Staring. Just staring.
“I take it that was Korbin,” Mom said as I stood to wash my dish in the sink. “Is he off work?”
“Yes, Mom, that was Korbin.” I dried the bowl and set it aside, putting the remaining leftovers back into the fridge, avoiding looking at Amanda again. “He sends his love.”
“Tell him I send mine, too,” Mom said, getting up to clean her own dishes. I loved how she looked and acted better since the news about her cancer in regression. I had been so worried for so long, hanging on the edge of a cliff, unsure how long either of us could hold on. But she was okay. I was okay.Wewere okay.
And that’s why I couldn’t fire Amanda. It wouldn’t matter. She’d still come around.
“I better go.” Gathering my jacket, I slipped my shoes on by the front door, wrapping a scarf around my neck as my mother followed me to see me off. Amanda stayed seated at the table, eyes on my back, a heavy silence draped over her.
“Enjoy your night,” she said, snatching my face between her hands to force me down for a peck on the cheek. “I’m happy you’re home, Peyton.”
“I’m happy to be home, too, Mom,” I said, eying Amanda nervously from the kitchen. “Will you be okay tonight?”
“Of course. Amanda is here.”
“When—when does Amanda usually go home?” I asked innocently, and my mother shrugged.
“When I get tired. Don’t you worry, I enjoy the company. I told you that.”
“Sure, Mom,” I said softly. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.”
Waving at my mother over my shoulder, I rushed to find solace in the truck's heat, cranking up the heat and turning on the music as I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward Korbin’s place. No, headed in the direction ofhome. Pushing thoughts of Amanda aside, I felt giddy, like a teenage girl on prom night, driving to the hotel to hook up with her date. But no—no, it was even more than that. I felt like an adult for the first time in my life. An adult who now had a home and a man. An adult who knew which direction she wanted her life to go, who grocery shopped and cooked meals and created a life they both loved. I couldn’t wait to live with Korbin, watch movies at night after work, cook for each other, and love each other.
I parked the truck in Korbin’s usual spot in the parking garage, feeling that familiar sensation of terror climb up my spine just being here. The guest spot where my car had been empty. Korbin must have already had it picked up. That was good; it was hard to look at it.
I grabbed the groceries I’d gotten earlier from the store and made my way across the garage, feet clicking again against the concrete slab beneath my feet. I stopped and turned around as I waited for the elevator to pick me up, scanning the garage, fear pulsating in my chest, smothering me from the inside out. Silence consumed me, an eerie, tense silence that made the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stand to attention.
Once I was safely in the elevator and riding up to the third floor, I was finally able to breathe, and a breath of relief escaped my lungs as I stepped out onto the third floor and headed for the front door.
The key he had me made slid flawlessly into the lock, and I didn’t even have to shoulder my entire weight into the frame to get it to open. I stepped into the loft and shut the door behind me, picking up a subtle scent in the air that made me shiver with pleasure. When I turned to face the living room, I found the entire downstairs room basked in a warm, candlelit glow. A beautiful bouquet of flowers sat on the island for me, and on the other side of the counter was Korbin, holding up a bottle of fine wine and two glasses.
“Korbin,” I whispered. “This is—beautiful.”
“I figured you probably ate at your mom’s,” he said. He set down the wine and glasses to come around the table to wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me into him. “So, the best I could do was flowers, wine, and your favorite dessert.” He tilted his head towards the counter, where a small box with what I knew was my favorite French souffle awaited me. I dropped the bags I’d been carrying at my feet and fell into his embrace, feeling warmer just then than I’d felt all day long.
“I hope this makes up for the shitty day,” Korbin murmured, his lips resting on my head as the two of us stood together in the middle of the kitchen.
“It certainly helps,” I said. “But fortunately, the vandalism was the worst thing to happen today.”
“Yeah?” Korbin asked, and I nodded as we released each other so he could help me put away the groceries.
“I got my job back,” I said. “Just stopped in to see Maggie, and she said they hadn’t even tried to hire anyone else since I left. That the job is still mine.”
“That’s wonderful, Peyton.”
“Thanks.”
“How is Susan?” he asked, and my hand stopped mid-air, holding the half-gallon of milk halfway in the air.
“She’s good,” I said quietly, but something in the way I said it must have tipped him off because he was at my side at once, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.
“You don’t sound convinced,” he murmured, and I shivered as he pressed his lips against the nape of my neck.
“It’s not because of her,” I said. “It’s—it’s Amanda. She showed up while I was there for dinner. It seemed to be a common occurrence for them.”
