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“I will not repeat myself. I am blocking you.” I stand and smooth down my sleeves, then straighten my cufflinks. “I am cutting you completely out of my life. I already did, a year ago, but it seems you didn’t let the message sink in. Hear me now, Johanna, for the last time. It is over, and if you ever try a stunt like that to suggest we are anything but over, you will be speaking with my lawyers. Understood?”
She swallows and looks away.
“Am I understood?”
She barely glances at me as she offers a meek reply. “Whatever.”
“I said am I under—”
“Yes!” She sneers at me. “I heard you.”
Relief washes over me. Victory is mine. Finally, at last, I’m done with her and her manipulation. I should be triumphant, but I’m not. I’d only be truly happy if I still had Aubrey in my life, but I don’t. Johanna stirred up too much trouble and shook her faith in me.
“Goodbye.” I tell her that with a finality I won’t retreat on. I’ve already blocked her number. As I walk out of the restaurant and leave her there, I think back to all the steps I’ve taken to ensure Johanna is finished business. My lawyers have been contacted to be on alert for her trying something again. The doorman who did let her in for a sexual favor has been fired, but that wasn’t really necessary.
I’m not staying. I wasn’t bluffing with Johanna. It’s taken me two hard weeks to realize this city and my career don’t fulfill me anymore. One woman does, and she’s not here.
I’m leaving all of this behind, and as of tomorrow morning, interested buyers will be checking out my emptied apartment. I’m sure I can make a killing on selling it, but truthfully, I just want to wash my hands of it. I’ll sign the papers for the first offer I get.
As I walk toward my building, opting for the exercise of moving instead of getting a ride for the short distance, my phone rings.
It’s Caleb, and I don’t wait to answer. “Hey, man.”
“Did you do it?”
I told him that today was the day I would speak with Johanna. Even though we’re states apart, he’s had my back and supported me. I’m a lucky bastard to have such a good friend.
“I did.”
“Feel any better?” he asks.
No. “Yes.” I will only feel good if I knew I had a chance with Aubrey. Life has no meaning without her now that I know what it’s like to be in her presence.
“Good. I’ll see you next week and determine for myself if that’s true.”
I snort a laugh. He knows me so well.
“Why would you come to the city?”
“I’ve got a couple of things to address. Tasks I’d rather do in person.”
“I’ll be here.” The sale of my apartment should be wrapping up no later than the end of next week. As soon as that comes, I’ll be looking for something new. Something more natural. Somewhere closer to the woman I lost.
I head back to the place I used to call home. It’s empty, both because I’m prepared to sell it and because it’s never really been full to start with. I’ve never liked clutter, but I detest minimalism too. I’ve been waiting for another half of me to complete my home, my partner to add her finishing touches, but that’s not going to happen here.
Or anywhere else anytime soon.
After I pour myself a drink, I sit and sip it with liberal swallows. I’m not in the mood to get drunk, and the pain of being separated from Aubrey is so deep, I’d need a lot more scotch to burn me into a numb state of forgetting her.
I’m not sure what to do next. I have no plans for the evening, so as I’ve made a habit of, I reach for my phone again. I find Aubrey’s number in the contact list, and I tap the icon that would link me to her.
For the longest while, I drink my scotch and stare at the screen, willing it to just ring. Wishing she would reach out to me. Part of me feels dejected, and another part is intimidated. It takes two to love and it takes two to fight. I hate the feeling that I’m not fighting for her, or that I’m not trying hard enough to make her believe me and have faith in how I feel about her. At the same time though, I grow bitter that she isn’t doing the same. Aubrey hasn’t contacted me, either. If she truly feels the same about me, why isn’t she fighting to make us work?
I sigh, chickening out again. With a heavy heart, I lock the screen and slip my phone back into my pocket, resigning myself to another long night of nothing but misery and heartache to keep me company in a city I want to leave for good.
Chapter 31
Aubrey
