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“If we could work things out,” and I mean this in theory, “we could do it here. Why at home?” I finally piece together his reserve over the phone and the fewer text messages. Lucas was punishing me for following through with my plans and coming here, but he was already working his own agenda. Without me. I now wonder if Leah’s attitude was more about her thinking she was ‘slumming it’ rather than stealing her sister’s boyfriend. It wouldn’t be the first time Leah Holliday, sister of the year, screwed me over. It’s hard to imagine we come from the same family.
“I know my sister is like a pit bull, but surely that’s not a reason for me to come home. Certainly not at this point,” I try distancing myself from him, but Lucas comes around the couch. Backing away, I hold my hands up. “I’m not even working the case with you two.”
“Isn’t that the point?” He’s harsh and demeaning when he says it.
“No. Don’t say it. I can’t hear this. Just leave. Please just go. Get away from me.”
“Abs, look at it this way: now we’re even and everything can go back to normal. It was something that just happened over a culmination of late nights, client dinners, and us being separated, that’s all.”
“That’s all?” Incredulous is the only word that comes to my mind right now. They could have been doing this for a while and nobody would have found out. Heck, Lucas and I did it for three years with none the wiser and all because we kept the PDA at home behind closed doors. “So you slept with my sister? Correct?” Sharp pain shoots behind my eye but I have to know.
“Don’t tell me blood is thicker than water.” Lucas has no sense of morality and while I’m not one to talk at least I struggle with the decision.
“I’ll deal with my sister later. Explain it to me.”
“It’s like ordering Chinese takeout.” Open mouthed, I watch Lucas try to explain himself out of this one. “It’s something to do, but it never satisfies the hunger.” I’m blown away by his nonchalance over his behavior when he was so ready to crucify me for something that hadn’t even occurred between Roman and me. I’d only thought about it fleetingly; I never actually did it.
“So what you did is like ordering food you didn’t want but can’t give back?” I’m trying to follow his logic, but it’s painful and shoddy at best.
“She’s angry I left and drove up here.” He paces away from me.
“Uh, I’m angry you drove up here too, but for a whole other set of reasons!” I’m yelling and the effort slices pain through my head making my vision double.
“Abs, it’s not like that.”
“Oh, I bet it is. Did you think we were like a two-for-one deal?” My voice is thick and laced with sarcasm.
Asshole rolls his eyes and mutters, “I will just tell Leah I can’t be with her after the trial is finished.” Lucas takes a step closer and I feel close to one of those hysterical screams you only see in the movies. I don’t know if I’m angry, hurt, or relieved.
“Finished? After?” I’m reeling and Lucas only nods like he came up with the greatest idea ever. “I can’t wrap my head around your fucked-up reasoning. I don’t care if you just got here. I don’t even care how long you and Leah were doing whatever the fuck you’re calling it. You need to leave. Now.”
“Abigail, Abby, Abs, come on,” he practically whines, using every godforsaken nickname he can think of, holding out his hand. The pounding in my head is unbearable. “Just shut up and listen to me.” I hate being told to shut up, and for some reason, that boils my blood worse than anything else he could have said in the past five minutes.
“Huh?” I’m relegated to these stupid one-word answers with him, but damn it, he keeps digging his own hole, and I’m not even asking him questions. I can’t believe he’s actually a lawyer at the same firm. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry over the tragedy.
“Shut up, Abby, and listen to me,” he tries again, walking toward me. I feel like this could quickly escalate if I don’t use my trump card to get him to back the fuck off.
“Uh, no. This is not happening, Lucas. Get the fuck out before I call the police and ruin whatever career you think you have with my dad’s firm.” Lucas hardens his stance, and I wonder if it will come to that.
“Your dad assigned me this case. He knows I’ll get the win.” He steps into my personal space snarling.
I stand my ground, hitting low because that’s the only way Lucas functions. “Only because he doesn’t know you’re banging both his daughters. He cares more about his reputation than us. I know how much my daddy hates social climbers,” I say in a syrup-sweet voice, mocking him because it stalls the burn of his betrayal just slightly. Just when I think I might have to actually call the police, he finally leaves. “Well, that was fucking eye-opening,” I mutter to the empty cottage, sighing heavily and moving back around the couch to slide down on it prostrate. Of course, when my headache resumes in full force I stay there for the next two days—since I don’t have my medication—and I’m forced to wait out the pain. Suffering will build my character, I tell myself, my dad’s words echoing in my swollen brain. The good news is I don’t even shed a tear for the asshole I wasted three years on.
Chapter Seven
ROMAN
The next few days are spent exercising demons by cleaning my dad’s house top to bottom. I consider leaving right away that night and going back to Seattle and back to work, but a masochistic part of me wants to see Abby one last time. Maddie says she checked on Abby, but she refused to leave the cottage. Maddie left her alone for the time being once she said she wasn’t hurt or needed anything. Maddie was sure to tell me douche-canoe Lucas left about as quick as he came, driving his flashy car right over the bridge and back down the coast from whence he came. I even might have heard a certain police lieutenant pulled him over and issued him a summons for speeding and careless driving in Gold Beach. I’m pretty sure Maddie had something to do with that, but I don’t ask those questions.
I decide to give it another few days before I pack things in. Maddie doesn’t press me to stay anymore, but when I call the office in Seattle, I still don’t have any fires to put out, which is good and bad, because now I don’t have a reason to leave. I’m just hanging out in limbo. Fucking limbo.
My latest prototype boat is ready to go and is being built at the shop. There’s literally nothing for me to do but wait. I figure since my friends just had their baby, the least I could do is help out. I offer to wait tables for them at the café so they can enjoy time with their new creation and the days pass slowly.
“Hey, table for one?” I recognize the voice behind me, but I keep wiping down the table I’ve cleared. I don’t care he’s left; she took her damn sweet time coming around.
I huff my breath, letting her know she’s not welcome here. “I don’t think we have anything here you’d like, Hollywood,” I say sarcastically. I don’t want to look at her and it takes some effort not turning around.
“LA. I’m from LA, Roman. The land of pop princesses and bitchy lawyers,” her voice soft, and not in her usual bitch snark I’ve grown accustomed to.
