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We hadn’t had any sort of an argument, though, and I was pretty certain I hadn’t done anything to piss him off, so I was just going to trust my gut feeling that everything was good between the two of us and keep the freaking out to a minimum.
Don’t stress. Don’t overthink it. The man is allowed to have a little privacy for… whatever.
I sighed and took one last, quick glance at the still-closed door.
There was really no point in driving myself crazy, even if it might be my default reaction. Brady would come out of the office—or not—whenever he was ready. Until then, there wasn’t anything I could do about it. And besides, I needed to get the day started. It wouldn’t do anyone any good for me to sit around procrastinating, wondering what I might be missing out on behind that door.
I walked over to the fax machine, checking to see if any orders had come in since the evening before. My eyebrows shot up when I saw the thick stack of papers waiting there.
“Shit,” I sucked in a sharp breath and muttered to myself, “If those are all for today, we’re gonna be in trouble.”
But when I picked them up, the words on the paper were all wrong.
I thumbed through the stack of papers, taking a moment to realize that none of them were actually orders for flowers. It was an actual, legitfax.
Who even sent a real-life fax these days? I couldn’t even remember a time when that had actually been a thing.
My curiosity piqued, I flipped back to skim the cover page.
Brady,
I know we agreed on forty-eight hours, but I thought it might be helpful to see the kinds of terms we had in mind. It’s all subject to change, of course, depending on your needs. We just want to finalize this sale as quickly as possible and start implementing some of our ideas at the store. This is gonna be a great deal for everyone involved, and I can’t wait to make it happen!
I’ll be in touch tomorrow.
Mike
Wait, what?
My stomach clenched and I blinked hard, trying to focus on the words in front of me as I did my best to drown out the ringing that had started in my ears.No. Just… no.I skimmed it again, just to make sure I’d actually read what I thought I had.
I know we agreed… terms we had in mind… depending on your needs… finalize this sale… make it happen!
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
We’d just had a weekend together that had felt so real, so right, so much likeforever… and the entire time, Brady had been planning on selling the shop? Had been innegotiations? While we’d beenfucking?
At least I didn’t have to wonder about the status of the shop anymore—ormystatus with Brady, for that matter. The papers in my hands made both of those things perfectly clear.
I reached out to steady myself on the counter. I was feeling dizzy, like my entire world had flipped upside down.
It just didn’t make sense after what I’d thought I felt from Brady. What I feltforBrady. Nothing made sense.
I needed answers, though, and I needed them right that minute. Whatever Brady was doing in that office would have to wait.
I seethed as I realized he had probably wanted the privacy so he could work on the sale with me sitting just a few feet away, right outside the door.
Fuck that.
Fuck. That.
I crossed back over to the door and had my hand on the doorknob before I’d even realized I was moving. I didn’t hesitate.
I was just too upset, too hurt, too damnmadto worry about Brady’s privacy or any sense of professionalism that should have existed between the two of us. If the papers in my hand were accurate, then everything I’d thought was growing between me and Brady was a lie.
I couldn’t trust my own judgment when it came to men, not even when it had felt so real.
I swiped at my eyes. I needed to hear it from Brady’s mouth, though. I wanted to look into his eyes when I asked himwhy.
