“Are you OK?”Jo poked her head over the cubicle wall.
Chelsea swallowed hard so she could speak.“I’ve been made redundant.”
Jo’s eyes widened, and she hurried around the wall to hug her.“That’s not fair.”
Chelsea sniffed again and cleared her throat.“It’s been nice working with you.”The words came out as a whisper and she turned to check her drawers again.She had everything that was hers.
“At least Aria got what’s coming to her,” Jo said.
Chelsea frowned.“What do you mean?”
“The fashion show dropped her.”Jo grinned.“They saw her post and said they didn’t want to be associated with those kinds of opinions.A bunch of the other brands she normally models for are also distancing themselves.”
“That’s great.”It gave some measure of comfort that Aria was dealing with the ramifications of her comments, but right now Chelsea had bigger concerns.
Ellen returned holding a contract and Jo made herself scarce.Chelsea reviewed it and then signed the bottom and handed her key card to Ellen.
Ellen walked her to the elevators.“I’m sorry, Chelsea.I wish you all the best.”
Chelsea nodded, unable to speak.This was it.She was no longer employed.She grabbed her suitcase, managed a smile at Meg before she stepped into the elevator.
It wasn’t until the doors closed and the elevator descended that she let the tears fall.
Chapter 2
Ethan Ward knew it would be bad news the minute he walked into the major’s office.He did his best to hide his limp and pretend the constant ache in his pelvis wasn’t there, but he wasn’t fooling anyone.His team leader, Sergeant Damien “Dobby” Dobson, gave him a sympathetic smile.
Ethan saluted Major Hammond, a humourless man who only cared for the army.
“The army has denied your request to return to work at this time,” Major Hammond said.
Ethan Ward stared down the man.“With all due respect, sir, I’m ready to come back.”
“You’re still walking with a limp, Corporal.You’ll be a liability.”
Ethan growled his displeasure.“I’ve been in rehab for months now.I’m going crazy.”His team had been deployed several times without him and not being there for them, not being part of the action, was killing him.He was letting them down.
“Then I suggest you see a psychologist,” the major said.“We’ll reassess in a month.Dismissed.”
Ethan glanced at Dobby, who gave a slight shake of his head.Yeah, there was no arguing with the major.He saluted again and left the room, frustration almost overwhelming him.What the hell was he going to do for another month?He’d read a million books, worked religiously on his physio and finished half a dozen video games.
He missed his team mates, the excitement of the mission and the camaraderie they shared.
A feeling of helplessness swirled up inside him, battering him about like the wave of the tsunami had.He was doing everything he could to get back, but it wasn’t enough.Just like his fight against the water had been futile.
His chest tightened as he paused at the entrance of the building and took several deep breaths to calm the anxiety inside of him.
He slammed his hand against the door frame.Damn it!He should be over this fear by now.
His therapist said it was a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, but that was rubbish.If he was going to get PTSD it would be for being shot at, or tortured, or due to any one of the horrific things he’d seen on the job over the years, not because he’d been tossed about by a wave.
He was stronger than that.
He’d had to be.
Dobby joined him and Ethan pushed through the anxiety, standing straighter, breathing slowly.
“I’ve tried everything I can think of.”Dobby clapped Ethan on the shoulder.“Why don’t you get away—have a proper holiday?”
