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Chapter Fifteen
My eyes were clearand my resolve was steel when I emerged from the bathroom, ready to confront the day. Chase was gone.
Seeing Luke sent a wash of uncertainty through me.
“Anne...”
“Nope.” I couldn’t say more. Wouldn’t bend to the doubt.
He sighed. “Give me fifteen minutes, and we can head into the office.”
A little more time to compose myself. I’d passed that first hump of looking Luke in the eye again. I could do this. I just had to treat him the way everyone else did. Not like a friend or a crush or more.
I hadn’t been here long enough to unpack much, so gathering my luggage didn’t take time. A tiny thing to be grateful for that didn’t make me feel any better.
Luke was my boss. That was it. He’d reminded me many times in the last few days.
Chase was probably going to be harder to shove aside, but I could focus on one thing at a time. After work tonight, I’d go back to my own room and probably not see Chase again until the week was up.
Easy peasy.
Another wave of sobs bubbled up in my throat, and I clenched my fist until it passed. I wouldn’t cry over something like this. Last night was fun. I misunderstood the purpose, but now I knew, and I hadn’t technically lost anything or anyone.
Not really.
Only two people I considered friends.
But once I recovered from the shock, we could be friends again.
Maybe.
Just not anything more.
An ache pinged behind my ribs.
I could do this.
I didn’t give Luke more than a glance when he finished his shower. Partly to drive home my anger, but as much to keep my resolve from crumbling.
Luke tried a few times to initiate conversation, but I didn’t say more than was needed.
Rain drowned the world as we drove into the office. It mingled with the smoke in the air. Usually, I loved the rain, but today the news said the high winds and lightning were increasing the fire spread and risk.
There was probably some sort of metaphor for my current situation in there. I wasn’t going to think about it.
As we approached the building, I boxed up my hurt inside steel and ice. I’d spent years pretending I wasn’t attracted to Luke. I could live on the other side of the coin, too.
We arrived before half the office, but Mike was already here.
Luke grabbed his attention as we walked in the door. “I need a room where I can meet with some of your people today without disturbing Anne.”
“Sure. I’d like to be in those meetings,” Mike said.
Made sense. They were Mike’s people
Move you into a Design Director position. Luke’s news echoed in my thoughts. I should be celebrating that. Doing giddy mental dances every time I thought about it. But I was stuck in the emotional mire instead. With Luke holding meetings, I’d have a while to ponder. That was good, unless I thought myself into a pit I couldn’t climb out of.
Luke nodded at Mike. “Get me a room. I’ll include you on the invites.”
