Page 83 of Out of the Shadow

“I’m fine.” I run my hand through my hair. “I’m finally thinking clearly. Listen to me. You can’t buy me off with all your gifts.”

“That’s not what I was doing! You mean—”

I cut him off. “It’s best this way. A total break. The show’s over and so are we. Keep partying with as many women as you want. I’ll have Marlene clean out your desk and send your personal effects to you later today. Good-bye.”

I disconnect the call. He calls me back. I decline the call and turn my phone off.

And my heart wonders why I referred to his stuff as “personal effects.”

FIVE DAYS LATERand I’m still going through the motions at work. Fielding calls, setting up appointments, showing houses. Every day King texts, but I never open his messages. Even though the short previews I did read deny he did anything at that party with Poppy and the twins. That never was the real issue anyway. I need to cut him out of my heart and remain loyal to my one soul mate—Dante. If this is how casual relationships end, it’s just one more reason not to get involved with them. Ever again.

Not to mention that yesterday was my anniversary with Dante. I spent it in bed. Crying.

Marlene brings me back to the here and now when she picks up her purse. “I’m going to pick up lunch from the deli. Want anything?”

I shake my head. Food doesn’t have any allure for me anymore. Marlene heads toward the door with heavy-footed steps. When I told her King wasn’t working here anymore, she tried to get me to change my mind until she realized she’d never win. She’s been as professional and sweetly helpful as ever, and my guilt over her working for free evaporated with the bonus check I gave her from the show’s payment, but her offhand remarks about “being alone” and “needing another agent like King around here” hurt.

In the office, my gaze strays to the desk where King used to work. Where he studied so hard for the real estate exam. I slam my traitorous eyes shut.Enough.

Leo calls, again, and I let him go to voicemail, too. My family’s been all over me since I skipped Saturday dinner, but I’m not in the mood. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep everyone at bay, but so far, so good. Guess I’ll have to make an appearance this Saturday, but my normal excitement at being with my family isn’t there. I just want to be left alone. All alone.

The door opens and I automatically stand to greet whomever it is—while I want the people I care about to stay away, I’m happy to make some stranger into a client. But my forward progress stops when I realize who’s darkening my door. “Poppy.”

The woman in question looks around, nodding. “About what I expected from a girl from Brooklyn.”

I cross my arms across my chest. “Why are you here?”

She walks into the office and sets her Fendi bag down on one of the empty agent desks. “We need to come to an understanding.”

I don’t move an inch. After everything’s that gone down with King—not to mention that awful photo showing their lips all over each other—I don’t have the strength to deal with her shit. “We have one. You stay away from me, and I’ll do the same.”

She laughs. “Believe me, I’d like nothing more. Alas…” She runs her fingertip over the top of the desk, looks at it, and rubs it against the rest of her fingers. “The Maguire sale. We need to finalize the details, as it closes tomorrow.”

Shit. The Maguires. We have to split the commission, as she represents the seller, I’m the buyer’s agent and Let’s Do It! needs to get its cut. Not having another choice, I say, “Let’s talk in here.” Turning, I pick up their file from my desk and head into the conference room.

Poppy walks into the room, her nose as high as King’s was the first time he came in here. It hits me that this is the first time this woman has been to my office since I opened, while I’ve been to her office many, many times. My, how the tables have turned.

She takes a seat after dusting it off. “I heard you ran King out of here.”

My stomach twists. “He wasn’t a good fit,” I lie. He was. In more ways than one, which is exactly why he’s no longer here.

The bottom drops out of my stomach. Oh, no! Has she recruited him to her agencyandher bed?

She shrugs. “I heard he’s still in town, though. I’m thinking of asking him to join the leading agency in the Hamptons.”

I slump back in my chair. He’s not working with her. The other doesn’t matter. I wave my hand. “You’ll soon see he’s only about the cameras.” The words are so fake they almost stick in my throat, but Poppy doesn’t notice.

She opens her bag and pulls out the contract, and we go over the terms. Throughout it all, my mind keeps returning to King.

Satisfied with the results of our meeting, Poppy stands. “Call my office and I’ll have someone stop by to pick up my check tomorrow, after the closing.” She takes two steps. “Probably Geoff.”

Bitch. I stand and force my hands to remain open. “Fine.”

She stops at the threshold. “Oh, andAngie, don’t think it will go unnoticed when King joins Mayflower. The media will love that the co-star of your silly show has come to work for me.Withme.” She pauses. “Or under me, as the case may be.”

The mental image of the two of them in his bed brings my hand to my mouth, but I manage to keep from gagging. Who he does is of no concern to me—it never was. I suck in a breath. “I am sure you will find many uses for his talents, even if they aren’t in real estate.”

She sweeps out of the conference room. Marlene says something to her, but I can’t make out the words as I fall back into a chair.

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