Page 101 of The Lessons

Natalie

My phone rang, and I blew my nose before answering it. I’d locked myself in my office since getting back from lunch. I needed some private time to think about this mind-fuck of a situation I was in. Had Renee just seriously said that Ryan was dating my therapist and had knocked her up? I mean, for the love of God, WHATTHEFUCK!?

“Yes?” I croaked, my throat stiff.

“Ms. Reese, your one-thirty is at reception.”

One-thirty? I had a one-thirty, but not until tomorrow. Unless I had the wrong day. Crap. I wasn’t ready for a meeting. I needed some time to process what I’d just learned.

“Uh, okay. Just give me a minute.” I gathered myself and took some concealer out of my desk drawer. Using a small mirror, I covered up the red splotches that were encircling my eyes and added a fresh swipe of lipstick, trying my best to look semi-presentable.

I smoothed my outfit as I walked down the hall toward reception. And then I froze when I saw him.

Ryan-fucking-Andrews.

I scurried up to him, my hurt giving way to annoyance. “What are you doing here? Did you not understand my text?” I hissed. “I blocked you. Do I need to have security escort you out?”

He leaned into me and grabbed me by the arm. “Five minutes,” he said with a low growl.

I looked down at his grip and then scowled at him.

“Five minutes,” he repeated.

I huffed and glanced around. The receptionist was trying to look busy at her desk, but I knew she was eavesdropping. “Fine. My office.” He let me go, and I turned on my high-heels and led him down the hall.

Inside my office, I turned to close the door behind me.

“You look nice today, by the way. I like that skirt on you. I always did appreciate a librarian vibe.”

I looked down at my pencil skirt and then crossed my arms. “Seriously? You seriously have the nerve to flirt with me when you’resleeping with my therapist?”

Ryan put his hands on his hips. “I’m notsleepingwith anyone but you, Natalie.”

His calm demeanor was insanely frustrating. “Bullshit. Renee said you knocked Dr. Lerner up! Or did you miss that because you were too busy checking out my pencil skirt?”

“Natalie,” he said, exasperated. “Renee doesn’t know the whole truth.”

“The whole truth? Oh, ha. So there is something I’m missing? Tell me, Ryan, what additional parts of this story have I not been privy to?” I was whispering as loudly as I could now, given the thin walls of the Heaven Sent offices.

He stepped closer to me, and I took a step back. “If you would calm down—”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!”

“Let’s have a seat,” he suggested, gesturing toward the chairs.

“I prefer to stand.”

He closed his eyes, and his lips smoothed into a firm, straight line. “Fine. We’ll stand.” He crossed his arms. “Now, will you let me at least try to explain?”

“Fine. Go. Try.”

He uncrossed his arms and rubbed his temples before putting his hands back in his pockets.

“Okay. So you know Lisa.”

I glared at him.

“Right. Sorry. Of course you do. Well…”

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