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I shake my head. “It’s nothing like that. I actually don’t have anything lined up. I just…can’t keep doing this.”

Bryan’s jaw drops. “What?”

I throw my arms out and gesture at the office around me. “This. All of this. I can’t do it anymore.”

“So you’re just…throwing your career away? Lucas, that’s insane.”

“It’s actually the first time in a long time that I’ve felt sane,” I murmur to myself. Then I focus back on my boss. “Regardless. This is me giving you my two weeks.”

Then, with today’s second instance of perfect timing, my phone rings with the call I was waiting for.

My first real grin appears as I hold the phone up and shake it. “Excuse me. I need to take this. I’ll follow up later with the handover for all my cases.”

And then I gently push them out of my office and answer the call.

“Randall. We need to talk.”

THIRTY-NINE

CHARLI

I end up finding a cheap hotel just outside of the city that allows cats and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. It wouldn’t be my choice for a long-term stay, but I only need a few days. Just long enough to figure out my next job as I wait for my final paycheck to come through.

I feel sluggish, like every limb is being dragged through mud. After I found the hotel room and got Milton set up, I debated going back to Lucas’s apartment to grab the rest of my things. But the exhaustion from yesterday hits me once again, and I pass out. When I wake up the next morning, I force myself to start job searching.

Maybe I’ll go back to New York. Or maybe I’ll continue down south. After all, I can freelance from anywhere.

I just can’t stay in Philly. The memories are too painful.

It hurts, thinking about Lucas. I hadn’t expected to get attached so quickly. Even worse, I hadn’t expected to be the one to end it.

But I can’t do it. I can’t be with someone whose priorities are so different from mine. Not after all the shit my dad put me through. I just can’t.

No matter how much I care for the person, or how wonderful I think they are.

Thinking about Lucas makes my stomach twist, but I need to make one last trip to the office to return some of the files I took home one day. I sent over my official analysis and findings this morning—break-in and marital affair excluded—and the final check has already been deposited into my account.

I’m done. The case is over.

And everything truly feels over.

I send Samantha an email to let her know I’m coming in, confirming she’s still there even though it’s late for the workday. I tried to pick a time I thought Lucas might be at a dinner meeting instead of at the office.

Still, I slink quietly into the building when I get there, my eyes darting around as they search for a tall, charming lawyer with sparkling eyes.

I don’t know whether to be happy or sad when I don’t see them.

“Hey, Samantha,” I greet with a forced smile.

“Charli. Hi.” She has an odd look in her eyes that I can’t read. “I’m surprised you emailed me.”

My brow furrows. “Well…I just wanted to make sure I did an official handoff. I’ll put these papers back in the boxes, but I wanted to give you a heads-up that I’m also returning the monitor I took the one day. Beyond that…” She still looks confused, which makes me frown. “What? Am I missing some kind of exit interview or something?”

“What? No. I’m just confused you emailed me instead of Lucas. Since you’ve been communicating with him throughout the case.”

Ah. Of course.

“Oh. I just didn’t want to bother him, I guess.” Suddenly, I need to get out of here. There are too many reminders of Lucas, and it hurts too much. “Anyway, I’ll just drop those in the conference room and be on my way. It was nice working with you, Samantha.”