My mom watches us with a soft smile. “Please stop by again before you leave town.”
I nod. “I’ll try.” And I mean it. I will try.
CHAPTER9
Lucy
You have gotto be shitting me. Joseph screwed me over again? How the hell?
When I first got the call from the bank this morning, I thought they were going to try to sell me on a new product. I was surprised to find out they were concerned because automatic payments were still attached to the account that had recently been closed out.
The problem? I didn’t close it out. Joseph did. How? We aren’t even married anymore. Thankfully, I found this outaftermy last class. There is no way I could have focused on teaching, knowing he’d done it again.
All I want to do now is to go to my apartment and cry. No, I’ll call Connie. Dammit. I can’t call Connie. When I met her for drinks, she told me she’d be in eastern Washington all week for a trial. Of all the weeks for her to go out of town, this has been a rough one.
I need to figure out what to do. Without my trust fund, things are tight as it is. I have some cash in my drawer for emergencies. I’ll take that to the bank tomorrow and open a new account before I find and kill Joseph.
By the time I get to my apartment, I feel a little better. Until I find my front door is ajar. I live alone, and only Connie has a key—and Iknowshe’s not around to use it.
I slowly push the door open, and from the hallway, I can see one of my dining room chairs has been knocked over. My place was ransacked? But why? It had to be Joseph.
I call him, but of course he isn’t answering his phone. Why would he? He knows exactly why I’m calling.
I scroll through my contacts. Most don’t know about my history with Joseph, and frankly, I’m too embarrassed to share that particular knowledge.
I stop scrolling when I see the entry for Cody. I should call him; he’s likely with Joseph. My finger hovers above his name.
Cody.
When he put his number in my phone, I never thought I’d actually use it. Finally, I push call.
“Hello?”
Damn, I should have braced myself for his voice. So smooth and sexy. Unlike me. “Cody? It’s Lucy.” My voice cracks.
“I’m happy you called. Are you ready to talk?”
“No.”
“What’s wrong?” he demands.
I laugh. “How did you know?”
“Because that’s the only other reason you would call me.”
After a deep breath, I begin. “I came home, and my apartment door was open, and I can see a dining room chair knocked over. This is after I found out Joseph cleaned out my bank account. I need to talk to him. Are you with him?”
“Wait. Are you in your apartment?”
“No, I’m in the hallway.”
“Good, don’t go in. I’m on my way. Text me your address.”
He hangs up before I can argue. Though, I don’t really want to. I text him my address and sink down to the thin gray carpet that covers the floor in the hallway to wait.
God, the last thing I want to do is discuss my ex with Cody. And I’m sure Joseph is the last person he wants to hear about. But when he arrives ten minutes later, I’m thankful. And maybe momentarily distracted. Why does every T-shirt he owns have to strain to contain his muscles? I can’t stop staring. Fortunately, when I stand, he’s busy scanning me, the door, and the hallway.
“Wait here,” he says. “I’ll check out the apartment.”
