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“Edith,” he said, turning to her briefly before his eyes darted back to me.
It wasn’t the first time he had looked at me with suspicion, but I didn’t have the will to protest. My legs seemed to tremble under his piercing gaze.
Why are you so handsome?It makes it harder for me to hate you for letting me go.
He finally turned his gaze back to Edith. “Can I get a moment with her alone, Edith?”
I saw her eyes widen, but she bit her lip, probably holding back a question that had risen to the tip of her tongue. Then, a resolute expression came over her, and she nodded. If she was surprised by his request, she didn’t let on.
“It’s fine,” I said while Edith turned to me apologetically.
Of all the meetings you’d hate to have drawn out, the one where you were being fired was at the absolute top of the list.
But here we were. I was the impossible people-pleaser. I didn’t stand a chance in life if I went about trying to make everyone else happy, but I couldn’t bring myself to behave in any other way.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she said, and I pushed my chair back to make room for her to leave.
Edith, in her hurry and nervous confusion on her way out, fumbled. Her stiletto heel caught the tip of my buckled flat shoes and pierced it, stabbing my toes. At the intense pain, I gasped, clasping my hand to my mouth, just as Edith’s heel came off. She slipped, catching herself just in time.
Tears of pain pricked the edges of my eyes, and I was vaguely aware of Sean’s hand on my arm.
“Are you okay?” he asked while Edith apologized profusely, looking flustered.
“I’m really sorry,” she repeated, hopping on one foot as she picked up the broken heel.
I pressed my lips together and nodded dumbly, not trusting myself to speak.
I really was having a great day.
The door fell shut after Edith, with a backward look at me, stepped outside.
Then, it was just Sean and me in the room. He took his hand off my arm and edged closer, all six feet of him, his gaze roving my face, as though he couldn’t believe it either.
“Are you really okay?” he asked, his gaze dropping to my foot.
I pulled my foot out of my shoe and noticed there was no blood, thankfully. It still hurt, but I could deal with that. I’d just limp back home in my broken shoe.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“You have tears in your eyes,” he pointed out.
I took a second glance at him. “That seems to happen every time we meet,” I muttered.
That set him off all right. I’d reminded him of our first meeting, and it looked like he did not have warm memories of it, like I did.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.
Anyone would have wanted to shirk back at that tone. I didn’t blame Edith for beating a hasty retreat either. But I just remembered how he’d held me that day outside the café. The vile names he’d called Bruce. And I wasn’t scared of him.
Intimidated? A little, yes, but not scared.
I stood up instantly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my foot.
“You’reSean Tassater?” I asked in return, and for a second, he stared at my boldness.
“Yes. Who are you, and why are you here?”
My mouth fell open as I stared at him.