Before I head downstairs, I peek into the guest bedroom Crew slept in when he first moved in. It抯 empty, the bed neatly made and unwrinkled.
I抦 stunned by how harsh and hard the panic hits. I thought I抎 be okay if things between me and Crew ever went south. There抯 a saying: how you抣l never know how much you want something until it抯 gone. That抯 not how I feel. I already knew how much I want him. I didn抰 know the pain of possibly losing him would feel this visceral, how I wouldn抰 be prepared for falling apart.
So, I do what I always do. I shove the pesky emotions far down and go to work.
The office isn抰 as busy as it would be on a normal Thursday, but it抯 far from empty. Prep work for the February issue is in full swing, which has become my professional focus now that rouge has officially launched. Approving the groundwork梖rom the branding to the hiring梙as given me some flexibility in how much time I spend juggling my two endeavors. So has the reality I抣l have to take a stretch of time off in a few months.
Leah approaches as soon as she sees me step out of the elevator. 揋ood morning!?
揋ood morning.?My greeting is decidedly less cheery than Leah抯。
揑抦 so sorry about your father.?
I sigh. 揟hank you. He抣l be fine, we think.?
揙h, good. How was your Christmas??
揅ould have been better,?I admit. 揧ours??
揑t was nice. My parents are visiting.?
揧ou should go, then. I told you to take today off.?
揃ut you抮e here.?
揑 can manage. Just let me know厰 I glance up to see Leah is no longer paying attention to me. She抯 focused behind me, on something.
Someone.
I glance over one shoulder. Sure enough, Crew is stepping out of the elevator I left minutes ago, headed straight toward me.
Most of the time, Haute抯 open layout is convenient. I can quickly assess who is at their desk. Different departments can collaborate.
Right now, it抯 fucking inconvenient. More people than I realized were even in the office today are poking their heads out of cubicles and from behind partitions, straining to get a better look. When I抳e been the subject of office gossip before, it wasn抰 firsthand.
Up until now.
This is primetime entertainment.
揥hat are you doing here??I snap.
He looks good. He always looks good. Freshly showered and clean shaven, and wearing a pressed, crisp suit tailored to fit him perfectly.
揑 need to talk to you.?
揘ow??The condescending challenge in my voice would be enough to make most people shrink. Crew is not one of those people.
揘ow.?His tone is one I haven抰 heard directed at me in a while. Stern. Cold.
揑抦 busy.?
揑抦 not going anywhere.?
揧ou抳e got a lot of nerve showing up here.?
Crew makes a show of looking around the office. 揗aybe there抯 a meeting I could crash while I抦 here? Interrupt during??
I glare. He glares back. I spin on my heeled boots and stalk in the direction of my office, not waiting to see if he抯 following. But he is. I feel his presence as soon as he steps inside my office, filling the confined space.
While he shuts the door, I shrug out of my wool peacoat and toss it on a chair. 揟alk.?
I don抰 miss how his eyes skim over my body. We haven抰 had sex since we left Switzerland, the longest it抯 been in a while. If he drowned his annoyances balls deep in another woman last night, it doesn抰 look like it was very satisfying.
His gaze lingers on the framed photograph of us on my desk before he speaks.
揧ou抮e mad.?
I snort. 揑抦 pissed, and I don抰 have time for this. I have a lot of work to get done today.?
揅ut the shit, Scarlett. You were supposed to have this whole week off.?
揟hat was before I became the sole breadwinner in the family.?It抯 a low blow, one I almost feel bad for.
Crew doesn抰 even flinch. 揚lease, Scarlett. I just need to棓
揘ice suit,?I interrupt. 揇id you sneak in after I left??
揘o. I kept some stuff at my old place. It抯 closer to my office.?
揅ontingency plan??
He studies me. 揑s this your way of asking where I slept last night??
Yes. 揘o.?
He knows me too well.
揑 was at my dad抯。 On the couch in his study, if you want details.?
揑 didn抰 ask.?
Crew grips the back of one of the chairs that face my desk. 揟his mess with the feds卼here抯 some stuff there, Scarlett. He said it won抰 stick, but I can抰 make any promises.?
揚romises about what??I question.
揧ou might not want your last name to be Kensington. It could affect Haute and rouge. Financially, or at the very least, you抣l get questions. I might not be the CEO of a successful company. Or a respected one. Right now, we抮e bleeding money. That抯 not what you signed up for.?I watch his lips tighten. His jaw muscles flex and shift. 揝o, I guess I抦 asking?Do you want a divorce??