Page 80 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

She smiled, her eyes fixed on the road. “What gave it away? The condo? The car?”

I shrugged. “It’s just, you seem settled.”

Her smile faltered for a split second but she recovered quickly. “It’s been good for me. A fresh start.”

I wanted to ask if she meant that or if she was just trying to convince herself, but I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I leaned back and watched the city pass by.

“We’re going to stop by my office before dinner,” Merritt said.

“Sounds good.

We pulled into the parking lot of her office building. She parked neatly in a reserved spot near the entrance. “I’ll just be a minute,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. “I need to grab a file.”

“Want me to come with you?” I offered, already reaching for the door handle.

She smiled. “I would like that.”

32

MERRITT

Icouldn’t explain it, but I was nervous to show him where I worked. My job didn’t embarrass me or anything, but after seeing his reaction to my condo and then my car, I was a little nervous. Having him around made me realize how much I had changed. I was, for lack of a better phrase, hoity-toity. He was still the same Kannon I’d grown up with in so many ways.

He was the guy who could make me laugh like no other, whose gaze made my stomach flip-flop. The guy I’d cherished and loathed in equal measure, the one who’d broken my heart yet somehow it remained his captive.

I didn’t want him to think I was some stuck-up lady. I was still the same girl but with nicer things.

We stepped into the lobby of the building. Kannon looked around.

“It’s impressive, Merritt,” he remarked, his eyes skipping over the sparkling chandeliers and mahogany decor.

“Thank you,” I replied, leading him toward the elevator.

“Do you really need all of this?” he asked quietly.

I paused, looking at him with raised eyebrows. “Need? No, probably not. Want? Definitely,” I said, pressing the button for the elevator and stepping inside. “It’s not like it’s my building. I just work here.”

“I think you know what I mean.”

“I do.” I nodded. “And there’s nothing wrong with nice things.”

Kannon seemed impressed but simultaneously unimpressed with my office. I quickly grabbed a couple of things while he looked around my space. He picked up a picture of me and my dad and stared at it. “I took this,” he said.

I smiled. “Yes, you did.”

“It was at that old rundown fairground,” he continued, his voice distant as he scrutinized the picture. “Do you remember the Ferris wheel? The way it creaked and groaned like an old man on his rocking chair?”

I chuckled, crossing the room to stand next to him. “How could I forget? It was terrifying.”

He put the picture back down. “Yeah, but we climbed into it anyway.”

“I guess we were both always a little wild,” I said with a laugh. “Always looking for an adventure.”

“Or just young and stupid,” he said.

“Maybe both.”

There was a quiet moment as I thought back to some of the shenanigans we got ourselves into.