Page 60 of My Office Rival (Keep Your Enemy Closer #2)
CYNTHIA
“ A re you taking these pots and pans?” my mom shouted from the kitchen. “If not, I’ll bring them to the church.”
“No way!” I yelled back from the depths of my closet, where I sat amid a pile of shoes. “You know I never use them.” Any cookware was basically a prop at this point.
I held up a pair of red Manolos that I barely wore and frowned. Margo might like them. I tossed them on the donate pile. Jimmy Choos with the rhinestone strap? Too high to walk in for long, but I’d be doing plenty of driving there. I shuddered and tossed them on the keep pile.
“What about these candles?” my mom shouted again.
“Toss ‘em! We need to be ruthless, remember?”
“But you’re coming back in a year, right, sweetie?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “I hope so.” My eyes heated.
My mom wandered in just as I was wiping at them and feeling like a fool. I looked up at her, vision blurry.
“You’re coming back, right?” she asked again.
“I want to.”
“Oh, sweetie, what’s wrong? Come sit with me.” She sank down onto the bed and patted next to her. I crawled out of the closet and sat, embarrassed that my mom had found me crying in the closet.
“Are you going to miss the shoes that much?” she asked, and I let out a quiet huff of laughter.
“I just feel…guilty.” I swallowed.
She rubbed my back. “Why? You said you’ve wanted this job for a long time.”
“Because I’m leaving you and Dad. Right when he needs me the most,” I said miserably.
“We’re grown adults, don’t forget. And did you expect to live in New York forever?” she chided gently, smiling at me.
“I did,” I responded. “I love New York.”
“So you’ll be back. It will be waiting for you. We will be waiting for you.”
“But about the money? Dad’s surgery?”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll be okay. You know we managed before you were born, right?” She bumped my shoulder, and I smiled. They just seemed so much older now, and it was so hard for me to let go of the role I had played for the last five years.
“Thanks, Mom,” I responded, my voice breaking.
“So when you are your renters coming again?” Margo asked. We were eating takeout off the coffee table and drinking white wine she’d brought.
“End of the month, so right around my lease start date in Texas,” I replied and tore a piece of pizza off my slice.
I was renting my apartment for a year while I was in the temporary role.
Gone were the days when I would have paid a mortgage and rent on a Texas place.
Now, I was budgeting and preparing to cook most of my meals instead of getting takeout.
I knew I was in for a rude awakening, as Devon had so gleefully reminded me.
“Have you found any good places? I wish I could come to the viewings with you.” She frowned and took a huge bite of her slice .
“You’re such a lady,” I teased, and she grinned around her full mouth. “And a few. I’ll send you the listings. I’m seeing an apartment and a few houses next week.”
“Oooh, houses. I’m jealous. With outdoor space?” She sighed.
“The New York dream. And yes, one has a huge patio and a grill, I think. Not that I know how to grill.” I bet Jason does.
“Maybe some of those Texas boys can help you out.” She wagged her eyebrows, and I groaned.
“I can’t even think about that.” I was still too raw, my emotions scraped out and left to harden.
“Still pining for the Closer?” she asked, trying to make light, even though her face was grim.
“Sadly, yes.” I took a huge gulp of my wine. “I saw him yesterday at the office.”
Margo sat up straighter at my words. “And?”
“And…it was terrible.” I winced. “I’m an idiot. I thought he would, I don’t know, be happy to see me? Or something?” I loosed a sigh. “Instead, he was just as cold as ever.”
“Ouch,” Margo murmured.
“The partners left us alone, and it was…awful.” You thought this was different? Don’t kid yourself. My throat tightened.
“Awful, how?” Her brows drew lower as she studied me. “Do I need to rough him up? I’m sure we’ll be doing a deal again.”
“Just…” I heaved a sigh. “I feel like I can never have it all, and this solidified it. He was so angry at me for leaving. He said I was running. I’m not running. I’m taking my dream job.” The dream job I convinced you to take. Well, fuck him. Anger made my fingers curl into my palms.
“Screw him!” Margo exclaimed. “That’s so typical.”
“Just like a man.” I shook my head. “I thought he was different, though. He opened up to me. We had something, Margo.” I swallowed around the tightness. “We were this close to being more . But he’s a coward and I won’t compromise my dreams for a man. I’m moving to Texas. ”
“No way.” She shook her head. “I made Andrew accept me as I am. I was not about to give up my ambitions for him.”
“Exactly. Besides, he made it pretty clear that I wasn’t special.”
“Forget him.”
“Believe me, I’m going to.”
What a liar I was, because later, when I lay in bed, I replayed our conversation over and over in my head, his cold expression clear behind my closed lids.
The cruel twist to his lips as he had ridiculed me for thinking we had been more than colleagues.
The harshness of his tone as he’d mocked me.
My breaths caught in my chest, and I curled in on myself.
Did you think this was different? I dug my nails into my palm. Asshole .
I pulled out my phone to tell him that. I typed out the words. “I know this was different. Screw you for making me think otherwise. I hope you never forget me as long as you live.”
My heart stuttered when I saw him typing as well. I waited. Was he brave enough? After five minutes, nothing. Still not willing to take that one step. I shook my head and blocked his number.