“Not that I owe you any answers, but Spencer’s handling Virginia. He’ll be there for the next year, and in the meantime, I’ll be here.”
“What do you mean, he’ll be there?”
“He’s moving to Virginia, as was planned. God, do you always talk this much?”
As was planned.
That he hadn’t told her shouldn’t matter anymore. They’d already broken up, if they’d ever been together.
But it was just one betrayal too many.
What was she going to do? Wait until Spencer came back from Virginia, then slink around trying to pretend she didn’t care what was going on between him and Diana? Deny she was dying inside every time she looked at him? Maybe she could turn off her feelings if she tried hard enough.
In the meantime, every day would be hell. She’d always look at him and Diana and wonder.
Maybe he would never come back. He’d stay in Virginia and then she’d be left to wander past his office, remembering the day she’d come in on him and Leigh. She’d never really gotten the story there either. Maybe Leigh was next on his list.
And if she didn’t think of that day, she’d remember working with him all night long. His mouth on her breasts, his face in her hands. But worst of all, she’d remember the night he’d taken her love and stomped on it before she’d even had the nerve to offer it to him.
Or she could cut her losses.
She’d remember regardless but at least she could get away from this place and not have to see him in every corner. She could start moving on.
Kelly reached up and unclipped her nametag, shocked that her hand could be rock steady when she was about to do the craziest thing she’d ever done. But it was also the sanest.
“I’m leaving,” she said quietly, relieved her eyes were dry. She wouldn’t cry anymore.
“Good. Leave the door open.”
“I mean I’m leaving permanently.” When Diana turned, Kelly set the badge on the conference table where she and Spencer had stared at each other so heatedly.
A week ago. Just a week. A lifetime.
Diana shrugged as if she didn’t care one way or another. Why should she? Kelly was just another cog in her parents’ wheel. “Your choice.”
“Yes. My choice.” For once she wasn’t going to be afraid. She was going to be just fine without the store. Without Spencer. She had two legs and she was going to stand on them.
On her way out, she shut the door.
* * *
Spencer picked up his phone, saw the readout and blew out a breath. It was late, and he’d stupidly hoped Kelly was calling. Of course not.
“What do you want, Diana?”
“Your girlfriend quit,” she said shortly, sounding about as pleased to talk to him as he was to talk to her.
After last night, he couldn’t claim to be surprised. The scene between them had been even bloodier than the one he’d endured with Kelly. Less emotionally scarring, definitely. But the humiliation factor had been sky-high.
On both sides.
“Excuse me?”
“Your girlfriend. The one who had you so twisted up last night. Surely you haven’t forgotten her so soon.”
He hadn’t given her Kelly’s name. But Diana had probably done some snooping around and put things together. Then he realized what else she’d said. “What do you mean she quit?”
“She said she was leaving, set down her badge and punched out.”