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It had all fallen apart when he learned what I’d done, but I’d been lucky enough to get him back after that. This, though? This was ten times worse. I couldn’t dare hope to be forgiven again.
“Jennifer,” Cindy said, bringing me back to the present. “The guys think this is all Cartwright’s doing, and they’re talking about Dennis losing the company.”
I blinked back the tears that threatened. “I’m so sorry.” I couldn’t bring myself to admit to her the part I’d played.
“Come back in and help.”
“Syd told me to stay away until he called.”
“Syd can fuck off.”
I almost dropped the phone. I’d never heard a swear word of any kind out of Cindy’s mouth, or even one allowed in her presence.
“Dennis needs you,” she repeated. “I’ll get your badge reactivated.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Don’t leave him to fight this alone.”
Her words stung. But maybe I owed it to Dennis to fight, not just slink away in the shame of what I’d done. What kind of woman did that?
Not any kind I wanted to be.
“I’m on my way.”
I put the wine glass down. I was done with self-pity.
We hung up, and I didn’t take the time to put my hair back up before grabbing my purse on my way out.
We hadn’t lost yet, and my one regret from this morning was not going back into the boardroom to personally kick Cartwright in the balls.
* * *
Dennis
Three laps turnedinto more than a dozen before I entered the building again.
After my long walk that went nowhere, the heat in the elevator was more uncomfortable than usual.
I opened the door to our executive area,myexecutive area. This was still my fucking company.
Cindy nodded toward my door. “I got you a surprise.”
“Not sure I can stand any more surprises today.”
She merely smiled back.
I opened the door, and Jennifer was in my chair.
“I’m here to help,” she said.
Her hair was down, the way I enjoyed it on the weekends.
I closed the door behind me and opened my arms.
We met mid-room for the kiss I owed her. My eyes closed, our lips met, and the scent of peaches filled my nostrils, bringing me back to the first kiss we’d shared in this room: the piss-off-Melissa kiss that had started it all.
Jennifer broke the kiss too soon for me.
