Desperately Seeking Epic(84)

But when his three o’clock clients showed up and we still hadn’t seen him, I started to get worried. When we couldn’t reach him, Marcus called Bowman and had him come in to cover Paul’s jumps. We discounted the clients for the inconvenience.

No police had showed up notifying us of an accident so I finished the day out. I went to his house after I left the office, but his truck wasn’t there. When he didn’t show up again the next day, I wondered if he’d taken off again for an adventure. But why now? After the night we shared. Couldn’t he see now was a bad time to run away for a month? And what about our business? He had scheduled jumps. It was unacceptable.

“We should probably just schedule the other guys to take his jumps for the next month or so,” Marcus suggested. “No point in us killing ourselves every day to cover for him.”

I nodded, letting out an uneasy breath. But my expression said everything.

“He’ll come back, Clara,” Marcus assured me. “He always does.” What he said seemed as if he were trying to comfort me. I was shocked. I nodded and he went back to his work.

Two weeks went by, and not a word from Paul. I was so hurt. I tried not to be, but I was. I couldn’t help it. I had fallen for him. Why was he always leaving after having a moment with me? How could he just leave and not contact me at all? It was a Wednesday when Marcus placed an envelope on my desk. It was thick. That alone told me it couldn’t have been anything good in there.

“From Richard Mateo,” he pointed out.

I opened it, not minding that Marcus was watching me. I read one sheet and then the next. I dropped them in my lap, furrowing my brows in confusion and shock.

“What is it?” Marcus asked.

I handed him the papers, blinking quickly to keep my tears at bay. It couldn’t be what I thought it was. It couldn’t.

Marcus’ shoulders sagged as he read. “That *,” he grumbled.

My heart was pounding, the sound whooshing in my ears. Paul wanted me to buy the business from him, his portion anyway, or keep him as a partner and pay him a reduced salary. He wasn’t coming back.

Why did everyone I loved leave me? But I wasn’t the only one that felt betrayed. Marcus looked like he wanted to hit something. He tossed the papers on the desk and marched out of my office without another word. My hands shook as I shoved the papers in the drawer of my desk. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I could hardly stand. But I did. I had to leave.

This was bullshit. He was bullshit. Grabbing my keys. I darted out to my car and screeched out of the parking lot. I needed to see something. I needed to know if Paul was gone for good or not. This couldn’t be happening to me . . . again. I drove to his house. The gravel of his driveway crackled under my tires as I slowly drove by the For Sale sign. I stared at it for a long moment before lowering my head to the steering wheel and crying like I’ve never cried before.

He left.

He left just like everyone else.

When I calmed down, I drove home and crawled in bed, and cried myself to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night, my entire lower body aching I had to pee so badly. Flipping the light on in my bathroom, I stared at the box I’d left there the day before. Now was as good a time as any. I tore open the box, pulled out the little white stick, and peed on it.

Three minutes later, my world changed forever.



Ashley sports a sad smile as she watches me wipe under my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I croak out. “It’s hard when you remember one of the best times in your life as one of the most painful.”

Leaning over, she pulls a small pack of tissues from her backpack and hands them to me.

“Thanks.”

“Did you hate him?” she asks after I’ve cleaned myself up.

“At first,” I admit. “I decided to keep him as a business partner. I wasn’t sure I could tell him I was pregnant, not then anyway. I was too . . . hurt. When I thought of him, it was too much. But I wanted to make sure I could get to him, if I needed to.”

“Did you try to contact him?”

“A few times. I emailed him. I told him I needed to talk to him, but I didn’t say what about.”

“Did it surprise you when he didn’t respond?”

I shrug. “Yes. No.”

“What happened with Marcus after that?”



It had been two days since I’d received the letter from Mateo on Paul’s behalf. I called Marcus into my office and asked him to sit with me.

I intended to explain my plans to him with regard to the business, but he spoke first.

“I’m giving you my resignation.”

The blood drained from my face. There was no doubt we hated each other. I, for one, couldn’t stand him. But with Paul disappearing, and a baby on the way, I wasn’t sure I could make the business function without Marcus. He knew the ins and outs. And he had a great rapport with the employees.

I slumped back in my chair, utterly deflated. The universe was against me.

“We both know Paul, while not the best mediator, was the only reason we’ve managed to coexist this long,” he explained. “I just don’t think we can have a healthy work environment.”

“And if I asked you to stay?” I questioned cautiously.

He tilted his head, a deep wrinkle forming between his brows. “Why would you ask me to stay?” he snorted.