Audra is home when I arrive. Being Sunday, I didn’t expect her until later this evening. She has a routine. A routine that she rarely deviates from. Especially on Sundays.

Alarms start going off in my head. Something isn’t right. When I left her yesterday, she gave me the impression that things between her and Keegan were fine. Normal. I’m starting to think that may have all been for show.

“Hey,” I say, dropping my bag on the floor by the coffee table and taking a seat on the couch. “What are you doing here?”

“I have assignments to grade,” she states, returning her focus to the papers in her lap, red pen at the ready.

“Yes,” I start, drawing the word out. “I can see that, but what about church? Are you not planning on going today?”

Services start in less than an hour, and she’s still in her pajamas, her hair pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head. Audra doesn’t allow anyone to see her like this. She would never leave the house without being picture perfect, especially if she planned to attend a church service.

She’s even wearing her glasses, something she only does late at night before she goes to bed.

“I really need to get these graded, so I decided to stay home today.” She doesn’t bother to look up at me, instead, making a note in the margin and flipping to the next page.

“Well, I’ll be around all day if you want to talk about anything,” I offer. She mumbles her thanks a few moments later and I take that as a clue to leave her be for now.

After a quick shower, I attempt to talk with Audra again, but she brushes me off. This continues for the rest of the afternoon, and I’m about to break when my phone chimes, distracting me for a moment.

Shit!

This is not good. I assured Tyler I could work with him, but I never thought he would have me meeting with him. Alone.

Two weeks? A full workup normally takes months. Not to mention, I’ve never been the lead person, I’ve only helped the process along. It doesn’t sound like we have much of a choice in the matter. If the client needs it in two weeks, I’ll get the ball rolling and hand it over to Tyler as soon as he returns.

“I’m ordering a pizza,” Audra announces as I toss my phone on the counter. “What do you want on it?”

Pizza. Another oddity for Audra. It’s an indulgence she only allows herself from time to time. At most, once a month, and if I remember correctly, we ate pizza last week.

“You choose. No onion, though.”

Digging through her purse, I watch as she pulls out her phone and powers it on. Shaking my head, it all becomes clear when her phone starts chiming over and over again.

“Avoiding something.” It’s more of a statement that a question. “If you want, we can talk about it.”

She avoids my question, dialing the pizza place and placing our order as she leaves the kitchen. Following her, I find her back in her spot on the couch, papers in her lap, feverishly scribbling something with her red pen.

“They said thirty minutes,” she announces.

Snatching her pen mid-stroke, she glares at me and holds her hand out.

“Not until you talk to me. Something is wrong, I’ve known you long enough to be able to spot the signs. Why won’t you talk to me?”

“Why? So you can tell me how much of an asshole Keegan was and how I should be relieved that he broke up with me?”

He broke up with her?

“No, you should talk to me so I can be here for you, to tell you how amazing you are and how much of an idiot he is that he couldn’t see that.”

Tears begin to form in the corner of her eyes, but she holds them back, blinking them away. “Right, his loss. Can I have my pen back now?”

“Nope.”

“Seriously, Justine. I have to finish these-”

“I know. I also know that the best medicine for a broken heart can be sappy movies and junk food. Maybe a little wine wouldn’t hurt either. Girls’ night, just the two of us. If you don’t want to talk anymore, fine, but do this for me. Please?”

Her smile is weak, but Audra slides the papers onto the coffee table and agrees. I let her pick out a movie while I raid the cupboards and grab every container of cookies she’s baked this weekend. We’re about to hit play when the pizza arrives, my mouth watering from the smell as I walk into the living room. What I find is hard to handle.

Audra, curled into a ball on the couch, silently crying into the decorative pillows she bought a few months ago when she and Keegan went to the outlet mall. Setting the pizza aside, I take a seat next to her and move her head into my lap, stroking her hair as she lets it all out. The pain. The anguish. The heartache.

We’ve been here before. Last time, our roles were reversed. She was holding me together while I fell apart. I was hoping the day would never come that I would have to repay the favor. I never wanted her to feel the way I felt that day or the weeks and months that followed.

“I don’t understand,” she finally says, grasping to catch her breath. “He didn’t even give me a reason. He just said I wasn’t worth it.”

“Worth what?”

“I don’t know!” she screams as another sob racks her body. “I tried to be who he wanted me to be. I wanted to be everything I could for him and more. It wasn't enough.”

Stroking my hand up and down her back, I attempt to talk her down. It’s not her fault. She’s more than enough. She needs to be happy with who she is because she’s amazing. I keep my focus on her, on how great of a person she is. Reminding her of all the wonderful things she does for other people, how caring she is and promising her she’ll find someone who will recognize all of that eventually.

“Like how you found Devon,” she says.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s perfect for you. He looks at you the way all men should look at the person they love.”

“Back up a little. Devon and I are barely dating. He’s not in love with me, Audra. Things are still new and exciting, that’s all.”

“If you say so, but I’ve seen that look before. If he’s not in love with you yet, you’re in big trouble. That man has it bad.”

Her words stick with me as we reheat the pizza and turn on the movie. The rest of our night is spent pigging out and laughing at the stupid comedy Audra chose. It doesn’t keep my mind from wandering to Devon, though. Aside from texting me that he made it home, I haven’t heard from him. Not that I was expecting him to call, he’s busy tonight, but after Audra’s comment, I wish he had.

* * *

The moment I pick up the file on Tyler’s desk, the panic sets in. I can’t do this. Assisting Tyler would be one thing, working directly with JP is another. I ran out of the office the other day after I saw him. I’ve avoided Allison’s calls and texts all weekend, claiming I was busy. I was, but knowing she’s going to want to talk about him, I didn’t make time to call her back. He’s the last person I want to discuss. I’d rather talk about Keegan, and that says a lot.

“Hey, girl.” Emerson greets me as I’m walking out of Tyler’s office, hugging the file folder to my chest. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” I lie, spotting Allison heading in our direction.

“You can’t avoid me any longer,” Allison sings as she joins us. “Talk. Now.”

“What did I miss?” Emerson asks, a curious smile slowly spreads across her face.

“Someone’s ex was here the other day.” Allison’s statement makes my skin crawl. Why did she have to associate him with me?

“He’s a client,” I say, taking a seat at my desk and firing up my computer.

“Oh, shit! Really?” There’s a sense of panic in Emerson’s voice that I wasn’t expecting.

“Yep,” I reply, popping my P for emphasis. “And he’ll be back today at noon. They’re on a tight timeline, so Tyler asked me to meet with him.”

“Oh, shit. Is there anyone else who can meet with him instead? Ryder? Mr. Dixon? Want me to do it?” Ally’s suggestion brings a smile to my face. I can only imagine how that meeting would go. I have a feeling he would run out screaming.

“Thanks, but I can do this. It won’t be fun, and I’ll keep it as brief as I can, but I have to do it. Tyler’s counting on me.”

“Did you tell him he was your ex?” Emerson asks, her voice catching me off guard. I almost forgot she was standing here.

“Yes, he knows. I assured him it wasn’t an issue and honestly, it shouldn’t matter,” I explain, attempting to sound braver than I feel and stronger than I am.

Emerson shoots me a sympathetic smile as she rushes over to her desk to answer her ringing phone.

“You know where to find me if you need me,” Ally states reassuringly. Nodding, she heads over to her desk to start her day as well.

Two hours later, I’m still struggling to focus on what needs to be accomplished before he arrives. I’ve organized my desk, disposed of Devon’s flowers that died over the weekend, and read through Tyler’s proposal at least six times. My mind keeps drifting back to the years JP and I spent together. The good times we shared. The moments we celebrated together.

As images of my past continue to flash through my mind, I try to remember the person he once was. The good man that swept me off my feet in the beginning. The man who would hold doors open for me and take my hand when we crossed the street to keep me safe.

The same man who pulled the wool over my eyes for years, keeping his fetishes a secret. He knew it would scare me off. He knew I wouldn’t want any part of it. So he lied. He went behind my back and carried on as if nothing was wrong.

After we broke up, I found out all his dirty secrets.

For years, he had been participating in things I had no idea even existed. People would hire him to seduce their wives while they watched. How he connected with these people, I still don’t know. I don’t want to. And for his sake, I hope he’s moved on from that life.

Browsing through the file again, I familiarize myself with the company he works for. A large chain of hand-made furniture stores. I’ve never heard of them before, but it appears they’re opening their first location in Sunnyside in a few weeks. That explains the sense of urgency to get the media plan in place.

Flipping to the last page, I read-over his contract with Dixon Advertising. Only, it’s not his contract.

It all makes sense now. Why I didn’t know he was coming. How his name slipped past me.

I couldn’t have prepared to see him because he wasn’t the one Tyler was originally meeting with.

My phone chimes, my attention happily drawn away from all things involving JP.

Looking over toward Emerson’s desk, I find her staring in my direction, eyes wide in shock. Slowly turning, I see the reason why is standing behind me. The smile immediately falls from my face when we make eye contact.

“Justine,” he coos.

“You’re early, Mr. Shuran.” I’m able to keep my voice calm and collected as his name rolls off my tongue for the first time in years.

“Is that how this is going to be? All business?”

“Yes, sir. This is a business meeting. If you want to have a seat in the lobby, I’ll be over shortly to show you to the conference room.”

Tossing me his signature smirk before walking away, JP does as I request, giving me a moment to breathe. Emerson and Allison are both staring, watching the action, or lack thereof, unfold.

Gathering my things, I head into the conference room to set up for what will feel like the longest meeting of my life. Judging by the way JP was looking at me, he’s not going to make this easy. He’s going to push every button he can, and my comfort level is going to be tested.

If I’m going to make it through this meeting without losing my mind, I need to forget the man I fell for when I was younger and remember the man who broke my heart.