“I’m going to sit in the back, holler if you need me,” James says, walking away quickly and closing my office door behind him. I laugh at his retreat. All morning, women have been throwing themselves at him. Older women, girls who probably aren’t even legal, every single one who has walked in so far.

After the last customer left, he turned to me with a red, blushing face, muttering quietly. “I’ve never had my ass grabbed so many times.”

When the bell jingles, I turn from my closed office door and move back toward the front with a smile to greet the new customer. The petite blonde walks right up to me. “How can I help you? Are you shopping for a special occasion?” I ask, ready to match a new customer with the perfect outfit.

“Are you Harper Maxwell?”

“Yes,” I say, still smiling.

She sticks a manila envelope in my hands. “You’ve been served.”

“Wh––what? Wait,” I call after her.

She doesn’t stop, walking out without another word. I stare down at the envelope in my shaking hands. I don’t know what’s in here but I’m terrified to open it and find out. I feel as if my entire life is hanging in the balance. Right now, I can only guess the ways my world could come crashing down. If I open this, it could make my nightmares a reality.

“Harper,” a deep voice says in front of me.

Startled, I look up, shocked to find a face I recognize but haven’t seen in a long time. I didn’t hear the bell on the door chime, so lost in my thoughts.

“Daniel?”

He smiles. “Yeah.”

“Oh, my god,” I say, rushing toward him, throwing my arms around his neck. “It’s so good to see you.”

He hugs me back tightly, slightly lifting me off the ground.

I hear a throat clear behind my back. I step out of Daniel’s embrace and see the angry eyes of James. He’s glaring at Daniel and me, and disappointment adds to his anger.

“James,” I say, laying a hand on his bicep. “This is an old friend, Daniel. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

James doesn’t speak, only continues to glare at Daniel.

Daniel takes a tiny step back, putting more distance between him and James. I hate to break it to Daniel, but that inch of extra room wouldn’t save him from James.

Daniel sticks out his hand for James to shake. James looks down at the hand in disgust, barking out his question. “What’re you doing here?”

“I came to say hello to an old friend,” Daniel says, slowly looking between James and me.

“James,” I say quietly. “It’s okay.”

Daniel is still looking between James and me, not saying anything. “It’s good to see you, Daniel. Are you passing through or do you live in Austin?”

“Passing through. I’m back in Dallas. I heard you opened a shop here, though, thought I would stop by and say hi.”

“I’m glad you did. You kind of just disappeared back then.”

“Sorry about that,” Daniel says, looking down at his shoes. “I didn’t know how to say bye with everything you were going through.”

We lapse into an awkward silence, neither of us sure of what to say. James is still standing behind me, watching the both of us with guarded eyes.

“I need to run,” Daniel says. “It was good to see you, Harper. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

“Don’t trust him,” James says when Daniel walks out the door.

I turn toward James, rolling my eyes. “You don’t trust anyone.”

He shrugs. “Other customer gone?” James looks over his shoulder as if he expects a woman to come up and grab his ass.

“Wasn’t a customer,” I grumble.

James cocks an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain further.

“I got served,” I say holding up the envelope.

“What the fuck,” he says, taking it from me. “For what?”

“I haven’t opened it yet.”

James rips open the top, taking out the documents in inside. My stomach sinks as I watch his neutral expression turn into a scowl.

“James,” I whisper, tears already welling in my eyes. “What is it?”

James takes his phone out of his pocket, hitting dial. He watches me with a grim expression, keeping the papers tucked under his arm, out of my reach.

“Get your ass to your girl’s store. Now,” James growls into the phone, hanging up.

“Please tell me, James.”

“We’re waiting for Roman.”

James walks to the front of the store, flipping the lock and switching the sign to closed. Panic starts to rise in my chest and my breathing turns shallow. James’ arm comes around my shoulder as he passes me, turning me and walking me to the office. I beg him over and over to tell me what’s happening. I argue it’s my life so I have a right to know.

James sits staring at the wall, not saying a word, keeping the papers firmly in his arm, away from my reach. I give up pleading with him and dissolve into tears. Just then Roman walks into my office, looking around manically. When he spots me curled in my chair, he rushes over to me, running his hands over my hand, looking me over.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Roman asks softly, cupping my cheek.

“Ask him,” I sneer, tilting my head toward James.

I roll my eyes and huff when James hands over the papers to Roman. Roman’s roars and cursing startle me. I look between James and Roman. James is watching me with sorrow in eyes.

“That motherfucker,” Roman spits out. “I’ll kill him.”

“What’s happening? Please tell me. James wouldn’t show me.”

Roman looks at James and nods his head. “I owe you.”

James nods, still not speaking. Roman lays the papers on my desk in front of me. It’s a notice for eviction. A three-day notice for violating the terms of the lease. A thick cardstock note is paper-clipped to the top with an envelope behind it. Now I understand why James waited for Roman. A sob leaves my chest. I look at James across my desk, hoping he knows I’m not mad at him.

“Hate this for you, Harp,” James frowns, looking down at me.

The note makes me afraid to touch the envelope, but Roman pulls it free, tucking it in his pocket. The clean, perfect cursive from Rafael completely turned my life upside down.