Chapter Thirty-Three
When he got to the house, his belongings were tossed onto the front stoop in a haphazard mound. His Mets throw was folded over the railing. His insides fell in on themselves.
The front door was locked, and when he inserted his key to open it, a chain stopped him. The deadbolt was on. Shit. Her car was there. She had to be home.
“Kit. Open the door.” He pounded with his fist.
“Go away.”
“Come on, Kit. Let’s talk, please. Take off the deadbolt.”
The door was cracked open, the lock’s chain taut, and she peered into the space. “I don’t want to talk. I don’t want an explanation. I don’t want to see you. Now, get your crap and get off my property.”
“Not until you talk to me.”
“I’m done talking.”
“Don’t do this, Kit. Please open the door.”
“Oh, and you are relieved of your duty to accompany me to my cousin’s wedding. I’m going alone.”
“Alone? What are you going to tell everybody?”
“That we broke up. Simple. Show’s over, Fireman.”
“It hasn’t been a show for a long time now, Kit. You know that.”
“I know nothing.”
He detected a catch in her voice, and it killed him to think he’d upset her this much. “Dana’s gone. She and I had a talk and said our goodbyes.”
“Please just go.”
“Did you hear me?”
“I’m done listening to anything you say, Shane.”
“But what about us?”
“Like I said, show’s over.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Goodbye.” She closed the door.
He knocked, but she did not respond. He didn’t know how many minutes he stood there on the porch before he finally collected his belongings and carried them to his truck.
He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed Larry’s number.
“How you doing, Irish?”
“What did you say to her?”
“Who?”
“Kit.”
“Nothing really. I gave her my barstool when I was ready to leave.”
“That’s all?”
“I told her you were in the dining room with the other one. Did that make her mad?”
“I need a place to stay for a few days.”
“I’m sorry, man.”
Shane blew out a lungful of air. “It’s not your fault, Larry. This is my doing, not yours. Can I bunk at your place?”
“Oh man, you went from two women to none. That’s got to be a record.”
Shane closed his eyes. “Can I come over?”
“Sure. No problem.”
He ended the call and waited in his truck for a moment to see if by any miracle the front door would open. It did not. Finally, he started the engine and backed out of the driveway.