“Roman,”I kept the control in my voice, despite the shaking of my hands, “you mightwant to consider what you’re saying before I am forced to terminateallof my dealings with you. Should I remind you that we were only a few signaturesaway from closing the deal? You said so yourself, you loved Mrs. Worthington’shouse. It—”
“Andwhat would you say if I told you I’d already found another house?”
Somethingbetween a gasp and a grunt passed through my lips. My hand laid over my eyes. “Howdid you manage that so fast?”
“LikeI said, Tabitha; there would be other agents, and there would be other houses. Now,unless you can make me an offer I won’t be able to refuse—maybe something alongthe lines of what you’ve been offering to yourfriend—then I’m going toend this call.”
Myeyes flooded with hot tears. I had never in my life felt so used, so belittledand small, and for what? For making a choice to enjoy myself with a man?
Withclenched fists, I gripped the edge of my desk, and said, “How’s this for anoffer, Roman? Go fuck yourself. Fuck yourself hard. Fuck yourself so hard, yourdick snaps off and no woman will ever be subjected again to you or your vileass.” And with that final word, I hung up, slamming my phone onto my desk asJess appeared in my doorway.
“Wow.I think you’ve been spending too much time with Thor,” she quipped, biting herlips and unsuccessfully hiding her grin.
“Yeah,well … let’s just say I got a taste of how Sam was treated her entire fuckinglife,” I muttered, shaking my head and wiping a finger under an eye, catching onerogue tear.
Ittook me all of ten minutes to realize that Sam was never wrong in choosing tospend her free time with various bed companions. She was just an adult, enjoyingherself with another adult, and what the hell was so terrible about that? It didn’tmake her immature, it didn’t make her wrong, so who the hell was I to exile herfrom my list of admired people because of it? She was my fucking sister. She hadbeen unafraid to be herself, she was always loyal to her family, and she had lovedher son.
Istood up from my desk and kicked off my heels. Pulling the red Chucks out fromthe dark space underneath, I stuffed my feet into them and declared, “I’mtaking some time off, guys.”
Alexshowed his face in the doorway and tipped his head. “How long?”
“Idon’t know,” I admitted. It was nice being the boss sometimes—I could saythings like that and get away with it. “I’m only a phone call away, though, soif you need me for anything, I’ll answer. I just need to take some time. Ihaven’t, and … I think I’m ready to do that.”
Theyboth understood, as they nodded solemnly. And I grabbed my bag and left.
***
BeforeI went home, I stopped by Mrs. Worthington’s house to give her the bad newsabout Roman.
“Oh,thank Heavens!” She raised her hands to the sky, as she sat on her emptiedfront porch.
“Um,excuse me?” I shook my head, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. “Ithought you wanted to sell the house.”
Reachingover to clasp my knee beneath her palm, she shook her head enthusiastically.“Oh, honey, what gave you that idea?”
Frustrated,I pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes. “Because we’ve been at this for almosta year, Mrs. Worthington.”
“No,no, Tabitha; Ineedto sell the house. I don’twantto,” shecorrected me. “I would die here, if I could. But I’m afraid I’m going to bearound for quite a while, and I don’t think I’d be able to stand the quiet,even with Sandy here.” She ran her hand over the back of the chinchilla.
Inodded, with thoughts of my own empty house weighing heavily on my mind. “Iguess I can understand that.”
“Someonewill come along,” she assured me. “But I don’t think you’re quite right for thejob.”
“Idon’t think I’m quite right foranyjob right now, to be honest withyou,” I laughed sadly.
“You’regood at what you do, honey.” Mrs. Worthington squeezed my knee. “I thoughtsurely you’d be able to sell this place, but maybe you’re too close to it.Maybe you want it too much.”
“Yeah.”I nodded. “Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe …” I sighed, shaking my head andlooking out toward the fence rounding the perimeter of the yard. “Maybe I’vefinally reached my limit.”
“Everybodyneeds a break sometimes.” She nodded affirmatively. “Take a trip. Do somethingyou’ve always wanted to do. Let yourself mourn. Buy a chinchilla.” She wavedher hands into the air. “Do whatever it is you need to do, and then come back.I think you’ll find you’re a lot better off.”
Takea trip. My lips stretched into a smile, and I nodded. “Yeah, youknow … I think I’ll do that.”
36
sebastian
“You got everything?”I asked Greyson, as Ileaned against the doorframe of his room.
