Page 109 of Under Her

She presses her hands to her stomach, like she’s in pain. Then, she straightens up, picks up her purse and cell phone from her desk, and walks straight past me and out of her office without saying a word.

Misery is lodged in my throat. Like my heart was trying to climb its way out of my body to escape the agony that’d been wrecking me since Morgan walked out of here yesterday, and on its way up, it got stuck in my throat, choking me ever since.

Have you ever seen that Mel Gibson film Payback? The one where Mel’s character is betrayed by his wife and best friend for money. She shoots him in the back, and they both leave him for dead. Only he survives and goes after them for revenge.

Well, I’m kind of like Mel Gibson in that movie. Except I’m not a criminal, Morgan isn’t my wife, she wasn’t fucking my best friend, and she didn’t shoot me in the back even though it feels like she did.

But what she did do was betray me.

Also, I’m not going to go after her for revenge. So, actually, scrap what I just said. It was a fucking stupid analogy.

But that’s the theme of things with me at the moment when it comes to Morgan—stupid.

I pour more Jack into my glass and take a good gulp.

Yep. I’m drinking in my office during the day. Fucking sue me.

I hear a commotion outside my office. Then, my door is flying open, and a pint-sized woman with short, dark hair is barging into my office with Chrissy hot on her heels.

“Um, who are you?” God, even my voice sounds monotone.

It’s so bad that I can’t even muster up the energy to be pissed about a complete stranger just walking into my office, uninvited.

“I tried to stop her, Wilder. But she’s pretty damn fast for a small person. She even managed to get past Leah.”

I actually feel like raising a glass to this chick, whoever she is. She’s definitely got some balls. Getting past Leah and Chrissy is no easy feat.

“I’m not small.” She glares at Chrissy over her shoulder before looking back at me. “And my name is Joely Harper. I’m Morgan’s best friend.”

At the mention of Morgan, I feel like all the oxygen has just been sucked out of the room.

“Do you want me to toss her out on her ass?” Chrissy asks me.

Joely tosses a laugh over her shoulder. “I’d like to see you try.”

Yep, she’s definitely Morgan’s friend.

And I need to get Chrissy out of here before a catfight breaks out in my office. “No. It’s fine. She can stay. Can you close the door on your way out, please, Chrissy?”

Chrissy gives me a look of concern, and I give her a nod, telling her I’m fine.

She gives Joely one last angry stare and then walks out of my office.

“What can I do for you?” I ask Joely.

“Well, first off, you can pull your head out of your ass and go apologize to my best friend for breaking her heart and also for firing her.”

I laugh. She’s straight to the point; I’ve got to give her that.

“And the second thing?”

“After you’re done apologizing for both of those things, then you can beg her for her forgiveness and give her, her job back.”

I laugh again. This chick’s a riot.

“Hang on…let me think about it.” I tap my finger to my lips. “No. And no.”

“You’re a fucking idiot. You were an idiot in college, and apparently, you’re an even bigger one now.”