“Anything else for you, love?” the barista asked, returning.
“One coffee to go. Sugar and cream. Please.”
Even though Lincoln said he didn’t want anything, I owed him for all the sandwiches.
With his coffee heating my palm, I hurried back to the office. I was out longer than the allowed break, but after spending so many hours working overtime, I needed it.
From the corner of my eye, I spotted Alistair. I sped up but already knew he would keep following. My hand shook around the cup of coffee. Had it not been for the white plastic lid, it would have spilled. “I told you to leave me alone.”
“I’ve come to deliver his message, seeing as you won’t see him.”
I reached my free hand into my pocket and fished out my fob as I neared my building. Ahead of me were two engineers having a chat outside the door. I stopped and spun around. No one else needed to see this happening. “I don’t want to hear it.”
Alistair leaned against the wall and shoved his hand into his jacket pocket. “He knows you’re bad-mouthing him to your mother and giving her ideas of a life without him. She won’t survive on her own. Neither can you. And you’ll see that soon enough.”
I tore my gaze away from him as his words splintered my heart. I could hear Douglas saying it, and I relived every moment he had belittled me. My self-esteem plummeted.What if he was right?
The engineers left, and the entrance to the office stood empty. I hurried toward the door and tapped my fob against the scanner. It clicked open, and I slipped inside, but not before hearing him say, “You can’t keep ignoring me. I’ll be back until you agree to leave her alone.”
22
LINCOLN
[69 weeks ago]
@pancakesareelite:
I’m struggling to understand something and it’s making me mad
@theanswerisno:
Do you wanna tell me about it?
@pancakesareelite:
It’s very niche. But thank you
@theanswerisno:
Hm… Unsolicited advice from an internet stranger: Take a break and then start at the beginning, even if the beginning isn’t the problem.
@pancakesareelite:
Internet friend*
@pancakesareelite:
Favorite internet person*
@pancakesareelite:
Internet soulmate*
@pancakesareelite:
And thank you.
In that case, I’m off to bed
