I’m getting ready to grab lunch at one of the places down the block. Usually Elliot and I have lunch together every day, but he is on site at a job right now. He already told me he wouldn’t be back in time but made me promise not to work through my break and eat. So that’s what I’m going to do.
Since he isn’t here, I expected Ian to slide in and ask me to lunch again. I’ve been dodging him all week, letting him know I already have plans and can’t make it. I don’t want to outright tell him his boss said I can’t have lunch with him because I know that’s weird. There’s nothing in the policy about employeesdating, but also… who said it even was a date? It could be friendly. Still, I don’t want to get myself into another mess.
I close my laptop and grab my bag, heading for the door when I nearly bump into someone. For a second, I think it’s Elliot, until I step back and see it’s not.
It’s Harrison.
“Oh, hey. How are you?” he asks.
“I’m good. How are you?”
“I’ve been calling you, Sera.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Things have just been really chaotic.”
I never called him back. Not once. Elliot told me he spoke with Harrison, that he asked about me. He told him I was fine, just busy. He steps deeper into the room, then closes the door to his father’s office, trapping us here together. My heart picks up with the thought of not being able to leave.
“I was hoping we could talk.”
“About what?” I ask, gripping my purse tighter.
“About us. What happened. I need to explain.”
I shake my head. “I promise you don’t. Everything is fine.”
“It’s not though.” He takes a step closer to me.
“It is, Harrison. Trust me.”
“Sera, I miss you.”
My spine goes straight at those words, my skin running ice cold.
“Please, can we talk?”
“Okay, sure. Just not now. I’m heading to lunch to meet someone. Can you call me later?”
“Are you going to answer?” he asks, sounding impatient—annoyed.
“I will. I swear.”
He takes a deep breath, then nods. I hurry around him.
“Where is my father?”
“He’s at a job site.” I grip the doorknob and pull the door open. “He won’t be back for a few hours. You’re more than welcome to wait.”
As I hurry toward the elevator, I pray he isn’t following me. The last thing I want to do is talk to him about anything. I don’t want to hear about how he misses me, and I don’t want to deal with him begging me for another chance. I’m not saying that’s what he’ll do, butwhat if? I don’t know if I’m strong enough to have that conversation with him. How will I tell him that I don’t forgive him and that I can never look at him the same after seeing him in bed with his sister?
I suppose the easiest way would be to just say it, but that’s easier said than done.
I want to be the person who can say what she feels and tells people off without feeling bad, but that’s just not me. It’s not who I am. It’s who Elliot is though… And maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to him. Not only his power, but his confidence.
Thankfully, no one else from this floor steps onto the elevator when I get on. It makes a few stops on the way down, but no one I know gets on. I share friendly smiles, stepping to the side to make room, but once we get to the bottom floor, we disperse and go our own ways.
When I return from lunch, I head back into Elliot’s office but pause at the door when I see it’s closed and hear someone inside.
“—it’s weird that she’s working for you and doesn’t have a desk.”
