I’m not in Zane’s bedroom in his home. No adorable baby girl is sleeping in the nursery across the hall. No sexy man is laying next to me with his arm wrapped around my waist. Because I’m in the loft above Parker’s bakery.
Don’t get me wrong. The loft is adorable. It’s a big, airy room with gorgeous exposed wooden beams overhead. Thekitchen gleams with copper accents and sea-glass cabinet knobs. The bed, while not in a separate bedroom, is hidden in a nook.
And there’s no one to complain about Boozer’s barking. Except for this loft abovePirate’s Pastries,the main drag in downtown doesn’t have any housing. It’s all shops and restaurants.
It’s the perfect place for me to live with my overenthusiastic dog. My stomach sours. I was living in the perfect place.
Until Zane crapped all over my dream. I thought he’d changed his ways. I thought he cared for me. I thought—
Who cares what I thought? I was obviously wrong.
I roll out of bed and Boozer dances around – excited it’s time for a walk.
I check the time. Shit. It’s going to be a short walk straight to his doggy walker since I need to be at work in less than an hour.
Apparently, I sleep all day when I’m heartbroken. Not sure what I can do with the information since I don’t plan to ever risk my heart again. I never should have risked my heart with Zane to begin with.
But I couldn’t resist him. He’s always been a sexy man – those ocean blue eyes, that square jaw, those wide shoulders – but when he cradled Adele in his arms? I got weak and forgot about all the reasons I avoided him in the past.
My chest burns. I rub a hand over it, but it doesn’t calm the burn. Nothing seems to. Not copious amounts of beer. Not mounds of food. Not hours of crying. Not even spending time with Parker, who’s a saint for putting up with me and my whining. She even gave me this loft for a bargain basement rental price.
Enough wallowing in my pain. I’ve never been much of a wallower. Although, I’ve never let anyone hurt me the way Zane did before.
Stop it, Sloane!
He never promised me a rose garden. He never said he loves me. This is on me. I jumped in with both feet and didn’t bother bringing a raincoat for those less than sunny days.
I never should have dated the man I was living with and working for. Speaking of work. I need to get going before I’m late for my job atRumrunner.
“You’re here,” Harper says when I enter the bar forty-five minutes later.
I check the time. “I’m not late. I’m five minutes early.”
“I just thought….” She trails off and clears her throat. “Never mind.”
“You thought I’d blow up my entire life because your brother-in-law broke my heart.”
“He’s not my brother-in-law yet.”
I roll my eyes. As if Zane’s status in her life is the important part of what I said.
“But, yeah, I thought you might need some time off.”
“I’m good.”
I’m not. But I will be. After all, no one has more experience with being disappointed by the people she loves than me. Good ole Mom taught me all about disappointment. And getting back up afterwards.
“You’re stronger than I ever gave you credit for.”
I flex my biceps, which are frankly nothing to write home about. “Unstoppable.”
She giggles. “As long as you don’t break out in song.”
“Don’t worry. I’m well aware of how tone deaf I am.”
“Boss,” Dave hollers and we both turn to him. Oops. Harper is the big boss here. Obviously.
“Sorry.” I back away. “This is on you.”
