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“Because I have to tell you, this bully routine is unbecoming.”

Bully? Cherish jerked her chin up and shook her head. “I’m not a bully.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” Febe’s look was cross. “Because this is the second time I’ve walked in on you pushing your weight around with Haylee. I won’t stand for it. But not only that, it’s so unlike you. You’re one of the sweetest people I know. It’s why I asked you to come here and work with me. You’re brilliant and caring and you get the job done.”

None of the platitudes sunk in. All Cherish heard was that she was being a bully. And she was. Febe was absolutely right. She shook her head and blinked back even more tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

“No, you both deserve an apology.” Cherish crossed her arms tightly, frowning. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been an exemplary worker. I’ve been distracted, and I’ve screwed up more times than I can count in these last few weeks. I need to reevaluate what I’m doing and why and make better decisions.”

“Fine.” Febe pointed to the closed door. “But Haylee deserves an apology. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you. You got along fine until the gala, and now suddenly you’re treating her like the enemy. Quit it.”

“I will. I promise.” Cherish sucked in a sharp breath. “And nothing’s going on between us.”

Because that was the truth. If Haylee was leaving her, which she absolutely was, then they were done. Cherish had been foolish to put any more hope in their relationship. “I'll apologize right now, and I’ll set up the open position on our internal boards before searching elsewhere.”

“Please do.”

Cherish turned to leave, but as soon as her hand touched the doorknob, Febe’s voice caught her attention again.

“I hope your migraine from yesterday is better.”

“Just peachy.” Cherish didn’t turn around and look.

She walked out and stood in front of Haylee. She hated that she had to do this. No, that was wrong. She hated that she’d been such an ass that she was now groveling and hoping that would be enough to make this right.

Haylee swallowed, looking up at Cherish from her desk and shaking her head. “I wanted to be the one to tell you.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Cherish glanced at her toes. “I’m sorry. I was out of line, in more ways than one. I shouldn’t have yelled. I should have just talked to you like the adult I’m not sometimes.” Cherish cringed. “I hope you can forgive me.”

“Of course,” Haylee answered, her lower lip quivering. “I don’t know what else to say, but I’m not holding this against you.”

“Well, thank you.” Cherish tightened her shoulders, another migraine pounding its way up the back of her neck into her skull. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to create a new job listing for your position and start interviewing candidates.”

Cherish turned around before she could start crying again. She took a few steps to her desk to steady herself and sat down. She could do this. She could get through the next few weeks with Haylee there. Then she would be gone, and Cherish would be right back where she started.

Only this time she would remember.

Love wasn’t worth it.

thirty

“Of course you’re not answering,” Cherish muttered with a little more venom than she meant slipping past her clenched teeth. She hung up the phone, not bothering to leave yet another message for Stuart to call her back.

Cherish had always been okay with her own company. She preferred to have one of the dogs to listen to her as she contemplated her world, but she didn’t normally need actual advice either.

Part of her had already known he wouldn’t answer. She hadn’t even bothered to get up from her desk as she pressed the cool glass of her phone against the side of her face and sighed.

The migraines had become a daily problem over the last week. Cherish managed to do nothing else with her time besides work and stumble home to collapse on her bed surrounded by darkness. She would somehow manage to take more pills and finally slip into blessed oblivion only to wake and do it all over again.

The churning beneath her skin and pulsing in her muscles reminded her of the buildup to the summer storms on the farm when she was growing up. Everything closed in, making it hard to think, or breathe deeply.

Something was about to be rendered open, and Cherish trembled, knowing that it would be her if she couldn’t find a way to release this unwanted energy.

Haylee came in with a soft smile and darkness beneath her eyes. Cherish returned the smile quickly and opened her mouth. But as their eyes connected, she pressed her lips back together. She had to stop being so stupid.

Whatever she saw in Haylee’s eyes, pain and sadness maybe, was a true guilt punch straight to the gut. Cherish knew she had behaved abhorrently, and Haylee had forgiven her. But that didn’t mean the pain and reality of Haylee leaving wasn’t valid.