Page 62 of Bought and Broken

“Not even close. There are so many to choose from.”

Summer looks up at me, giving me that I’m about to say something you’re not going to like look that she has perfected.

“Just say it,” I groan.

“Maybe you haven’t found a place yet because you don’t want to leave.”

“Oh no. We are not going there. I do want to leave. I love it here. Spending time with you and Astrid is great, but this can’t be all I do in life. Home and Summer’s. Summer’s and home. It’s ridiculous. I’m an adult!”

“Well, you could always do what I did and get pregnant and get kicked out of your house,” she says, capping the nail polish and grinning at me like a crazy person. “Sorry, bad joke?”

“I cannot handle a kid.”

“You do great with Astrid.”

“Doesn’t mean I want my own.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Summer picks up the nail polish remover and some cotton swabs to clean up my nails. She’s going to be there for a while… my entire pinky toe is covered in sunflower yellow polish.

“Part of me wishes the weekend never happened, but another part is grateful that it did. Deep down, I know I’m going to end up hurt again while he couldn’t care less.”

Summer sighs, putting everything down and moving to my side to hug me.

“I want to believe he has changed, but I always loved you guys together. But if he hasn’t, it’s his loss. If you end up hurt, I’ll be here for you no matter what. I’m always on your side, k?”

My eyes water and I nod, hugging her back tightly.

“Please fix my nails before I start to cry,” I say.

She barks out a laugh and goes back to fixing my nails.

Chapter Thirty-One

Tatum

Most people these days prefer working from home. I do not.

For one, I can’t stand my own home and hardly go there. I should probably sell it and put the money into the company, but something stops me from going through with it.

My home at Dane’s is a safe place for me, and the last thing I want to do is mix business and pleasure. I hate working out of the office I have set up there. I need clear boundaries or I’ll end up like Dane, not knowing when I’m working and not working because I’ll be working all the time. I refuse to become that person.

I have back-to-back meetings all day today, so not only will I be in the office all day, but it’ll drag. The part I hate most about my job is all the damn meetings. Being nice to people I can’t stand is something I loathe.

The buzzer goes off and Suzie, my secretary, lets me know my eleven o’clock is here.

“Let him in,” I tell her.

A moment later, my door opens and in steps Marcus Dumont. He hurries to my desk, so I stand and greet him with a handshake.

“Drink?” I ask. “I was gifted this Canadian orange whiskey. I’ve been wanting to try it.”

“Orange whiskey?” he asks, furrowing his bushy brows.

I shrug, holding up the bottle.

“Yeah, I’ll try it.”

I pour us each a finger and sit at my desk, sliding him a glass. I sniff mine, noting the obvious orange scent. Taking a sip, I focus on the flavors, unsure if I like it or not.

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