Page 18 (2/2)

The appliances were new, the walls had a fresh coat of paint, and the dark wood floors were impeccable

"This is perfect, Fiona, but I doubt I could afford soht price for the right renter It’s above your budget, but it’s such a great find, I had to show you" She handed et, but orth the extra features it offered

I blew out a slow breath and did some mental math

"You could always pick up a roo, Erica, so if you think you ht now"

I’d have bay s, a bathtub, and a second roo by the seat of n?"

I stuffed the last ofand tossed it next to the others Alli and I had barely spoken all day except to negotiate ould claiely like a breakup, and in much the same reaked havoc on my already frayed nerves Both finished, we each settled on the bare dor below us I wouldn’t miss these

"Have you heard from Heath?" I asked, anxious to break the silence and the tension between us

She raised her eyebrows slightly and nodded Great, I was getting the silent treative a shit, Erica"

"Listen, I’ht me at a bad time, and I just--" a tear slid down my face and I io, but I want you to know that I understand why you do I--"

She crossed the distance between us and hugged me hard

"I want you to be happy, and I know you will be," I whispered

She pulled away and held my face in her hands "You’reto change that And don’t think for a minute that you can’t rock this business withoutyou back now"

"Youto be so easy"

"You’velook easy from day one I have no idea hoe pulled it off, but I knoe couldn’t have without you"

I wanted to believe her, but now that her leaving was a reality, the weight of my responsibilities hit e them, but I started to question my decision to stay in Boston when it see

Fionaas polished as she had before in a colorful sundress

"Congrats!" She s lanced over at the SUV that had delivered me, her smile faded a bit Brad stepped out and joinedBrad was a friend of a friend I didn’t know hih and clearly he spent so hiht of stairs to the new place

He did so with expert grace, leaving the immaculate walls of the stairwell unscathed Fiona seemed nervous when she handed h the threshold toward the room that would be my bedroom Before I could follow hiht excitedly, until Blake Fucking Landon turned the corner and facedhere?" The tone of one through three regretful days believing I’d be rid of hi why I had permanently sworn off the best sex of my life