If you don’t answer your phone I’m coming over there now.
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And another one.
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From: [email protected]
And if you leave I’m showing up at Joni’s.
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Harper set her jaw. He was the one who wanted it this way.
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From: [email protected]
I respected your wishes. I expect you to respect mine. I don’t want to talk. I’m only staying on until the 15thso you can find a replacement. And as much as you would prefer to not have me here at all, you don’t know how to use the new payroll system or the database. I won’t be in your way as long as you stay out of the office when I’m here at night.
––––––––
He replied within a few minutes.
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From: [email protected]
Fine. Let me, or Frank if you prefer, know what you need. Are you okay?
––––––––
Harper decided not to respond and went back to work.
***
From his truck Luke stared at the lone light in the window, willing a shadow to appear. He didn’t know what he was doing here. He’d bolted from his parents’ table and without so much as a good-bye had driven the five minutes to the office where he knew she was.
He hadn’t seen her in three days.
She had responded to him. After he threatened her, of course, but at least she responded. She was alive and safe. And that was enough. Wasn’t it?
He looked around the deserted parking lot. Why was he here? He ended it because he couldn’t stand to see Harper throw her life away on a relationship that would never be what she deserved.
And yet here he was, hoping for just a glimpse of her through the window.
He just wanted to make sure she was all right, he decided. Maybe then he could sleep.
He scrubbed his hands over his face. The woman was out of his life and still driving him crazy.
It was time to regain some semblance of control. He started up the truck and headed home.
