I pick up my phone, my thumb hovering over Abby’s name. Before I have the chance to press the green button, Candace strides into my office.
“Excellent presentation, Lena.”
“Hey, Candace.” I drop my phone back onto my desk. My screen fades to black.
Candace sits down in the chair in front of my desk, crossing her legs. She straightens her skirt, smoothing her palms down the top of her thighs, crossing her arms in over her lap. “The partners loved your vision and we’d like you to start producing it immediately.”
“Okay.” I give her a smile then begin packing my office up for the weekend. “I can get started on that on Monday.”
“Lena?” she asks, dipping her head to catch my attention.
I zip my laptop bag and lay it flat on my desk. “Yes?”
Her usual sharp eyes soften. Candace is the perfect combination of being tough yet relatable. There’s a softness to her, buried under the hard exterior she wears twenty-four seven. Despite her kindness toward me, I wouldn’t necessarily call her a friend. I consider James a closer friend than Candace. However, there are the small moments where Candace shows me she’s more than the woman Max claims her to be. Married to her work.
“I know I may come across cold at times,” Candace says, reading my mind. “But I wanted to let you know I do value you working here. You’ve become an invaluable asset to our law firm.”
I sling my laptop bag over my shoulder and grab my phone. Candace takes my cue and stands. “Thank you, Candace. That means the world to me.”
“Great.” She sighs, stepping out of my office. “Have a great weekend then.”
I switch off the light and start making my way toward the elevator. “You too.”
Once I get to the lobby, I say goodbye to James and promise to bring him a fresh bagel on Monday. He gives me a smile as I walk out the door.
I’m headed to the parking garage when my phone rings in my hand. Abby’s name pops up on the screen. When I had wanted to call her earlier, I was ready to question her about Max’s confession. But now, seeing her name pop up on my phone, I’m wondering what other lies she might have been telling me. Our relationship had become a complicated spider web, one strand leading to another.
Maybe Max had Abby confused with another woman he dated. It was a slight possibility but one I didn’t put much stock in. Chills prickle my spine once again, noting how Max knew details of what Abby had told him. My phone rings for the third time before I finally tap the green button and press my phone against my ear.
“Hello?”
“Finally.” Abby sighs into my ear. Her dramatic breath vibrates against my ear. It sounds like she’s running or in the middle of what of her soul cycle classes. High endurance work outs were never my strong suit. Where Abby ran marathons, I stood on the sidelines handing out cups of water to the runners. Where Abby decided to take rowing her sophomore year of college, I’d elected to enroll in hot yoga. It’s not that I wasn’t healthy or wasn’t interested in physical activity. I just despised the kind that made me feel like my chest was about to explode and my heart to leap out from my rib cage. Yoga was slower, simpler. Relaxing.
“Where are you?” I ask her, pulling my phone away from my ear.
“Oh,” she breathes. “I was lifting some boxes at my office, moving them to the storage room.”
“Nice.” I click the button on my key fob, unlocking my car. “So, I’m guessing you’re almost ready for the opening?”
“Actually, that’s what I’m calling you about.” Her voice raises an octave, excitement building behind it. “I was hoping you could come by tomorrow around noon and come see it.”
“Oh.” I sit in my car, holding my key between my fingers. “I would love to.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. This has been a long time coming and I can’t wait to share it with you.”
I close my eyes, picturing the way she looks standing in her newly remodeled office space. I picture the freshly painted walls and hardwood floors. I picture the way she looks proudly standing in front of the sign I’d designed for her. Her lies prick me in my chest from the inside out. Is this how she felt when I’d kept my secret of Julian’s return? Is this how she felt when I had left her behind in Providence without so much as a goodbye?
Guilt and regret seep its way into my bones, penetrating my flesh. I couldn’t talk to Abby like this on the phone. She deserved more.
Biting back my line of questioning, I tell Abby I’m excited for her. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Awesome.” she beams. “Meet me at my office at noontomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Abby hangs up and I start my car wondering how in the hell I was going to ask my friend is she was in a secret relationship with the same man who was stalking me.
Twenty-Five
Logan
The first time I met Lena she left me breathless.
The circumstances in which we met weren’t the kind written in romance novels. They weren’t the stuff of fairy tales. In fact, our whole relationship and marriage has been surrounded by the complete opposite.
I had spent nearly two years working at Bar Americano, paying my way through community college. It wasn’t until I’d worked at Bar Americano that my love and appreciation for the culinary arts had manifested. My dreams were far off at that point, hoping one day I’d catch a break, find my new path to the career
