Page 39 of Second Chance Husband

To say I was an idiot would be an understatement. But it wasn’t as if I could go back and fix that. Not when I couldn’t not sleep with him. There was no erasing those memories or actions. I had to come to terms with the fact that I had not only orgasmed multiple times with him, but I had also begun to feel something again.

I had loved the August from my past. The one who had cherished me for those few months into a year. The one that I had loved and given myself to. I had loved him and given him everything. And then I had hated him and had been found wanting.

Now as I sat in my office, my large windows behind me and beside me in my corner, because I was the big boss so I got the best space, I had to realize that there was nothing for me to look out upon. There was no future along that path when it came to August. We had gotten drunk, made a mistake, and there would be no consequences from that action.

We weren’t going to talk about it, and no one else would ever have to know. We would move on, and I would be the fun aunt to those little babies and any other babies that came to the family. Maybe I would move on one day—never getting married, of course. I would not be getting married three times in my life, thank you very much. But I could find a charming gentleman caller who I could spend evenings with and travel with, and then go home alone so that way I didn’t have to share my space with anyone who didn’t respect me or didn’t know or understand the future that I wanted.

It sounded like a perfect middle ground.

Because it wouldn’t be with Jacob or August. Or anyone else who made me feel like I wasn’t good enough.

I nearly snapped the pen in half, popping off the lid, and realized that perhaps I was a little more wound up than I had previously thought.

“Knock, knock.”

I looked up at the sound of Addison’s voice, relieved that I didn’t have to wallow further in my own self-pity and memories. Instead I focused on my two best friends as they walked inside, notebooks in hand. Two more staff members came with them, and I raised a brow.

“Was I missing a meeting?”

“Oh no,” Addison said, as she handed over a file, and Devney did the same. I took them from her, and nodded at Sarah and Courtney, two other senior staff.

“So no meeting, you just all decided to come at once?”

Courtney laughed and handed over another file, while Sarah did the same.

“No, we were just all on our way to you with things that you needed, and we decided to all step in at the same time rather than taking turns,” Devney said, slightly blushing. “Plus you weren’t on the phone, and your assistant said you didn’t have any more meetings tonight. Just admin work. So we’re here to add more to your plate.”

“You love us,” Addison said, and everyone laughed, including me.

“I do. But now I’m going to be working late into the night. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry,” Courtney said as she moved forward with her hand reaching out. “I can take that back and you can work on it another day.” I put my hand over the stack of files and shook my head. “No, I can handle it and I promise I won’t be here too late. Were these each of the files that we had already been discussing?” I asked, looking at all of them.

Everyone but Addison nodded, and I raised a brow at her.

“This is the file that I was going to turn in next week, but I got things done early. Apparently even I can work on vacation,” she replied.

I rolled my eyes as the others laughed. “You say that as if it’s a surprise that you worked at all. Though I’m not quite sure how that happened.”

“There was a day by the pool. I can’t help it. The paperwork was just right there and it was calling to me.”

“You’re an addict,” Devney put in.

Courtney and Sarah waved, and I nodded in acknowledgment as they said their goodbyes, heading back to work, and then I was left alone with my two best friends.

“Well, you aren’t the only one that worked on vacation, so thank you for getting this to me early, but you are going to the bottom of the pile.”

“No worries. I could have waited, but I figured if you had time, you could fit it into your schedule. I have a thousand other things to do, because spreadsheets don’t wait for the weary.”

“I feel like you need that on a mug.”

“I do love spreadsheets. They make me whole.”

“Not your husband or child?” I asked dryly.

“Oh, they do too,” Addison said with a wave of her hand. “But spreadsheets? They are what truly give me purpose in life.”

She sounded so serious for a moment I was worried that she meant it, before she burst out laughing, and I rolled my eyes toward Devney.

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