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Chapter Thirty-One
I exitthe elevator and come to a stop when the group of people huddled in the hallways stop talking and stare at me.
Do I have something on my face?
I look down, there’s no stains on my blouse.
Am I wearing two different shoes?
I can see nothing wrong with my appearance. I hold my head up high, roll my shoulders back and walk past them. Hearing whispers as I past them. While I weave through the cubicles to get to mine, people slowly peer over the top of their desk areas and I’m clueless.
I take a seat and there’s a newspaper, with Post-it’s sticking out of the fold. I look around me again, and know that eyes are watching me as I inch forward.
I pick up the paper, glance up where I notice a few people standing and watching my eyes move as they all avert their eyes.
What the hell is going on?
And then it hits me.
My relationship with Quinn has gotten out! That has to be why people are looking at me.
Holy shit!
Someone slowly walks by and I see then watching out of my peripheral vision.
I take deep breaths and with shaking hands give my full attention to the newspaper in my hands.
The first Post-it opens up to the business page. The front page of that article is about Quinn. How he went from riches to rags and back to riches. The article discusses how he started in the publishing industry to current with taking over World Tripping. The page houses a great photo of him, taken clearly in his condo with the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Ferris wheel in the distance and my favorite sweatshirt on the arm of the couch. It discusses his drive, his goals and his moments of humanness. Which is titled, “The Loved ones in his life”. I know that could very well mean Kady, because she’s his daughter, but considering the vagueness, I’m just going to go with the article is talking about me.
I browse through the rest of the article, and then flip to the next Post-it note.
The second page details about his close connections with his endeavor in New York and then there’s a photo, of me on his arm, smiling bright for the camera and completely oblivious to the fact that there are cameras around right in the center of the page. The photo is from the charity dinner that we went to on our first night in the city.
I remember that night, and the magic of being there. While it wasn’t too long ago, it feels like it was. I recall the freedom that we both felt, being in public with one another and surrounded by people. How happy we were during that trip. And then I blush when I remember what he bought me during that trip.
I hear someone clear their throat. I steady myself and prepare myself for an onslaught of questions as I put the newspaper down. I turn around and see Olivia standing there.
The look on her face says it all. She’s furious as she grabs me by the arm and pulls me through the office and towards Quinn’s.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask.
“We’re going to your boyfriend’s office.”
“I don’t think that—”
“So, you admit it?”
“Admit what?” I ask, when we come to a stop in front of his closed door.
She points to the door. “Admit that Mr. Montgomery is John?”
I don’t answer her right away.
She knocks on the door, crosses her arms, and waits by tapping her toe.
I’m standing behind her embarrassed and not sure what to say, when he opens the door, he looks to her first, then glances behind her at me, then back to her.
“Come in,” he says with his voice-controlled stepping aside.
