Page 8 of Chasing the Sun

Three unread texts from Brandt.

A voicemail from the credit card company.

An email reminder about an automatic payment I definitely did not have the funds for.

I swiped them away.Future Elodie’s problem.

I had spent the last year chasing something—though I wasn’t entirely sure what. A feeling. A spark. A reason for why I was still living paycheck to paycheck in designer heels.

Something had to click eventually, right?

I tossed my phone onto the couch, but a second later it buzzed again.

I groaned, rubbing my temples, but when I saw the name on the screen, I sighed and picked up.

“Finally decided to call me back?” I teased my sister.

“I was at work,” Selene clipped. “Unlike you, I don’t have time to drop everything for a midday scandal.”

I snorted. “Oh, so you did read my texts.”

“Oh, I read them. Twice.” She exhaled, long and slow. “And I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they didn’t even bother to lock the damn door.”

“I mean, really,” I continued, words spilling out like I’d been holding them in for too long. “What kind of idiot gets caughtthateasily? Office sex is, like, the oldest cliché in the book. At least have the common decency to get creative about it. Frankly, I’m offended.”

“So, just to be clear,” Selene said, her voice thick with amusement. “You’re not mad that he cheated—just that he sucked at it?”

I groaned. “No, I’m mad that Amy was the one he cheated with. I’m mad that I gavetwo yearsto a man who just—” My voice cracked before I could stop it.

Selene softened. “Hey. It’s okay to be sad ... about all of it.”

I dropped my spoon into the now-empty pint of blackcherry chocolate chip ice cream. “To be honest, I didn’t know what felt worse—the shock or the sheerhumiliation.Losing Brandt? I know I’ll live. Losing the company I helped build from scratch? I’m gutted.”

Selene grumbled at the mention of my cheating bastard of an ex-boyfriend’s name. “Has he tried to call you?”

I sighed and didn’t have the heart to tell her the contents of the final text message that had come through earlier in the day.

Brandt

I’m sorry for what you saw, but I’ve been unhappy for a long time now. I will stay at Travis’s house for a few days while you pack your things. You’re beautiful, and I love you. I just don’t think I like you anymore.

Oof. Twist the knife, why don’t you?

The nerve. The unmitigated gall. The pure, unfiltered testosterone-induced stupidity of this man.

“He texted, but I have no interest in talking with him.” I groaned and pressed a hand into my stomach.

That second pint of ice cream was definitely a bad idea.

“You’re not stress eating again, are you?” When she needed to, Selene had a knack for sounding exactly like our mother.

I frowned. “Of course not,” I lied. “In fact, I am about to jump on the treadmill and think up all kinds of witty comebacks while I rage-run.”

It wasn’t abadidea.

“Well ...” Selene sighed. “I guess it was a good thing you two were always too busy to bring him home. That way Mom and Dad couldn’t get too attached to him.”

I let out a humorless chuckle. Our parents lovedeveryone.“Amen to that.”