Chapter 4

I'd earned my place at this company on my own. Why should I leave just because of her?

That night I worked late.

By the time I finished the report Sarah had kicked back for me to redo five times, I dragged myself out of the office tower, worn to the bone.

It was almost eleven.

I stood at the curb waiting for a ride when a black car pulled up in front of me.

The window came down. It was Howard.

"Working late?"

"Yeah."

"Where to? I'll drive you."

I gave him Joy's address.

Soft music played in the car.

"You've been exhausted lately?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

He didn't press. He just drove in silence.

As we neared the building, he suddenly spoke. "If the job's making you unhappy, you can always find another one."

I paused.

"A friend of mine is hiring. The position's about the same as yours now, and the pay might even be a little better. If you're interested, I can ask around for you."

Warmth spread through me.

"Thank you, Howard. But I want to hold out a little longer."

He glanced at me and nodded.

"All right. If you need help, come to me anytime."

The car stopped at the foot of the building.

I unbuckled my seat belt, about to get out.

"Kayla." He called me back.

"Yeah?"

"Are you free this weekend? I'd like to take you to dinner. Call it... a thank-you for giving me the chance to play the hero."

He said it half-joking.

I looked at him and couldn't help but smile.

The gloom of the past days felt like it lifted a little, chased off by that smile.

"Sure."

My date with Howard was a good one.

He didn't pick some upscale restaurant. Instead he took me to a quiet little place that served home-style dinners.

We talked about a lot, from work to hobbies.

I found we had so much in common.

Like how we both loved old movies, both liked keeping succulents.

With him, I felt relaxed.

It was something I'd never felt with Phil.

With Phil, I was always careful.

I had to manage his moods, bend to his tastes, and stay braced at every moment for one of Sarah's "sudden situations."

I lived like an accessory to someone else's life.

But with Howard, I could just be myself.

After dinner, he drove me home.

A familiar car was parked downstairs.

Phil leaned against it, a cigarette between his fingers, a scatter of butts thrown all over the ground at his feet.

When he saw me getting out of the car with Howard, his eyes turned dark in an instant.

He tossed the cigarette and came striding toward us.

"Kayla."

His gaze locked on me, as if he wanted to swallow me whole.

Howard stepped forward and quietly moved me behind him.

"Mr. Swanson. It's late. Is there something you need?"

"I'm here for my girlfriend. None of your damn business!" Phil roared.

"She isn't your girlfriend anymore." Howard's tone stayed even.

"That's not for you to decide!"

Phil reached out, trying to grab me.

Howard blocked him.

"Mr. Swanson, control yourself."

"Control myself?" Phil laughed like he'd heard the joke of the century. "Ten years I've had with her. Who the hell are you? Kayla, get over here!"

I stepped out from behind Howard.

"Phil, are you done making a scene?"

"Me, making a scene?" He pointed at Howard, then at me. "The two of you, out this late, doing what? Dinner? A date? Kayla, you fell fast, didn't you?"

His words were cruel and cutting.

I was shaking with anger.

"What I do has nothing to do with you. Please don't come harass me anymore."

"Harass?" He laughed at himself. "I care about you, and that counts as harassment? Kayla, what is your heart even made of? Ten years between us, and you just throw it away?"

"You threw it first." I looked at him and said it word by word. "Every time you dropped me for Sarah, when you kissed her, when you poured soup all over me and still made me apologize. That's when you threw us away."

Phil's face went white.

His lips moved. He wanted to say something, but no sound came.

"Go," I said. "I don't want to see you again."

I took Howard's hand and turned to leave.

Phil called my name behind us, a thread of desperation in his voice.

"Kayla! Don't go! I was wrong! I really was wrong!"

I didn't look back.

Only once we stepped into the stairwell did I let go of Howard's hand.

"I'm sorry. I've made a fool of myself in front of you again."

"Is he always like this?" Howard asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to call the police?"

I shook my head.

"It won't help. He'd only make more of a scene."

Howard was quiet for a moment.

"Kayla." He spoke suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to... move?"

I froze.

"Move in with me." He looked at me, his eyes serious. "My apartment has two bedrooms. You take one, I take the other. Pay whatever rent you think is fair."

I hadn't expected him to say that.

"That's... too much trouble for you."

"It's no trouble," he said. "I just don't want to see him harassing you anymore. Of course, if it feels awkward to you, then forget I said anything."

I looked into his sincere eyes, and something in me wavered.

If Phil kept this up, it really would affect Joy.

Moving was the best choice.

But moving in and living with him...

"Don't worry." He seemed to read my hesitation. "I won't do anything to you. I just... want to protect you."

That last part he said very softly.

But my heart gave a hard, heavy thud.