AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When Roxie suggested she switch with Nina and work in the back office on inventory, she was grateful. However, guilt flooded her when she overheard Roxie apologizing to Mrs. Abbot and Mrs. Yoshida for the earlier blowup, bribing the women with treats to gain their discretion regarding the gossip-worthy incident.
Engulfed in a small mountain of paperwork, Alex lost track of time until a knock interrupted her.
Nina stood in the doorway holding a large white box tied with a giant red bow. “Hey, hun. Delivery for you.” She stepped fully into the office and placed the box on top of the stacks of papers.
A tingle of unease slid down Alex’s spine.
“Well?” Nina asked, eyeing the box. “Don’t you want to open it and see what it is?”
No. Not even a little bit.
She swallowed hard. “Um, sure.”
Reaching for the bow, she fought the tremble in her hand. She could do nothing to stop the nervous roiling of her stomach. Or the bile creeping inch by inch up her throat. Bile that had nothing to do with the baby.
It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. There was no way in hell it could be what she thought it was.
Though undoing the bow took only a few seconds, each one felt like a lifetime. With her heart hammering in her chest, she peeked into the box. The blood drained from her face.
It was.
Holy shit.
Beneath the box’s lid lay four dozen long-stemmed white roses.
It’s just a coincidence. It has to be.
She knew it wasn’t.
Her hands shook violently as she tore open the card. Her vision swam with unshed tears when she read the message.
Please forgive me. I love you.
She broke out into a cold sweat. Saliva flooded her mouth, and her stomach lurched. She bolted out of the chair, knocking into Nina as she ran for the bathroom.
Dropping to her knees in front of the toilet, she retched until there was nothing left. Dry heaves had her entire body cramping, and she clutched the porcelain as the room spun.
Oh my god, this can’t be happening.
She collapsed onto the bathroom floor and curled into a shivering ball. Closing her eyes, she prayed for mindless oblivion.
She thought she heard Nina and Roxie calling her name, but they sounded far away, like they were at the end of a long tunnel. Gentle hands touched her back, and she recoiled away from them. She curled herself tighter and blocked everything out. She had to.
Mindless oblivion. That’s what she needed.
And when it was finally within her grasp, she welcomed it.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Another damn interruption, Quinn thought, glowering at the ringing phone on his desk. He debated whether to answer it or toss it across the room.
Mercifully, the ringing stopped.
He looked back at the dreaded stack of papers before him, applications and resumes for the department’s new deputy position. They were the last thing he wanted to deal with right now.
The shrill sound of the phone broke the silence again.
“Goddammit!”
