The Imperfection of Swans by Brandon Witt

threatening. Looked like they were going to have a white Christmas in four days. Noelle would be ecstatic. The thought made him smile for a moment. At least she would be happy. Although he knew better. She’d be nearly as devastated as he felt.
    Ah, Casper.
    Fuck.
    Kevin stepped into the doorway of a store to get some protection from the cold and called Casper’s cell. No answer. He almost left a message but then thought better of it. That wasn’t news a person should leave on voice mail. Instead he sent a text to call him when there was a free moment.
     
     
    THE ELEVATOR had nearly reached the floor of Kevin’s advertising agency when his phone began to vibrate. He glanced at the screen. Casper.
    Well, that was fast.
    Before he could answer, the doors slid open. Kevin tapped the button to return to the first floor, then swiped his thumb across the phone’s screen. “Hey, Casper. Thanks for calling back so quickly.”
    “No problem. I just stepped out of the restaurant.” Casper’s voice sounded nervous. “Everything okay?”
    Maybe this was a good thing. It was physically painful having to tell Casper the news. What if he’d gotten the loan, opened the business, and then failed? How would he call his family and tell them they’d lost all their money because they’d chosen to invest in him? He’d known Casper for a matter of minutes, and the experience was horrible. He wouldn’t be able to survive the other. “Hang on just a moment. I’m in the elevator and don’t have great reception. I’m almost back to the first floor.”
    It was a lie, but he needed a second.
    Had he always been so fragile, so quick to succumb to tears? He’d been through tons of stress and hurt. He’d never let anything beat him. Not even the divorce had managed to shatter him. He’d cried, but he’d gotten up the next day and gone to work.
    But this? This threatened to make him crumble.
    All too soon, the lobby vestibule was opened to him, and he stepped through, lifting the phone to his ear once more as he headed down the marble hallway toward the restroom. “Okay, better now. You still there?”
    “Yes. I’m here.” Kevin didn’t know Casper well at all, but if he had to guess, it sounded like Casper was probably having to hold on to something to stay upright.
    “I’m so sorry, Casper, but I’ve got some bad news. The loan fell through. I just found out. I wanted you to know quickly so you… so you don’t quit your job or something.”
    “The loan fell through? As in, you’re not getting the building?” He sounded disbelieving.
    “Yes. I’m so very sorry.”
    “I just… that makes no sense. I was so certain.” Casper’s voice cracked.
    Kevin dug in his pocket for another antacid.
    “Are you having second thoughts about having the bakery there?”
    “No. Not at all. Though I kinda wish that was the case. The loan truly fell through.”
    There was a long pause. It seemed Casper was having an even harder time accepting the reality than Kevin was. “Why?”
    A spark of irritation flashed. Kevin just wanted to get off the phone and be done with this. “It just did. These things happen sometimes.”
    “But why? Did they say?”
    What was going on with this guy? But honestly, what did it matter if Casper knew? At least it might get him off the phone. “My uncle’s credit wasn’t as good as everyone thought it was, basically, so it’s over.”
    Another pause. “So you’re short for the down payment.”
    Oh, for fuck! “Yes.”
    “How much?”
    “Casper, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t want to hash through all of this. I just wanted you to know—”
    Casper cut in, his voice firm. “How much? There’s a reason I’m asking.”
    Kevin let the breath out of his nose slowly. “His portion was two hundred thousand dollars.”
    “I can cover that.”
    Kevin had to think through those words several times before he believed he’d heard the correct thing. “What?”
    Casper’s tone grew excited