Page 100 of It Starts With A No

“This is all, right?” Andrea asked.

“Isn’t that enough?” Their to-do list was already three pages long. “For now, that’s what we need to do.”

“And after that?”

“After that, we’ll start making things right for the affected customers.”

Andrea’s head bobbed up and down. “Do you want me to go somewhere else when Mr. Anderson gets here?”

Clary shook her head. “I doubt he’s going to have much to say.” She closed her eyes as her mind replayed what Mr. E had told her.

So you’re still choosing him. What was Seth expecting?

She’d grown up with Mr. E. He’d taken care of her, made sure she lacked for nothing. Who knew how she would have turned out if he and Grandma Moretti hadn’t stepped in? In fact, she wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for Mrs. E.

Seth couldn’t possibly think she would choose him just because …

Clary dropped her gaze to the diamond ring on her hand. Just because what? They held hands? They almost shared a kiss?

“Trouble in paradise?” Andrea asked.

“We’re not a couple.” Were they? No. They weren’t.

Andrea’s brows rose.

Clary shrugged and arched her back.

Andrea glared at her expectantly. “You’ve got to explain that.”

So Clary did.

“So you’re not engaged to him. He’s not even your boyfriend.” Andrea pulled down the corners of her lips. “Are you sure about that?”

“I’m sure I’d know if someone proposed to me.”

“No, but the way he behaved …” Andrea licked her lips. “And he’s still picking you up from work after he’s already gotten what he wants.”

The loan. Clary had completely forgotten about that until she recapped the story for Andrea.

She nodded slowly. “He should’ve gotten his money by now.”

Was that why he’d suddenly turned on her this morning? To leave himself a way to get out of having to deal with her once the money was in his account?

She closed her eyes. Not everyone’s out to make use of you.

But it wouldn’t be the first time someone was.

“Well, he’s here to pick you up,” Andrea said. “So I guess he wants to make things right.”

Clary cracked a smile. Right. Despite the frostiness this morning, he was still turning up now. He could’ve just let her figure out a way back to his place. Not that she even knew where his place was.

“You mentioned something about your apartment,” she said, trying to take her mind off everything else. Her brain didn’t have the capacity to deal with further heavy thinking. Especially not with the pounding headache.

“That it’s a hellhole?” Andrea said.

“Why did you move into a hellhole?”

“Do you know how expensive rents are?” Andrea waved it off. “Of course you don’t.”

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