Lenni's days at the mansion were winding down. There was less than a week left on her contract. She figured she could leave now and no one would notice. She hadn't asked Beckett if he wanted her to go, but from the way he was acting, it was obvious he couldn't wait for her to be gone. Now, she was being stubborn. Better to finish out the contract just in case he tried to sue her for breach or not pay her for the last few days.

Even though he was avoiding her, he had, as promised, brought in a self-defense instructor for her. As soon as they got back from the wedding, she started to learn with a nice man from two towns over. She had learned how to protect herself from a few of the rudimentary attacks. Now that she wasn't having to dress Beckett every day, this was the highlight of her working day.

Most of her time was spent following Potter or Patrick around or taking walks around the woods out back.

"Could you help me with something?" Potter asked her after she'd finished her lesson for the day.

Lenni nodded and finished her last stretch. "I'm going into town in a few hours. Do you need anything?"

"I don't think so." Potter led her to the kitchen. "What you think of this new wallpaper?"

Potter was holding up a swatch of wheat-patterned beige and one with yellow lemons.

"I don't like wallpaper in kitchens," Lenni said. "What about paint?"

"I'm going to put this as an accent in here." Potter pointed to the area behind the coffee bar. "Everything else is going to be painted in a different color. I don't like wallpaper much either, but I thought something with a pattern would really pop here."

"That could look really nice." Lenni took the wheat-patterned swatch from her and held it up. "I think this one is it. It's different but still not too crazy."

"You'll have to come up and see it once it's done."

"You mean next year when you guys get back," Lenni said glumly. "I would love to."

"Have you asked him to come with us?" Potter set the papers down. "I assumed that you would rather stay here with your father than come with us to the East Coast."

"Why would you guys be going to the East Coast? Aren't things a little dangerous there for shifters right now?"

After legislation to bring outside shifter groups into the fold, things had gotten bad in the area around Beckett's property there. Some humans were very suspicious of the shifters. Even other shifters were suspicious of them. All the shifters Lenni knew were avoiding the area like the plague. The chatter online said it would calm down in a few months, but right now it wasn't worth visiting.

"Much like here, we'll be isolated from everyone else there. For once, Beckett's love of privacy is a blessing. I'll be glad for new scenery even if I can't travel as freely."

"I see." Lenni sighed. "When you get back here, be sure to come visit me at Pat's Pages. I'll save all your favorite books by Nora Roberts when they come in."

"Thank you, dear."

"Do you mind if I go into town early?" Lenni looked at the clock. "Unless you need me for something else?"

"Go ahead. We're not going to need you, and Beckett is in his office for the rest of the evening."

Lenni nodded. "You think I should ask him before I go?"

"That might be best," Potter told her. "He won't say no. This is just a formality. Don't worry. I always ask him and it's never been a problem."

Lenni went to his office and knocked twice. She hated having to bother him, but it would be worse if he needed her and she was gone. Not that he would ever need her for anything. She was useless to him now. 

"What is it?" came a moment later.

"It's Lenni. I'm going into town."

She wasn't asking. He couldn't say no if it wasn't a question.

"That's fine. Be back before dark."

He was still keeping his silly rules. Not because he cared what happened to her anymore, but it would be bad if she was harmed while in his employment. Maybe her dad would be able to sue him or something.

Nothing would happen to her after dark. She hadn't heard anything from Ned since they'd gone to the police. He was probably afraid of having the cops come to the shifter grounds. His dad would kill him if that happened.

It was still sad for Lenni when she left the mansion. When the gate swung closed behind her, she was reminded that in just a few days she would be doing this for good. There was also a good chance that she would not see Beckett again once she was done with this job.

Things ended badly between them, but she still had feelings for him. She didn't know why she couldn't fight it. She accepted that she was going to be hurt and she was going to love him for a while.

This was worse than when she'd broken up with Ned. Then she knew for sure that he was not for her. This time, she and Beckett hadn't even gotten a proper start. She didn't know what they could have been. In her mind, there was still a chance he was the one for her. That she could be his mate. That maybe he loved her back. She was crazy. She knew it was stupid.

He had been such an ass to her at the wedding. He treated her so badly and still she was holding out hope that maybe she had taken everything the wrong way. Maybe he was avoiding her now and holding her at arm's length because he liked her too much.

As long as she didn't ask him, she could keep her fantasies up. And that's all they were, silly fantasy.

None of that was true. He didn't want to be with her and she couldn't make him. She was just his employee and he was her employer. She could go back to her regular life and maybe eventually her heart would hurt less.