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Chapter Twelve

Mondayher off, Julie headed up the steps in her office building with her crea on the pavement Protective as he was, she should feel suffocated, but she didn’t Maybe it was how great the weekend with hihtmares about Elizabeth that continued to haunt her

She turned to wave to him where he waited by the curb and then headed into the building With a sliht blue suit dress The reflection of a e had disappeared It couldn’t have been who she’d thought it was It was so ridiculous that she wasn’t even going to let herself finish the thought She forced herself not to turn around again and to head into the building for fear of alarlossy white lobby floor she was ht she didn’t let herself finish came to her mind of its own accord

The reflection had been of a o hotel, the one froht, was insanity Julie waved at the security guard sitting at the long black glass panel, and headed for the elevator

She stepped into the quiet lobby of the law firm she had considered her second home for years Once she was in the private office area she found her secretary, Gina, already sitting at her desk working

"Morning," Gina said, her auburn hair twisted elegantly at her nape, her olive green suita cup in to you"

Julie stopped in front of Gina’s desk She was pretty and efficient, and even played cat sitter for Julie on this last trip, and yet Julie barely knew her She didn’t let herself get close to people at work She didn’t let herself get close to anyone but Lauren andLuke

"That’s thoughtful," Julie said "Thank you I’h"

Gina blinked and a stunned look slid over her face "I’ve been bringing you coffee for as long as I’ve been here, and you have, uh, never said anything like that"

Julie silently replayed Gina’s words in her head Anything like that Surely she didn’tof others? Had she survived this life, this world of divorce, by blocking out the rest of the world to the point she didn’t even behave politely?

"Well," Julie said slowly "I should have I’ at her, and the reaction twisted her in knots She wasn’t liking the view of herself from her assistant’s eyes She’d had to withdraw to survive her career, and it had changed her

Julie walked into her office without another word She deposited her briefcase on the credenza and her purse in a drawer before sitting down behind her desk Dropping her elbows on the flat surface, she let her chin settle on her knuckles