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Chapter 31
Heartbreak – something you have to experience to realize how painful it is
Jack pokes his head in my office. “Did you hear?”
I frown at my colleague. Apparently, gossip hour has arrived. “No, I didn’t.” I don’t listen to any of the rumors in the office. He should know this.
He rubs his hands together in excitement. “Beckett got the sack.”
I feel my heart rate quicken as my lungs constrict making breathing difficult. “What?” I gasp out. “Beckett was fired? For what reason?”
“Rumor has it he was caught carrying on with an employee.”
My lungs seize and breathing is no longer difficult. It’s impossible. This is all my fault. This whole time I’ve been worried about my own career. I didn’t consider how our relationship might affect Beckett’s career. I believe my sisters would call me a selfish cow at this juncture.
I jump to my feet and my chair flies out behind me until it hits the wall with a thump. “Is he here? Has he left yet?”
“He’s already gone. Don’t you want to know who he’s been having an affair with?”
My brow furrows in confusion. Doesn’t everyone already know it’s me? We had to have been found out. How else did Beckett get fired for breaching the fraternization policy?
Jack scans the hallway before stepping into my office and whispering, “I think it’s Brandi.”
“Brandi? Why do you think it’s Brandi?”
He shrugs. “Who else could it be? You?” He chuckles but I fail to understand what’s amusing. “Besides, she’s been hitting on him since the day he arrived.”
My shoulders sag in relief. No one knows I’m the one he’s been having an affair with. In fact, if Jack is to be believed, no one suspects me at all. I shake my head. Once again, I’m only thinking of myself. I’ll have to ask my sisters what’s worse than a selfish cow.
“When did this happen?” How did this happen is the question I want to ask but don’t dare.
“This morning. Beckett left straight after the board meeting.”
Ah. Now I know why he hasn’t bothered me all day. I’ve been missing him, but I didn’t pick up the phone to check on him. It’s becoming blatantly apparent how inept I am at being a partner in a relationship.
I begin packing up my things.
“What are you doing?”
I check the clock. It’s only four o’clock. “I’m leaving for the day. I have a headache.”
It’s not a lie. The second Jack said Beckett was fired, my head began to ache. Jack replies, but I’m too busy trying to figure out how to handle the situation to listen to what he has to say. I wave at him as I rush down the hallway and out of the building.
I hurry to my car and drive to Beckett’s house. I knock on the door, but he doesn’t answer. I know he’s here. His car is in the driveway, and I can see the lights on. He doesn’t leave the lights on when he isn’t in. It’s impossible to have a zero energy house if you waste energy on lights you don’t need.
I tap my foot as I consider the possibilities. There’s no way I can sneak through a window the way my sisters always do. His windows are always locked and airtight to prevent any leakage of energy. I decide to try the fingerprint scanner. To my surprise, the light above it turns green, and the keypad lights up. I key in the code and the door opens.
I hesitate in the entryway. Is this an invasion of privacy? When my sisters enter my house without my permission, I get irritated. Perhaps I should call him and make an appointment to come around at a different time. I whirl around to depart, but Beckett’s voice stops me.
“You heard.”
I pivot to address him. “Yes, Jack told me. He also told me the office thinks Brandi is the person you’re involved with. What’s going on, Beckett?”
He tags my hand and leads me into his living room where he sits on the couch and pulls me onto his lap until I’m straddling him. He wraps his arms around me and buries his head in my chest. I soothe my hands down his back.
“Are you okay?” I ask when he doesn’t speak for several minutes.
“I am now,” he murmurs before biting my nipple through my blouse.
