Page 48 of Single Dad's Second Chance

Still, I yanked my spare tote bag from the hook and stashed some things. Pens, my notebooks, the ceramic things Jason had made for my birthdays and holidays. I hurried to grab all the artwork he’d made for me too, all those images he’d proudly hung in here.

“Mia. What the hell is going on? What is she talking about?”

I ignored him, blinking quickly to fight the battle with these tears. I wouldn’t answer. I owed him not a single damn thing after the way he spoke.

I paused in reaching for the framed photo of us. The funny moment from the pie smash booth. I frowned at it, wondering how I could’ve been so stupid and gullible to long for a man who’d only judge me so harshly, without any shadow of doubt.

I set it back on the desk, placing it face down, and left. Passing him as quickly as I could, I prided myself in not looking up once.

It wasn’t until I was out on the street, hurrying on the sidewalk, that I gave in to the sting of tears. I sniffled, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

Screw these tears. Screwhim. I’d lost too much of my heart and my mind to him, and I’d be damned if I did any longer.

It was time to focus on me, and that included making enough money to live on. Without the secretarial income, I’d need to dance more. So it was only logical to call Gina.

With every step I walked from the Dunn building, I felt the gnawing agony of leaving a home. A family. I’d belonged there, but not really. Not according to Henry, at least.

“Hey, babe. I was just about to call you.”

I frowned, wiping at the tears that spilled over. “Why?”

“The offer to dance athisclub has been doubled. Again.”

The amount of money Henry and Owen were throwing at Gina to buy me out was staggering. But it’d never work. I’d never be his employee ever again.

“No. I’ll pass.”

She giggled. “But damn, babe. Think about all that money!”

“Iamthinking about money. That’s why I called you. I just quit.”

“What?” She screeched it. “You quit your job for Henry?”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “Yeah. Got any extra shifts I can dance?”

“For you, hell yeah. Come to the club. We’ll talk. Cuz I got a feeling there’s a story behind this one.”

“Not really.” It was nothing but a short snippet of drama and heartache. After telling her I’d be there soon, I disconnected and slowed my walk.

Rushing out the way I had was fueled by adrenaline. Now that I was out here, breathing in the open air, I let it really sink in.

Gina had told me that I needed to do something about my feelings and friendship with Henry. So I did. I caved and slept with him. Now, I was painfully aware that making love hadn’t done anything to endear me to him. Not really. Because he couldn’t stand criminals like me. He couldn’t trust someone like me, not in the office or in his home with his son.

He wasn’t even a friend with that kind of prejudice. I’d always been aware that we came from completely different worlds and backgrounds. He was rich and well off while I was poorer and with a bad rep.

But in the rare moments when I almost shared my deep secret with him, that I had a little record, I convinced myself that he wouldn’t judge. That he could be understanding and forgiving. After all, Eddie was. He’d looked past my record and he gave me a job. He was cool about it. I had started to assume that Henry would be like his father in that regard, but clearly, I was wrong. Eddie hadn’t been born rich and successful. He was an ordinary man before he became an influential billionaire businessman. I supposed that made a world of a difference. Perhaps Henry’s upbringing in wealth made him more judgmental deep down, lurking.

It hardly mattered how or why Henry was so judgmental and harsh when his dad wasn’t. He’d shown his true colors.

There was no taking back how he’d spoken.

The truth was out there.

He didn’t knowmeif he could reject me under the stereotype of a criminal.

I hated that my past would always follow me. Until I could have my record expunged, I’d forever be a criminal. Even then, once I saved up to expunge it, I couldn’t erase the years ofjudgment—from others like Henry and Ann or how I viewed myself.

As a woman unworthy of love no matter where I went or worked.

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