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Michael
“E
verything is in order,” Derek says. “The rest of contract is void, but I made sure the money was transferred.”
“She’ll just try to send it back.” I shrug.
I know Brianna well enough now. She doesn’t want the money, even though she earned it. I tried to talk to her, to tell her she should at least get what she earned for the three months we were together. But she wouldn’t take my calls.
Giving her the money is just another gesture, the only way I can apologize. But still, I don’t think she’ll keep it.
“We’ll see what happens,” Derek says, standing. “In the meantime, I have a few other things for you to look at.”
I stand and walk to the windows. “Can it wait until tomorrow?”
Derek clears his throat. “Of course. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
I nod, but don’t turn around.
“And Michael?” Derek says. “I’m really sorry.”
I hear him walk out the door and sigh. I’m sorry, too. I tried calling Brianna the instant I couldn’t find her outside the office building but she wouldn’t answer. Why can’t she just give me the chance to explain everything?
Chet had told me if I didn’t leave his work, he’d make things even worse for me and Brianna, so I’d done what he asked. Even if I still planned on filing a restraining order. But I left and I kept my mouth shut and believed that Chet would keep up his end of the bargain. What an idiot! I knew guys like that and they always fucked you over. What made Chet any different?
But still…Brianna deserves something better. She deserves a man who’s open with her, who can give her kids. She deserves everything, and I can’t give it to her.
And yet, I can’t let go. At the very least, I want to apologize. I want to do what I can to help her move on. And, yeah, I just want to see her one more time.
It’s selfish, but it’s how I feel.
When the door opens again, I think it’s Derek coming back, but then I see Liv.
She looks good. Way better than I feel. She even smiles, which makes me feel worse. I’d let her down, too. And my parents. I’d let everyone down because I hadn’t just been honest from the get-go.
“Hey.” She walks over and gives me a hug. “How are you?”
“I feel like shit.”
Her shoulders droop. “I’m sorry. I wish I could fix this. I really do.”
“Not much anyone can do.”
She steps back. “Well…I tried.”
I watch her walk around to the other side of the desk and sit. I continue to stand by the window, my arms crossed. “You tried? What does that mean?”
“I mean, I went to talk to her.”
“Liv.”
“Don’t be mad. Please. I wanted to see how she was. If she was okay.”
I swallow. “Was she okay?”
“She looked…” Liv gives me an apologetic smile. “Tired. Sad.”
My gut clenches. God, I’d really hurt her.
“She was a little angry, too,” Liv says.
“Yeah, she was a little angry when she left.” Which is pretty much the only thing that pisses me off. She didn’t take a moment to hear my side of things.
But even if she had, would that have mattered? I’d told her we weren’t right for each other, and it was the truth. As much as it kills me—still kills me—I’m not the person for her.
“I think she just needs time. And some…clarity.” Liv nods. “That’s all.”
“Why do I get the feeling you interfered even more?”
“I just…gave her the pictures of Chet. And the video.”
I curse. Great. Brianna is trying to move on and Liv got in the way. But I can’t fault Liv. I keep getting in the way, too. Sending Brianna flowers, trying to call. Giving her money.
Maybe it’s time to move on. But at least she knows the truth about Chet now—if she decided to watch the video. The one that shows Chet threatening me. Threatening Brianna. Yeah, I’d gone down to his work, but Chet had been the one who’d gotten worked up. It also showed him and a friend outside the building after work, and Chet’s friend giving him a nice shiner and a fat lip.
A beating he no doubt blamed on me when he talked with Brianna.
“She’ll come around,” Liv says. “I’m sure of it.”
My secretary buzzes in. “Your next appointment is here.”
I frown. I didn’t think I had a meeting for another hour.
“I’ll just let you get to it, then,” Liv says, standing quickly.
“Wait—what did you do? What’s going on?”
She doesn’t answer, only walks to the door and opens it. Brianna is on the other side. Liv hugs her and then leaves, shutting the door behind her.
I freeze by the desk, not sure what to do. Brianna looks…amazing. Tired, yes. Unsure, a little. But so beautiful.
“I…” I swallow. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“It was a last-minute appointment. I hear you might need my services with a new website.”
“A website…” I say slowly. Is that really why she’s here? I mean, yeah, we need an update. Something new. Sleek. But…that’s the only reason? Just to talk about work?
“Should I reschedule?” Brianna asks.
“No.” I give myself a mental shake. “Now is good. Please, have a seat.”
I try to stay professional, but it’s hard when she looks so good. When all I want to do is walk to her and draw her into my arms and tell her how sorry I am. Do anything to make this right for her.
I keep myself in check, though, and sit across from her. “Thank you for coming.”
“Well, I need the work,” she says softly.
At least she doesn’t look angry. Either that or she’s doing a great job covering it up. But really? She wants to work together after everything that’s happened? I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know if she can do that, though Brianna has surprised me so many times in the past, I should remind myself that she’s capable of anything.
She’s amazing, and I wish I hadn’t fucked things up with her so badly.
“So, uh…” I clear my throat. “I’ve already seen your work so you don’t have to convince me you’re the right person for this. It’s your job if you want it.”
“A new website?”
I nod. “And everything that goes with it. Business cards as well. Also, uh…” I shuffle around my desk, looking for the packet my PR person had brought me. I’m so unfocused, I can’t even tell her what it is we need. “I have a packet for you.”
She nods. “It’s fine. I don’t need it right now.”
“Okay. We can talk about payment. I know what you charge—”
“You already paid me,” she says.
I meet her eyes. So she’d seen the money in her bank account. “That wasn’t for a job.”
“Then I should return it.”
“No.” I lean forward in my seat. It takes everything I have not to reach out for her. “The money’s yours. In fact, you deserve more.”
“I don’t think so.”
“If you read the entire contract you’d see that you still get compensated for each month you put into the relationship.”
She blinks. She didn’t know that.
“You should at least take your share,” I tell her.
Instead of responding to that, she says. “I’m kind of getting sick of contracts.”
It’s the first flicker of irritation I’ve seen from her. Part of me is relieved. That means we’re not going to keep this professional façade. Maybe we’ll finally get things out in the open.
“I’m getting sick of contracts, too,” I tell her. “Maybe we could just…talk. Be open. Tell the truth.”
“Can you?” she asks. “Tell the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Everything?”
“Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”