Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
He can’t fire me. He has no grounds to fire me on.
Maybe I’m being petty, maybe I should just move on, but I don’t want to make it that easy on him.
I’m starting to see now that maybe he’s not as good as I thought he was. He’s a snake, going behind his wife’s back and having unprotected sex with me. Lying to her while planning a future with me.
Robert was right when he said Mr. Conti’s place was at home with his wife. He had no business making me fall in love with him when he was already taken, just to destroy me in the end.
No…
I’m not this person. I’m not about to ruin a man. I’m not about to become Pax because he hurt me.
Fuck Ezra. Fuck him, fuck his wife, fuck… fuck… fuck.
“Have you decided yet?” Laurie asks as we fly home, both of us tan, both of us glowing. “You look resolute all of a sudden, like a woman on a mission.”
“I’m moving,” I say softly. “Fuck Ezra.”
“I love it when you swear.”
“I don’t like it, it tastes weird.”
“Words don’t have flavors.”
I grin at my friend, ignoring the tingling ache in my chest that reminds me constantly of what I just lost.
Through my smile I allow myself to cry one last time, each tear shelters the broken pieces of my heart.
“You’ll get through this.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
He’s set in my soul.
I decided to take the severance packet which was way more money than what any other employee would get. It felt dirty depositing that check into my bank. It made me feel like a prostitute, but Laurie quickly talked me out of that one.
She was right in saying, when I moved to Seattle, I’d need a car and enough money to get my own place.
Robert Butler has saved my ass. He got me the job I was promised before with the same benefits and apartment. I started Monday and I adore my new boss. He is the sweetest, old, Japanese guy I have ever met in my life. And he has the hottest grandson in the world who visited from New York the day I arrived.
I am now officially the proud office manager and PA to Mr. Watanabe’s firm. Nowhere near as large as WhyTech but wealthy enough to have several branches across the States. They have their hands in every law pool there is. From domestic, to criminal.
Mr. Watanabe is the greatest criminal defense attorney in the country, his shining winning record is proof of that. Though he’s extremely expensive because of it and has very rich clientele and ties to important people all over the world.
“How have you enjoyed your first week?” he asks me, his almond eyes shining with genuine happiness beneath white and black brows.
“I should be asking you how I did this week, I made a couple of silly errors on Thursday that I’m not happy about and I’m sure you’re not either.”
He flaps a hand at me. “Tiny errors that we corrected. I expected more your first week. So far I’m impressed. I have high hopes that you’ll continue to impress me too.”
“That’s so kind of you.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. “And I appreciate the opportunity.”
“You haven’t answered my question. Are you happy here?”
“Of course, I’ve got a great apartment, I’m visiting a friend tonight, my boss is very kind, the office has taken well to my position here so far…”
“Yet you look so sad.” He rests his chin on his raised fist as he assesses me.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, it hasn’t affected your work at all from what I can tell. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I will be,” I assure him, putting on a fake but bright smile. “I just miss what I left behind.”
“It’s a big change, if I can help in any way, you let me know.”
“Thank you, Mr. Watanabe.”
He smiles and I dismiss myself, standing and moving to my own office which adjoins his. It is so nice having my own private space where people have to knock to get the okay to bug me, as opposed to WhyTech where I had to acknowledge everybody even when I didn’t have time.
Robert: I’ll be outside in ten.
I smile at my phone.
Rose: Promise? I’m so hungry.
Robert: In the mood for sausage?
Rose: Gross.
Robert: What’s wrong with sausage?
Rose: I love sausage. Just not the sausage you’re offering.
Robert: You filthy-minded whorebag. I was talking about Sausage Palace about twenty minutes away.
Rose: Suuuuure you were.
Half an hour later we pull up outside of Sausage Palace that do hot dogs and shakes of all kinds.
“Oh,” I mutter looking up at the ostentatious building with a giant sausage-shaped light above the door. “You weren’t kidding.”
Grinning at me, he takes my hand and swings it between us, whistling happily as we go. I look at his profile, wishing I’d met and fallen for him first, though my heart probably wouldn’t have fared any better. He’s a massive playboy. He loves women. Though he insists it’s just until the right one comes along, to which I explained his philandering ways would likely scare her away, he replied, “The right girl for me will look past my past and focus on my future.”