Page 4 of Mine

“Are you seeing a therapist?” he asked gently. “Have you actually thought about firing him?”

I think about watching him choke on burnt broccoli.“Of course,” I whispered. I felt like I was swallowing glass. “But he’s as much of a part of Rosethorn as I am. I can’t escape him, can I?”

“It’s your company. You’re the CEO for a reason, babe. And I’m not the only one who has these feelings.”

“Everyone thinks of Jeff when they think of Rosethorn, not just me. If he left, it would be a media hellstorm. I don’t want that for the company or our artists.”

“It would blow over,” Tommy said. “You know it would. People would pick it apart for a couple days and then move on to the next best thing.”

“Well, Jeff is good at his job when he’s not being a babysitter. He’s been good at it for years.”

“Pepper—”

“I’ll go out with you and Dan tomorrow,” I interrupted, willing to do anything to move on from the conversation about Jeff. I stood abruptly, needing a break. “I’m going to pop over to the coffee shop around the corner to stretch my legs. I’ll be back after lunch.”

“Okay,” he sighed. “Take care of yourself, darling.”

I gathered my notes, slid my phone into my pocket, and left the meeting room. I darted across the floor to my office, ignoring everyone.

We’d been in this building for five years, and I was thankful I’d had the foresight to give my office walls, instead of all windows. A designer I met at a venue years ago designed every inch perfectly, making it truly feel like a truly luxurious home for music. Bea also had the wisdom to give me an office that veered from the open-concept flow, allowing me privacy. Which meant I could spiral without being watched.

The moment I closed my office door, I bit the inside of my mouth so hard that more blood bloomed, the heavy taste of metal thick on my tongue.

Fuck. What waswrongwith me?

I made money. I made filthy,filthyamounts of money. I had everything I could possibly want. I was one of the most successful businesswomen in the music industry. I’d even madeForty Under 40last year.

Rosethorn Records was an icon. Everyone kissed the floor I walked on. Musicians and artists across the world wanted to be part of our label, but I was picky. I only chose the best of the best, the ones who fit my vision.

Something wasmissing. It was a nagging feeling that started out as a seed a few years ago but had grown into a vine that was strangling me to death. I couldn’t blame Jeff for divorcing me, because he was right. I wasn’t fun anymore. I didn’t have a life outside of Rosethorn.

Rosethornwasmy life.

A soft knock at the door forced me to compose myself. I crossed the room to my desk and threw my notes down. “Come in.”

Ellen poked her head in.

I waved my hand. She was my assistant, but more than that, she was my best friend. The reason I hadn’t murdered Jeff at this point was probably thanks to her keeping me caffeinated and fed.

She shut the door behind her and made a face. “What the hell was that?”

“I’m going to get coffee,” I said lightly. “I need a little air.”

“You need to tell Jeff he can’t come in with his child,” Ellen scolded. “You have to put your foot down. That meeting was a waste of everyone’s time.”

“It wasn’t,” I argued. “They had a lead. We talked through everything we needed to cover.”

“But you caved for him.”

That stung. I shot her a dirty look, but she waved it off before sweeping her midnight-blue curls into a claw clip. She’d put on a new highlighter this morning, and it looked gorgeous against her brown skin.

“Which highlighter is that?” I asked her. “You look beautiful today.”

Ellen returned my dirty look and then shook her head. “I’ll send you the link. And nice try. You’re not redirecting me. You know what I’m saying about Jeff is the truth.”

“It’s… complicated.”

“It’s been two years,” she hissed.

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