“Okay, good.” He rubs the back of his neck, and his hand squeezes into a fist as he rests it on his knee. “So you really quit?”
“I really quit,” I say with a smile.
“Can we be your first client?” he says, and I nod. The design part of the job was fine, it was all the admin and bullshit from the sales people.
“I’d love that,” I say, leaning forward and kissing him on the lips.
“I like that you’re protective of me, even if it’s my job,” he says, wrapping his hands on the back of my thighs and pulling me closer to him.
“You’re just as much mine as I am yours.”
He lets go of my legs. “I’ll come to your place tonight?”
“Yes, we can talk more about the living situation tonight.” I might not be willing to give up the cottage completely, but his idea of renting it out is smart. If I can make enough doing that, I might not even need to take on that much work. Maybe I could truly just do apparel designs, and I wouldn’t even have to bother with finding new clients.
I haven’t felt this hopeful in such a long time, like I have an actual direction. I know what I want to do, and who I want to be with. I’m ready for this new adventure with Aiden by my side and for all this bullshit that’s been eating away at me: this job, Zach, and Sean, can finally be put to rest.
I kiss him one last time before going to my desk and collecting my personal belongings. I have them all in a tote bag when I walk past reception. Penny has a solemn look on her face and I sigh as I stop and cross my arms over her desk.
“This doesn’t change anything between us, you know?”
“I know, but now who am I supposed to get lunch with? Sharon?” She makes a face, and I laugh and shake my head. Sharon is sweet, but she does over share and can be a lot in large doses.
“Who knows, maybe this will take off and I could use some help.”
“What exactly are you going to do now?”
“I think a mixture of freelance design and finally putting my designs on apparel. That’s always been something I wanted to do, but just never moved forward on. I think it’s time I start following my dreams, and working here with Zach breathing down my neck isn’t it.”
“But Aiden,” she says softly, her blue eyes glancing over to where his office door is now closed.
“He understands, and we’re going to be okay. More than okay, actually.”
“No kidding. The family loved you by the way, if you didn’t pick up on that. I’ve never seen Aiden this happy, and of course he wants you to follow your dreams, but who is he going to stare at all day?”
I laugh and wave her off. “I’ll come by for lunch next week, okay?”
“Okay,” she sighs, standing up and walking around her desk to wrap her arms around me to squeeze me tightly. “Don’t be a stranger,” she says, and I wonder if Penny is feeling as needy as I am about making sure this friendship sticks. Sometimes when you leave a job the people you leave behind disappear even though your identities used to be wrapped up in each other. Besides the fact that Penny is my boyfriend’s cousin, there’s no way I’m letting this friendship fall to the wayside just because I’m leaving the company. I hold her back and put as much reassurance in the hug as I can.
28
WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?
I’m workingon my website when there’s a clanging noise at the backdoor, which is odd. No one comes through that door unless I’m going to the beach. It’s only four in the afternoon, so I know Aiden won’t be here for another two hours or so.
I leave my laptop open on my bed as I open my bedroom door. When I see a man standing inside of the cottage looking around, I quietly shut my door and lock it. I grab my phone off the bed and as quietly as I can, I move into the bathroom, locking that door behind me.
The man wasn’t facing me, and I couldn’t see his face, so I don’t know if they are just trying to rob me or if they want something else.
My hands are shaking as I call Aiden first.
“Hey baby, I left work early. Security sent the footage, but the guy was wearing a trenchcoat and a hat who put up the—”
“Aiden,” I cut him off. My voice is shaky, and I’m on the verge of tears.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”
“Someone’s in my house.” That’s when I hear the bedroom door being kicked down. “They just kicked down my bedroom door.”
