AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What are you talking about?” she said as Luke turned and glared at her.
“How did you manage the rent thing? Hmm? Or was that a lucky coincidence that you used to your advantage?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said. “Luke, calm down and tell me exactly what Jeremy said to you.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s over, Jane.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s over between us. We’re done,” Luke said.
“You’re firing me?” Fear stabbed at her heart. How would she care for Mama J?
More bitter laughter exploded from his mouth. “Right, it’s the money you worry about most, isn’t it?”
She chewed at her bottom lip and said nothing as Luke gave her a disgusted look. “No, I’m not firing you, Ms. Smith. But what’s happening between us is finished. Don’t contact me outside of work. Do I make myself clear?”
“Perfectly,” she said.
“Good.” He turned and stared out the window.
Her throat aching and tears sliding down her cheeks, Jane left his office.
* * *
Jane ignored the knocking on her bedroom door and continued to scroll through her phone. She wrote down a phone number before clicking on the next listing. She frowned. The apartment was in the Badlands, and she had hoped to avoid that area, but she didn’t think she had much choice based on her budget. She had applied for a few part-time waitress jobs tonight but didn’t expect to hear back from them for at least a week and didn’t know she would even get an interview. She needed to find a place to live that she could afford on her current salary. With the cost of Mama J’s care, that meant the Badlands.
“Jane?” Amy knocked again. “Please let me in.”
She sighed and rubbed at her forehead. “Come in, Amy.”
Amy opened the door and peeked into her room before holding out the mug she carried. “I brought you tea.”
“Thank you.” She scrolled through her phone again as Amy set the mug of tea on her nightstand and sat beside her on the bed.
“How was Mama J tonight?” Amy asked.
“Not great,” Jane said. “She didn’t remember who I was and was very upset because she couldn’t find Walter.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” Jane wrote a phone number down on her pad of paper.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for a new place to live,” Jane said absently.
“What?”
Amy’s outraged tone made Jane look up in a hurry.
“Why the hell are you doing that?”
Jane set her phone down and sipped at her tea. “Your brother broke up with me yesterday.”
“I know that,” Amy said. “He was in a foul mood this morning and said you had broken up. I’m sorry, honey.”
“Thanks,” Jane said.
