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“Go to hell.”
He approaches, and Matty pushes me behind him telling him to back off. Noah might be a formidable opponent, but Matty boxes with a world-class trainer and I’m sure wouldn’t have any problem with him. I watch as Noah stops short.
Matty takes me by the hand and stands guard while I finish cleaning out my stuff in the closet. Meanwhile, Olivia and Megan have packed up my clothing and shoes from the foyer storage. I hear nothing more from Noah, but he does stand in the bedroom glowering as I complete what I came to do.
I turn to him before I slip through the door of my former home. “Goodbye, Noah. Maybe in the future, you’ll have regrets about what you did and how you handled the end of our relationship.”
His face is grim. “I think it was for the best.”
I shake my head as I pull the door closed. This is not the Noah I fell in love with. He’s changed over the past few weeks. It doesn’t matter; he’s not my problem anymore. I have nothing but wide-open future ahead of me — a single future.
Chapter 25
To keep my mind occupied, I spend my off-hours at the animal rescue. Caring for creatures abandoned and thrown away by uncaring owners makes me feel better. I took to a particular dog we called Bonnie, a shepherd golden retriever mix. She was picked up wandering the streets and we discovered she was pregnant and ready to give birth.
I watched her give birth to her four pups, three boys and one girl who we named for the characters from the television show Seinfeld, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George. They were sweet and I couldn’t wait to get to the shelter each evening to pet them and see how they were doing.
A month later, they were walking around and exploring the kennel where they were kept. Kramer and Elaine were my favorites, climbing on my lap and rubbing their soft heads against me. I was dozing in the corner of the cage with them on my lap when a fellow volunteer, Jessica, woke me up.
“Lexi, it’s nearly eleven.”
My eyes fluttered open to see her standing over me. She smiled as I rubbed my eyes.
“Shit, I’m tired.”
“You should go home. You have work tomorrow.”
She lifted the sleeping pups from my lap and placed them next to their mama and brothers. I yawned as I rose from the floor.
“Why don’t you take the day off tomorrow evening? You’ve been here every night since these little ones were born.”
“It’s okay; I like spending time with them.”
Jessica gave me a sympathetic smile. “Go out and enjoy yourself. You’re a young woman.”
“Thanks.”
I stepped out into the late-night humidity of early August. I couldn’t believe it had been one month since I left Noah; how things change.
The next day, I’m sitting in my office nursing an extra-large cup of coffee and working on a new campaign for barbeque sauce. The client had sent over a case of it, and I hate to say it, but it’s god awful unless you like the overpowering flavor of pepper, which I do not. But my job is not to like the product; it’s to make others buy it.
JC has been suspicious of me. I’ve been coming in early and working later than usual until I head to the shelter, making no mention of Noah. He questioned my missing engagement ring. I told him the stone was loose and was being repaired. He didn’t seem to buy the explanation but didn’t push the issue. I know Megan hasn’t told him anything, though she did tell Hunter and swore him to secrecy.
This morning JC comes into my office asking if we can have lunch at French’s. We haven’t spent any time together since the night we made out at his apartment. I feel bad, but I’m afraid if I spend time with him, it will turn into something it shouldn’t. I need to be alone right now.
“I can’t. I have so much to do today. I’ll have Nikki get me lunch.”
JC closes my door and comes to sit down in one of the chairs in front of my desk.
“Lexi, what’s the matter. You seem sad in the past few weeks.”
“I’m just overwhelmed with a bunch of stuff.”
The truth is that I am sad. Lucian has provided Megan with information about Noah. Vivian is taking my place as the bride and he’s removed my name and inserted hers. They’re getting married in October, my wedding date that I painstakingly picked.
“I don’t believe you. Work has gotten lighter the past few weeks. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to guess?”
I keep my focus on the work in front of me, not looking at JC. “I don’t feel like discussing it, and if you don’t mind, I’m busy.”
