Page 14 of Seven of Hearts

I emptied my suitcase into the washing machine and put the rest of my things away in the single dresser that held all my belongings. Every step echoed in the nearly empty space.

After the laundry was tumbling in the machine, I stowed my suitcase in the closet, rinsed off the airport funk, and climbed into bed. I wedged my single pillow under my neck and grabbed my phone. I logged into my brokerage account to check my current investments. After scrolling through the long list of stocks I was buying and selling, I opened my banking app and transferred some more money to my savings account.

I should have smiled. I could check off another one of my “before thirty” goals, right at the deadline. But I didn’t. I always thought I would breathe easier when there was a comma between the two sets of three zeros. But there it was: mid-six figures of untouched savings, and my chest still felt tight.

Maybe I was just dehydrated after the flight.

I peeled out of bed and headed for the fridge. Instead of individual bottles, I had a pitcher with a filter sitting on the mostly bare shelf. I was a simple guy. I was fine with basic sandwiches for lunch and dinner, and eggs and toast for breakfast. None of it took up all that much space.

The apartment was only one bedroom, but it felt too big for one person.

When a glass of water didn’t ease the rock in my chest, I called it and headed to bed.

I made a point to avoid scrolling on my phone in bed. If I started, I’d stay up into the wee hours of the morning watching stupid videos.

I didn’t swipe into the social media accounts I had for my siblings’ sake. I never posted on them anyway. Instead, I made sure my morning alarms were set, opened the voice note app, and closed my eyes.

“Hi Logan. This is Leah Holloway, politely requesting to be fucked into oblivion at your earliest convenience.”Her silken voice was cut off by a squeal of delight.“Also, thank you for complimenting my tits.”

“Tell me something. How does this compare to your fantasy?”I heard myself say.

“You haven’t done anything spectacular, but the sight is incredible.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“I don’t give out participation ribbons.”

“Then open your legs and let me earn it.”The masculine laugh that followed couldn’t have possibly been mine. That guy was relaxed. He knew how to have fun. But I had left that version of me back in Beaufort.

In the heat of the moment, I hadn’t realized that the voice note Leah used to give her consent never turned off and had recorded us having sex. I should have deleted it. But for some reason, I listened to it for the fifth time.

Because that was all it would ever be.

The fantasy that existed on the other side of a line I wasn’t supposed to cross.

5

LEAH

Ielbowed my way into the DeRossi house. Grocery bags hung from my arms, lined up to my elbows. No way in hell was I making a second trip. I glanced at the time on the microwave as I eased the bags onto the kitchen island.

I had two hours before I needed to pick up Gio from soccer camp and Ellie from a young writers’ workshop at the library. I flipped through the house binder, checking my to-do list to see which tasks I could complete before picking up the kids and taking them to the Lawsons’ house.

The beginning of the month was always busy. The kids I nannied—twelve-year-old Giovanni DeRossi and eleven-year-old Eloise Lawson—had packed schedules that kept them active in the summer. July was particularly hellish. August and the predictable schedule of the school year would be a reprieve.

Beyond caring for the kids, I took care of most domestic tasks for the DeRossis and Lawsons. I preferred sticking with the title of ‘nanny.’ It was simpler for people to understand than a house manager or family assistant.

The door opened and closed, and I looked at the clock again. Maddie DeRossi wasn’t supposed to be home until seven or eight tonight, and her husband, Luca, was out of town on business.

“Leah?”

I smiled at the voice. “In the kitchen,” I called.

Kylie popped her head around the corner. “You know you can make two trips, right?”

I laughed and pulled the new air filters out of the bags. “Never. Were you over at Kristin and Will’s house?”

Kylie’s older sister and brother-in-law lived next door to one of the families I worked for. It was like a cul-de-sac of billionaires.

---