AllFreeNovel
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I had a meeting coming up in a few minutes, but I was going to take it in my office—yup,myoffice.
Joel had cleared out the den of his—our—apartment, and he’d dedicated that space as my office.
It was just a room, and a small one at that. The entire apartment was just a temporary space to take residence in until his house was finished being built. But he’d made the room beautiful for me. A sleek wooden bookcase painted a pale lilac and taking up one wall. A large desk to hold my computer. Another huge desk placed with a few feet behind it so I could just turn from my computer and access the other one, use the huge flat top to really spread out and do my planning.
I’d just finished placing all my knickknacks perfectly on the bookshelf and tucking a cozy reading chair in one corner of the room.
It was…perfect and mine and the most peaceful space I’d ever had.
Even before I’d lived in one room in a trailer, back when I’d had my own apartment, I’d never had a space like this.
Home.
But then again…anything with Joel was home.
We had a system and a schedule and every moment I spent with him was better than the last.
Ihad a boyfriend.
And he hadn’t run screaming.
He’d doubled down, and I’d moved in a week ago and we were doingthis.
And…I was happy.
With my office and my boyfriend and my copious amounts of washi tape.
Grinning to myself, I nudged the door wide enough to finish opening it with my hip, revealing a beautiful blonde woman, her hair pulled back into an effortless ponytail, her makeup absolutely flawless—perfect contour, perfect highlights, brows on fleek. Tits. Ass. In between.
This woman had itall.
But—I smiled to myself—so did I.
A man.
A life that was filled with work and planning and washi.
More peace than I’d had. Ever.
Finally,finally,I wasn’t measuring myself against anyone else, wasn’t thinking about how I was going to fuck things up. Wasn’t thinking that Joel was going to look at me, see things he didn’t like, and toss me aside.
Find me lacking.
I was me and I was great and—
That was enough.
Even in the face of this woman and her beauty and all that flawless hair and makeup and her gorgeous clothes.
“Can I help you?” I asked, catching the door with my hip so it didn’t shut on her.
“I—” She’d been smiling, but one look at me had her grin fading, her expression changing from excited to worried. “Umm…”
Concern immediately took over, my mayor instincts prickling.
“Are you okay?” I asked, shifting my burden, and reaching a hand out toward her.
She immediately scooted back a step. “I’m—” A shake of her head. “Does Joel live here?”
