AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Mid-January held a chill in the air, the kind that came with the promise of snow. It was early morning, and a blanket of gray clouds hovered above Boston. Anna had bundled up in three layers and then wrapped a big coat around all that. The doorman waved her to an empty elevator car just as Erika joined her for the ride up. The elevator reminded her of Skylar, the time they’d had sex so he could try to cure her of claustrophobia, and the memory came with sharp thorns. Had it worked? Was she cured? She had no idea since she was afraid to trap herself in a steel box with a crowd of strangers to test the theory.
Erika pursed her lips. “People are taking bets on which of you will crack first.”
Anna blinked. “Pardon?”
“Skylar Griffin looks just as bad as you do, and his secretary says he’s a real bear to work for now.”
Skylar was back at work? She hadn’t seen him yet. He hadn’t bothered to stop by her office or summon her to his. In fact, she hadn’t heard a peep from any of the Griffins and only knew through the grapevine that John was now recovering at home in Vermont from his heart attack. No one had mentioned Skylar to her or around her since their break-up.
“Has he said anything about what happened between us?” Anna asked. “I mean, have you heard anything? There must be rumors going around about our engagement.”
She held her breath and waited. If her coworkers knew the truth about her fake relationship, she didn’t think she could face them. But maybe that was better than them knowing she’d fallen madly in love with Skylar just to be shot down.
Erika sipped her coffee before lifting her shoulders in a slight shrug. “I don’t think anybody has concrete information, but people talk. You know how they talk around here. It’s their favorite sport.”
“So what does the gossip say about us?”
“Some think one of you cheated and if so, the smart money is on him. Others think Skylar is afraid to marry because his first wife died, and a couple think the two of you are secretly seeing each other because you discovered it’s hotter than being out in the open.”
Anna nodded. She was in the clear. No one had any idea that they’d faked the whole thing, so she didn’t have to leave in shame. Although, she was definitely leaving the firm. She had a job lined up in Seattle. All she had to do was hand in her resignation. All she had to do was face Skylar one last time.
“Tell me,” Erika said. “Give me the scoop. Which rumor is right?”
The elevator dinged, and the door slid open.
Anna smiled at Erika as she disembarked. “Oops. Gotta go.”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” Erika called after her. “I would tell you.”
♥♥♥
Skylar had spent the past few days catching up on work and wrestling with the idea of confronting Anna. He’d managed to avoid her so far, but they worked on the same floor and were bound to pass each other in the halls at some point. The problem was he still wasn’t sure what the best thing for her would be. He could make her his wife, fill their home with as many children as she wanted, but could he fully open up to her? Could he open his heart and let her in?
If not, he had no business being with her. Anna was honest and sweet and vulnerable when it came to love. If his mother was right and she loved him even half as much as he loved her, he could do permanent damage without meaning to. Starting something he couldn’t finish would just mess with her head. He had vowed not to make a move on her unless he was positive he’d be able to become the husband she needed, the husband she deserved.
He closed his office door after giving his secretary orders not to disturb him for any reason. It was time to make a decision. Could he be the man Anna needed?
The bigger question haunting him was, could he live without Anna?
♥♥♥
Anna paced in her office, the letter of resignation in her hand. Her eyes landed on the Christmas present he’d given her the night of his father’s heart attack. It waited on the corner table next to the window. She didn’t know what to do with it. Should she open it? Should she return it? Should she open it and then return it?
How could Skylar think so little of her that he’d returned to work without speaking to her? She understood if he didn’t want to talk on the phone, but he could have sent her a text. He could have sent out a formal office memo. Anything.
The silence from his family also bothered her. Were they angry at her over the deception? She’d at least expected Becca to get in touch, let her know about John, and maybe share her sorrow over Skylar dumping her. Even though they weren’t going to be family she had thought they cared for her. Maybe loved her a little.
For weeks now she had rehearsed what she wanted to say to Skylar before quitting her job. In her mind, he stood there in silence while she ripped into him and let him know exactly what she thought of how he’d handled the break-up.
She took a deep breath, lifted her chin high, and hit the hallway with a confident stride. Skylar Griffin was not going to know what hit him.
His secretary tried to stop her, but her furious expression made the other woman step to the side.
Anna barged into his office and slammed the door behind her.
His entire body jerked in surprise.
