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Feeling the breeze on my skin doesn’t alleviate the pain that’s slicing through me. What am I doing? I should have told Josh weeks ago, but I’ve been a coward and stalled. Now it’s too fucking late.
“What’s wrong?” Mel asks from behind me as I shake my head. I have no idea what to say. Our eyes lock and I know I have to show her, I have to show someone. So I take out my phone and place it in her hand. “Fuck, Harper. Who the hell sent this to you?” she asks, watching the video.
“I have no idea… what am I supposed to do? This video…” I trail off as I sink to the ground, leaning against the side of the building. Mel sits next to me, handing me back my phone.
“At least you look hot.”
I laugh despite the tears threatening to fall.
“That dick must be stellar for you to look like that.”
I smack her arm, laying my head back against the wall behind me.
“You know you need to tell him, right?”
I look over and place my head in my hands. I know she’s right, she’s been telling me to do this for weeks.
“I know. I just have no idea how to bring this up. We’ve only been seeing each other a few months, maybe even less than that, and I don’t want him to see me differently because of this. I mean, this could ruin his career. Maybe I should break it off. Cut the head off this thing before it gets out of control.” Bile rises in my throat at the thought of saying goodbye to Josh, but at this point, I don’t know how else to fix this.
“No,” Mel mutters, placing her hand on my knee. “Don’t do that. That is the last thing you should do. Do not let this deranged fucker take away the one thing I’ve seen make you smile in the last three years. I won’t allow it.”
I lean my head on her shoulder and sigh in defeat.
“Thanks.” I wrap my hand around hers as she gets up and takes me with her. She wraps me in her arms, and I know this is exactly what I needed.
Her.
We head back inside, and I stop at my office to check my email when I notice the envelope with the pictures sitting open on my desk. I quickly look around, Mel’s eyes growing large when she sees the pictures strewn everywhere.
“Why would you leave them like this?” she asks, confused. So am I.
“I didn’t. They were locked in my desk when I came upstairs.” I narrow my eyes and try and figure out who could have gotten to them when I hear a knock at the door.
“Sunshine?” Josh calls from the open door. “Can you and Mel come upstairs for a second?” Mel nods and leaves us alone before I can stop her and then Josh’s eyes drift to the papers in my hand. Thank God they’re facing my chest or he would see exactly what I’m holding.
“What are those?” he asks, holding out his hand to grab them when I flinch backward, placing them back in my desk drawer as I try and disguise the panic in my voice.
“Nothing! Just contracts from Henry that he wants me to sign.” Josh tilts his head, studying me.
“They look like pictures.” Shit.
“Uh…yeah, Henry is thinking about hiring some models to advertise and these are just the headshots.” His eyes soften and that smirk returns. He motions for me to follow him and I breathe a sigh of relief before I place the photos back in my desk and follow.
We make our way upstairs where I can hear a lot of grunting and cracking noises. When we make it through the door, I gasp. The progress they’ve made in the last ten minutes is insane. They’ve managed to knock down every wall except for one. I raise an eyebrow to Will, motion to the wall as he chuckles to himself.
“It’s a load-bearing wall, so we either have to keep it or install a beam which will cost a pretty penny.”
“How do you know about all of this stuff?” I ask, not really realizing that they pretty much took out walls without having a license for construction.
“My dad is a contractor and has built houses his whole life. When I wasn’t on a baseball diamond, I was working with him. Learned a few things along the way.” He winks as he looks back toward Mel.
Worried, I look over as well, hoping she doesn’t freak out, but she’s just smiling, walking around the room as the boys congregate in the corner.
“What are you thinking?” I ask as she continues to look around. I know she’s already come up with a plan because that’s just who she is.
“Well, this room is bigger than that one, right?” she asks Will and I swear I see a glint of desire in his gaze, but it’s gone in a flash. Will nods as Mel continues to walk around, biting her nails. “This is more than enough space for the dance studio. Maybe we can build an office on the other side?” She points to the only remaining wall. “That way there’s a separate space for dancing and I can do my office work here instead of at home in my bed.”
“That sounds perfect to me.” I glance at Josh who looks just as happy with the idea. He agrees, coming over to me and putting his arm around my middle. “Urgh! You’re all sweaty, get off!” I joke, ducking under his arm, and just as I’m about to walk away, he catches my wrist and spins me so we’re chest to chest.
