The whole time I wanted to scream because I was so mad at him after his revelation, but I still loved him, still wanted to be with him. We were just… having our first big fight after getting back together. It was hard to talk to him, but a couple of nights away from each other had me cooling down significantly, and seeing clearer. We hadn’t discussed when I’d be back in LA to work on my story. Hell, I wasn’t even sure when I’d start up again. Allan, damn him, had me right back at my cubicle with puff pieces lined up to write.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Melody asked with arched eyebrows. “Or are you going to just sigh and pout for the rest of the day?”
“Girl, roll into my cubicle. It’s a long story.”
With a slight smirk, she pulled her chair into my cubicle. I started from the beginning, back to when Lincoln and I got together.
She gasped dramatically. “Ava Montgomery. We’ve been tight since we were kids.Kids. And you never told me you hooked up with Lincoln Ford for an entire summer?”
I rolled my eyes at the way she clutched her chest.
“It wasn’t just a hook-up. We loved each other. Well, I’m finding out now that he really loved me and broke my heart because of my overprotective brother.” I groaned. “I’m so over these protective men.”
“No, you’re not.”
I pouted again. “Okay, I’m overinsanelyoverprotective ones.”
“That’s more like it.”
My lips twisted wryly. Of course, women appreciated being protected by the men in their lives, but not the way Ethan and Lincoln did it back then. I continued the rest of the story up to this point, with me wallowing in uncertainty about my future with Lincoln.
“Ava, just take some time off and go to LA to pursue the story.” Melody glanced over her shoulder at Allan’s closed door. “I think our boss is an ass for shutting it down without hearing you out. It sounds good. It sounds like what you’ve wanted to do since high school. Even before that.”
“That’s what Lincoln said.”
“Speaking of,” she gave me a pointed look, “don’t just go back for the story, but to make things right with Lincoln. If you love him and he loves you, you’ll get over the hurdles and the distance and make things work.”
I crossed my arms over my middle and sat back in my chair. “I fully intended to do that, Mel. I was just so pissed about what he and Ethan pulled.” Sighing, I rubbed my forehead. “As soon as I get home, I’ll call him, and we’ll talk things through. He’s so amazing. The perfect boyfriend. I can’t let my anger get the best of us.”
She cooed like the sap she was. “I’m so happy you’ve found love again, and someone not crazy like Derek.”
I snorted. “Yeah.”
“I can’t believe he followed you across the country.” She wrinkled her nose. “It doesn’t add up.”
“Exactly!” At least someone else was as skeptical as I was.
Melody looked around at Allan’s door again. “Do you want to blow this joint and grab some pastries across the street?”
I considered it. While I needed comfort food, there was something more pressing that I had to do. “No. I’m going to confront Komodo Dragon.”
Melody clutched her chest again. “Ava, no.”
“Yes.He said Jaden’s feature was good work. Why the hell am I still writing fluff pieces? And how dare he suggest I turn over my meticulous investigative work to Walt again?”
Melody rolled her chair after me as I sprang up and aimed for Allan’s office.
“Ava, I get your frustration,” she hissed. “But maybe now isn’t a good time. He seems stressed.”
“He’s like that every day.”
“Still…”
“Melody, I’m doing it.”
She stopped rolling behind me and threw her arms up, knowing she was fighting a losing battle. Everyone else watched my determined stride with curiosity—Margaret, Perry, Mark… they all had their eyebrows raised.
Straightening my back, I knocked on Komodo’s door.
