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I’ve just finished sorting out Becca’s half of the closet—finally. I’m giving away all of her clothes and shoes to a local women’s shelter that needs the donations, according to Nia. Becca’s jewelry I’ve consigned with a reputable jeweler. Now that everything is in boxes and I’m staring at the empty racks beside my neatly arranged dress shirts and suits, I feel lighter, as if I’ve lifted a huge weight off my chest.
While I drag the last of the boxes to the foyer, someone knocks on my door.
“You there, bro? Or you busy boinking your bride?”
Bas. I’ve hardly seen him since I returned from Maui. We’ve both been busy as hell, preparing year-end reports, dealing with a new malware designed to take down our security, a particularly insistent hacker, and our respective upcoming moves. I’m glad he stopped in now.
I open the door to find him lounging against the frame. “Hey, man. What are you doing?”
He takes in the boxes I’ve stacked against the wall. “Same as you, culling through crap and trying to decide what to take and what to ditch. I’ve lived in my little place for five years. I didn’t realize how much shit I’ve collected.”
“For real. I’ve barely managed to get through Becca’s closet and it’s taken me all morning.”
He turns quieter. “Was it hard?”
“No.” I thought memories, guilt—something—would nag me, but…nothing.
“So you’re putting her behind you once and for all?”
“It’s time.” Actually beyond, but I don’t say what we both know.
Bas nods, his golden hair gleaming in the sun pouring through the windows. “Good for you. Where’s Nia?”
“Organizing and purging at her place. She’s also got to sell her furniture since she can’t bring it with us and her landlord doesn’t want it.”
Besides, I didn’t want her to have to toil here with me as I finish closing the chapter of my life with another woman. I needed to say my final goodbye to Becca alone.
“Gotcha. So…how’s married life?”
I can’t wipe the stupid smile off my face. “Great.”
“You reconciled to the fact you two are having a baby?”
That’s the one dark spot in my bright pool of joy. “Still working on that.”
Shock and denial still slap me every time I think about it. I don’t know when or how I’m going to embrace pending fatherhood again. Even the thought terrifies me.
“You’ll get there. I’m just glad you’re finally happy. I had a feeling about you and Nia. But your announcement shocked the hell out of everyone at the office.”
“That it did.”
The whispers about us started just before Thanksgiving, but most everyone thought it was a lurid, unsubstantiated rumor—until we came back from Maui married. By mutual agreement, we decided not to say anything publicly about our relationship before we tied the knot. We didn’t want the gossip, and it was none of anyone’s business anyway.
“The employees may not even be your employees for much longer. You still waiting to agree to Lund’s deal until the very last moment?”
I give him a head bob that’s neither yes or no. “That was the plan. But now…I don’t know. The sale is worth a billion dollars, and I stand to make a huge profit. Then I can do anything else I want with my life. I get all of that. The thing is, when I think about it, I realize I’m already doing what I want with my life. I love Stratus.”
“What are you saying?”
“Maybe I don’t sell.”
Bas raises a brow at me. “Seriously?”
I shrug. I’ve been reluctant to mention this to my best friend, but since he works for me and is one of my chief officers, he needs to know. “So if you were already out job hunting—”
“Hell, no. For selfish reasons, I hoped you’d keep Stratus. I wasn’t going to start looking for another job until I had to. But I’m definitely not working for Lund. He seems like an asshole and that son of his…”
“The douche who couldn’t take his eyes off my wife? Yeah, that’s the other thing. I really don’t want to give Lund or his junior anything they want. It’s spiteful, but they both rubbed me wrong.”
