Something about that sat funny in Sadie’s chest.
What she and Roman had come to was only because he’d convinced the queen of manipulation to get involved?
The air in the room felt heavier, weighing down Sadie’s lungs.
“Are you kidding me right now?” Sadie asked, directing her question at nobody and everybody at once.
“It worked out,” Roman said, holding his hands up in front of him in an apparent attempt to call a truce. “It was a stupid idea. I shouldn’t have done it. But itdidwork out. I got you and you got me.”
“Because you know best, right?” Sadie’s heart pounded so far up in her throat that it freaking hurt. Her jaw went slack. Her lips lost feeling.
“It worked out, so…” Roman didn’t finish his thought.
“So what?” Sadie asked.
“Probably a good time to say you’re sorry and stop talking, dude,” Eli chimed in like he got a say in any of this.
Sadie grimaced. Made a sound she couldn’t quite recognize.
Eli inched back toward the kitchen. “I should let you two—”
“Eli? Your mom’s watching Luke, so I thought I’d stop in—” Marlee opened the door to the office, stopping abruptly when she caught the scene and the vibe in the room. “What’s going on?”
“Roman is the one who sicced his grandmother on me.” Sadie gestured toward him. “Did you know about this, too?”
“Um. No.” Marlee gave Roman a solid once-over. “Why would you be that stupid? I thought Dvornakovs were smarter than that.”
“Eli freaking knew, and he didn’t say anything to me,” Sadie continued.
Marlee gave Eli a look that clearly said he’d be explaining himself later.
“How did I end up the bad guy?” Eli asked. “I was making custard two minutes ago.”
“You know what? I’m done,” Sadie said, her heart in a freefall that didn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.
She was very done.
With Denver. With Roman. With everything.
Yes. Absolutely done. Sadie needed to get out of there. Move back to Chicago. Take the job. Forget about Roman.
A thick tear slipped out of her eyelid.
There was low murmuring that Sadie couldn’t make out because she was already through with this chapter of her life.
This was why she didn’t do second chances. This feeling of total despair mixed with a hearty dose of anger.
Turning to leave, she was nearly out the door when Marlee hustled after her.
Sadie left through the kitchen exit, the soles of her shoes padding against the concrete sidewalk serving as a reminder that she was the one walking away this time.
She wasn’t fine with that.
She wasn’t fine with any of it.
“Sadie, wait,” Marlee called.
Sadie didn’t want to, but she paused.
