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“Sure, I’ll eat a snack beforehand.”
He sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “I’m sorry, but things are busy right now with the transition. But there are things we need to discuss.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want to stand in your way,” I said, standing and stepping away from my chair. “You can pick me up on your way home.”
“I’ll send a car for you, that way if I’m running late, you won’t be waiting outside my apartment.”
I shot him a tight smile and turned for the door. The gentleman that always helped me on the island was nowhere in sight. In fact, when I turned around, he was already staring down at a document on his desk. I strode out of his office, barely sparing a glance for anyone. I just wanted to get home at this point. I had been humiliated enough for one day.
On the way home, I texted Clarissa, asking her to meet me at my apartment. Thankfully, she was available and eager to know how my meeting with Alexander went. I snorted to myself. She was in for a surprise. I went up to my apartment and quickly stripped off my clothes, pulling on jeans and a sweater. The weather in New York was chilly now, and as I looked out my living room window, the view was even more depressing. I missed being on the beach with James. I missed who I was there, free to do what I wanted, whenever I wanted.
The loud knocking at the door signaled Clarissa’s arrival. I hurried over and answered, pulling her in for a hug as soon as she walked through the door.
“Whoa, what’s going on? Did you see Alexander?”
I scoffed, stepping away from her. “I more than saw him.”
“What does that mean?”
We walked over to the couch and sat down. I pushed aside my dozen throw pillows to make room, but I knew I was stalling. I didn’t want to admit the truth.
“Wally, whatever it is, just tell me.”
“You know Alexander.”
“I do?”
At her baffled expression, I could tell she was running through all the men we knew and was trying to put the pieces together.
“I went to his office and sat down. His secretary is very nice,” I noted.
“I don’t care about the secretary. Who is Alexander?”
“So, I was sitting there,” I said, dragging on the suspense, “when someone walked into his office and sat across from me.”
Her eyes were wide now as she waited on pins and needles for me to finish. She reached across the couch and pinched my thigh. “Stop trying to drag this out and tell me who he is!”
“Ow! Bitch,” I snarled.
“You deserve it for what you’re putting me through.”
I took a deep breath and continued. “James sat across from me.”
Her brows wrinkled in confusion. “James from the beach, James?”
“Yep.”
“What was he doing there?”
“That was my question. My first thought was that he found me and was going to ruin everything between Alexander and me. I mean, it took everything I had to leave on that plane. There’s no way I could deal with leaving him again. But, it turns out I don’t have to, because James is Alexander.”
She gasped, covering her mouth as if she hadn’t already figured it out. “No!”
“Don’t act so surprised. You knew from the moment I said James sat down.”
“Well, no shit, but that doesn’t mean it’s not shocking to hear it! I can’t believe it. James didn’t act anything like a rich, spoiled, stuck-up CEO.”
“Well, I’m sure that was the point.”
