and give me another chance.”

With that, he turns and walks straight over to his sad little camper and climbs inside.

W-what?

When Darius said he’d be ‘here’, he meant it. Right here.

Ten feet from my bus.

Welp. So much for my plan to get over the man.

54

DARIUS

“Do you smell that?” Cannon Kingston asks, his nose wrinkled as he subtly glances around the executive board room.

I shoot my business partner a dirty look, considering the asshole just interrupted the slideshow presentation I’m in the middle of delivering.

I haven’t been all that productive at work since my fallout with Ziggy. But today’s a big day. I travelled back to Chicago to meet with my hockey team co-owners and discuss important business matters.

We’re supposed to be making some big decisions about the team’s finances right now, but I don’t feel like any of these men are paying much attention to what I’m saying.

Liam is sniffing the air obnoxiously, nodding in response to Cannon’s question. “Smells like a chimney.”

Cash shakes his head. “More like burnt firewood. And unwashed ass.”

Shit. It’s me. They’re talking about me.

I bring my shirt up to my nose to confirm. Yup, they nailed it. Fire and ass.

Reuben and Xavier exchange worried glances.

I think I’m ready to give up.

On a sigh, I drop down in my seat and I feel like I’m on the verge of breaking down. This presentation is a lost cause anyway. When my love life caught fire, my work life went up in flames as well. Not only did I lose my girlfriend, I also lost my assistant.

Between the unresolved circumstances with Ziggy and the lack of sleep, I’m not doing so great right now.

“Fuck, I don’t know what to do,” I mumble into my hands.

“Uh, Darius?”

“What’s going on, man?”

“Yeah, you’re too rich to be homeless. Is it drugs?”

“I know a good rehab facility.”

Wow. Great to know what they think of me.

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