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Bryce leaned his forearers His cross-exaht
“Have you made a decision?” he asked
“I have” She shivered as the vent overhead unleashed a stream of cool air down her back “I accept”
Bryce grinned Satisfaction slid over his face as he shifted back in his chair “Excellent”
A busboy cleared their dinner dishes, and the waitress approached “Would either of you like to see a dessert menu?”
Morgan shook her head A few grains of silver on her skirt caught the light, evidence of her youngest child’s current obsession with glitter She resisted checking her watch She’d only been gone a couple of hours The girls were fine
One evening away fro at the office all day, every day? This was ridiculous She was thirty-three years old Until two years ago, she’d been a successful assistant district attorney She’d juggled a household, three very small children, and a career Most of the time, John had been deployed to Iraq Then an IED had exploded six thousandher husband Devastated, she’d chucked everything toan independent, professional woh
She needed to move forith her life
But why did it have to be so damned hard?
Bryce lifted his coffee “To my newest assistant district attorney”
“To new beginnings” Morgan picked up her water glass and touched it to his cup Soon she would feel like her old self
Right?
“Youdessert,” Bryce joked “This will probably be the last decent ether From now on, it’s all Chinese takeout at your desk”
“I like Chinese takeout” Morgan’s smile felt fake Probably because it was
Bryce paid the check, and they left the restaurant On the sidewalk outside, he said good-bye with a warm handshake “I’ll see you a week from Monday Human Resources will be in touch”
“Good-bye” Morgan walked in the opposite direction and turned the corner, her grip tightening around the handle of her tote as if she was holding her coers
She’d parked hershadows across the sidewalk Her heel caught and she stu her balance, she backtracked a step, bent down, and picked up her shoe The three-inch heel hung broken from the sole, the leather ripped beyond repair
Tears welled in her eyes, and panic swirled in her chest What the hell? It was just a shoe In one heel and one bare foot, she cluoodness she was no longer in Bryce’s view He didn’t need to discover the fragility of her professional persona In truth, it fractured under pressure like spun sugar
Sliding behind the wheel, she closed her eyes and breathed until the tightness in her chest eased Meltdown averted, she reer seat with its brokenhoe can at the head of the driveway and went inside
In the living roorandfather leaned over the coffee table and stared at a chessboard Their neighbor, Nick Zabrowski, sat on the opposite side Nick owned a s company and lived across the street with his dad
“Hi Nick” Morgan set her tote on the chest in the foyer “No plans tonight?”
“No” At twenty, Nick was too young to spend his Friday nights with an elderly neighbor Girl problems?
“Are the kids asleep?” Morgan asked
Scratching his chin, Grandpa touched his rook then released it “Yes”
“How did you get Sophie to bed with Nick here?” Morgan asked Nick was one of Sophie’s favorite people
Nick blushed “I read her a story”
Aw