Page 55 of Heal You (The Study You #3)

Closing down her computer and gathering her belongings from her desk, Jan rested back in her office chair and slipped her heels on.

Even though she was glad to be back at work, she wasn’t impressed by how tired she felt today.

Though, the late night had been worth it.

It always would be when Morgan took control and rocked her world.

She smiled, her eyes closing as she rested her head back against her chair.

Morgan had dropped Jan at work this morning and had promised she would be here to pick her up when she was finished for the day.

Morgan had to work this evening, but Jan didn’t mind.

She could do with a few hours out of the house after being cooped up in her office all day.

So what if she would only be propping Morgan’s bar up.

A gentle knock at the door startled Jan, but as she looked up and peered through the glass, she smiled. Gareth was waiting outside. She waved him in and rose to her feet. “Hi, Gareth. How are you?”

He smiled. “I’m okay. Getting used to a new normal, but okay.”

“I’m glad you decided to keep us on your route.” Jan rounded her desk and rested against it, crossing her legs at the ankles. “Have you been taking care of yourself?” Jan’s first observation was that Gareth looked great. Perhaps he’d done what was best for himself, too. “You look well.”

“It wasn’t great for the first few weeks, but after a couple of blowouts with the lads at the pub, I realised that letting her go was the best thing I could do. She wasn’t happy with me, and I’m not staying with a woman who can’t communicate that when it matters most.”

“How do you feel about the latest development?”

Gareth sighed. “It’s something I try not to think about. Once we’re divorced, I won’t have to see her again.”

Jan understood that. And it had been one of the reasons she’d got the divorce going the moment she could.

Why hold onto something that couldn’t be fixed?

Why remain tied to someone via a piece of paper when that someone was about to have a child with another woman?

“I think it’s important to remember that neither you nor I have done anything wrong and however we choose to move forward is the best thing for us.

Not them. If not seeing her again is better for you, then I’m glad you recognise that. ”

“Do you still see him?”

Jan folded her arms across her chest as she lifted her brows. “I don’t have much choice. We co-own this place.”

“That…must be difficult for you.”

As Jan was about to respond, her phone buzzed on the desk. She briefly eyed it and smiled. It was Morgan. “Actually, it’s not been a problem for me. I took some time off work and, in the process, met someone else.”

“Really? Wow.” Gareth seemed shocked by that development, but Jan didn’t expect everyone to understand.

She hadn’t even told Phil about Morgan yet, but Jan didn’t particularly care.

Phil wasn’t a part of her life any longer.

He’d also lost the right to know about Jan and her life the moment he got into bed with Anais. “Well, congratulations.”

Jan regarded him with a warm smile. “Thank you.”

“Anyway, I just wanted to drop in and see how you were doing. I should head off so I can clock out a little earlier than usual.” Gareth stepped towards the door and smiled over his shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Jan.”

“You too. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

The moment Jan was alone, she lifted her phone and read the message Morgan had sent her.

Hi, babe. I’ll be with you in five minutes. Temp traffic lights on the way in. I love you x

Jan’s pulse quickened when she reread the message.

Even though they’d told one another they were falling in love, seeing it so freely on a text message had Jan feeling all kinds of emotions.

Emotions that hadn’t really surfaced for a long time before she’d met Morgan.

She locked her phone and shoved it in her bag, then turned out the light and stepped out into the main area.

As she rummaged around for her makeup mirror in her bag—wanting to look presentable when Morgan arrived—Anais walked through the door. “O-oh.” Anais cleared her throat, suddenly lowering the files in her hands to cover her stomach. “Hi, Jan. I-I was just dropping some files off to Beth.”

Jan held out an arm towards the cluster of desks to her left. “Well, don’t let me stop you.”

She watched Anais as she strode towards Beth’s desk, her bump visible as she turned to the side.

Jan focused on it for a moment or two, and then she cleared her mind, pulled her shoulders back, and left the office building.

She glanced to her right and towards Phil’s offices, smiling when she saw him standing outside talking to a contractor.

He offered her a small wave, Jan returned one of her own, and then she took her sunglasses from the side of her bag and slid them on.

Even though it had been raining on the way in this morning, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky now.

Morgan’s car rolled to a stop further down the car park, but Jan could do with the stroll.

It would stretch her legs after being sat at her desk all day.

Not being at the office was something she was getting used to now, and usually when she was working from home, she would take a break and walk around the local park.

Being at the office didn’t offer the same thing.

Someone always needed something from her.

“No car, love?” Phil’s voice pierced through the air.

She turned to him and smiled. “No, I got a lift in this morning, and I’m being picked up. See you next week.”

When Jan turned back towards Morgan’s car, she had already exited it, and she was resting against the bonnet.

Her dark blonde hair shone against the sun, her tongue poking out and playing with her lip ring as Jan approached her.

Morgan was checking her out, Jan felt it as the intensity of Morgan’s gaze spread all over her skin.

“Hi, babe.” Morgan reached out a hand and pulled Jan between her legs. “Good day?”

“It was. Productive, mostly.” Jan splayed a palm against Morgan’s chest as she leant into a kiss. It deepened, and every swipe of Morgan’s tongue reminded Jan of the life she had now. “Mm. You’ve been drinking coffee without me.”

“Guilty,” Morgan said against Jan’s lips. “But you don’t begrudge me a good cup of coffee before I have to work, do you?”

“Never.” Jan braced one hand against the bonnet of Morgan’s car and went back in for another kiss. And another. “Should we head off? I wouldn’t want your boss to tell me off for making you late for work.”

Morgan pushed off the car, still holding onto Jan’s hand, and opened the passenger door for her. Once Jan was safely inside, another kiss from Morgan place to her lips, she looked through the windscreen to see a pale looking Phil staring back at her, open mouthed.

Doesn’t feel good, does it? Jan relaxed and clicked her seatbelt into place. Morgan was by her side not a moment later, her hand heading directly to Jan’s thigh. “Ready?”

“Mmhmm.” Jan watched Phil from behind her sunglasses. “I think Phil is about to go into shock.”

“Well, the stupid bastard should have thought about someone else kissing his ex-wife before he decided to have an affair.” Morgan snorted, squeezing Jan’s thigh lightly. “Still can’t fathom what the fuck was going through his mind when he made that choice.”

“I’m…glad he had the affair.”

Morgan hit the brakes, almost skidding along the gravel of the car park. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m glad he had the affair.”

“How could you possibly be happy about something like that, Jan?”

Jan kicked her heels off in the footwell of Morgan’s car and turned ever so slightly in her seat. She lifted a hand to Morgan’s face and searched her eyes. “Because I’ve found someone ten times better than he’ll ever be.”

Morgan swallowed as she leaned into Jan’s touch. “Babe.”

“I mean it. I had no idea how terrible my marriage had become until I left him.”

“Then I’m happy I could give you something that makes you happy.” Morgan turned her head and kissed Jan’s palm. “You’re all I’ve ever dreamed of.”

“And you were a dream I didn’t know I so desperately wanted.” Jan leaned up over the console and kissed Morgan. “Now, let’s go. I want at least an hour alone with you before I lose you to your customers.”

* * *

Thankful that the evening rush hadn’t started yet, Morgan rested against the bar directly opposite Finn.

Jan and Gillian had snuck off into the bathroom a few minutes ago, and neither of them had reappeared yet.

Morgan knew why; Gillian was probably wanting to know everything about their relationship, but Morgan wasn’t worried.

If that’s how women like Jan and Gillian did things, she wasn’t getting involved.

No, she was quite happy standing here while Finn sunk a pint in record time.

“Fucking hell. Did you even take a breath then?”

Finn grinned. “Trust me, after the day I’ve had, I deserved that.”

“The house you’re working on still pissing you off?” Morgan quirked a brow as she poured Finn another pint. “Have they paid you yet?”

“Nope. Still waiting. I’ve downed tools until I see the cash I’m owed. If they don’t pay up, the place will be left as it is, and I’ll walk.”

“Finn, they owe you thousands already! You can’t just walk away.” Morgan knew that was exactly what the homeowners were waiting for. Finn had to remain at that job. “They’d rather you walked than have to fork out grands. They haven’t lost anything then. The place was a ripped-out shell anyway.”

“I know, but I just can’t be arsed with all the chasing.” Finn groaned and lay her head down on the counter. “Fuck sake!”

“Hey, if you’re going to walk away from the job, at least take out everything you’ve already done. The kitchen is finished…but they haven’t paid you. Take the whole lot with you. I’ll even come and help you get it out if you want.”