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“Yeah.”
Claire settled back on the seat, adjusting the pleats of her long skirt. “Then maybe this is a good thing. Change isn’t always bad.”
“Believe it or not, I hate change,” she admitted. “So far, it’s always been bad.”
“Spoiler alert: nobody likes change. But I can vouch for change being pretty cool,” Claire said. “Although it’s also scary as shit. And love is scary as shit. You have to be your real self with someone and be okay if it’s rejected.”
Hartley looked thoughtfully at Claire. “You’re putting me and Monty together with the wordlove?” she said with a laugh. “Now I know baby brain is real.”
Claire looked serious. “If it’s really over between you, you’ve got to figure out a way to see Montgomery as a friend again. Not a lover. Not your husband. And that…” Claire sighed, sliding closer to Hartley. “…will take time.”
The words hit cold, like only the truth could. “Maybe I need distance, too,” she mused.
“Distance is a given,” Claire agreed. “But he’s going to Beijing, I heard, so—”
“No. Maybe I need distance today. Should I switch partners with one of the other groups?” Hartley asked, hearing uncertainty in her voice. God, she hated being weak. At least it was just Claire seeing her like this.
“No.” Claire’s response was immediate, her gaze steady. “The teams are already set up. Once Eli and Montgomery get up here and test that all the cameras are connected, everybody’s ready to go.”
Hartley could feel a knot of panic coiling inside her, though she didn’t know why.
“Calm down,” Claire commanded, her voice gentle yet firm. “Think of this as one step closer to a new beginning. Channel your dragon-lady energy.”
She made a face. “Dragon-lady energy?”
Claire looked embarrassed. “We used to call you dragon lady behind your back,” she admitted. “Honestly, it was a compliment.”
Hartley smiled, then impulsively gave Claire a hug. “Okay,” she said, sitting back and closing her eyes. “Dragon lady, where are you?”
Instead of homing in on a memory where she felt confident and in charge, she flashed to Monty having sex with Maddy, his face arrogant and hers twisted in ecstasy.
“Jesus, fuck!” she shouted, anger welling up within her.
“There she is!” Claire cheered.
CHAPTER15
The low hum of the golf cart’s electric motor echoed off the damp concrete walls of the tunnel. As they approached the exit near the testing facility, Montgomery noticed that two of the tunnel’s lights were burned out and made a mental note to get them fixed. He then promptly killed the thought. He was leaving in a few days.
“Okay, brother, what the fuck is going on?” Eli asked, hanging on as Montgomery abruptly braked to a stop at the north end of the tunnel where it led up to ground level.
“We’re securing the tunnels,” Montgomery replied, his voice hard.
“Fuck that. You’re driving this thing like you want to send me through the windshield,” Eli complained. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Nothing.”
“You’re a shitty liar. Now spill it,” Eli demanded.
Montgomery ran his hands through his hair. Then he thumped his hands on the steering wheel, gripping it and letting out a low growl.
“Use your words,” Eli mocked, putting an arm on the back of the seat as he turned to stare at him.
“I had sex with Hartley last night,” Montgomery admitted, his heart rattling weirdly in his chest. “It wasn’t intentional, but it happened.”
“All right. Then what?” Eli asked calmly.
“You’re not surprised?”
