Page 34 of The Wrong One

“I wasn’t aware you guys talked all that much,” I commented.

“We’ve never talked,” he said. “I think he texted me once last Christmas to ask about what I thought about a gift for Izzy. It’s not like we’re friends. I don’t want to be his friend. The guy’s a jackass.”

“Why would he be looking for Izzy?” I asked. “Why wouldn’t he just call her?”

“I imagined he did call her, and she isn’t taking his calls,” he replied. “I hope she’s not taking his calls.”

I happened to know the guy was still harassing her, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “Good,” I said. “I hope she blocked his number. Does he know where she lives?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I hope not.”

“Keep an eye on her,” I said quietly.

He looked up from his laptop. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “I just don’t think she needs that guy in her life right now.”

“I know,” he agreed. “I’m not telling him shit. If she doesn’t want to talk to him, I’m certainly not going to help him get to her. He better lose my number. He might catch me at a bad time one of these days. I would hate to unleash on him. I might not be so nice.”

My guilt was making it very uncomfortable to sit across from him and lie to his face. Technically, it wasn’t a lie. It was just not telling him every detail of my life. I was choosing to keep the kiss quiet. After all, it was just a kiss. I didn’t grope her. I didn’t take her to bed.

But I wanted to.

“I’m going to go,” I said. “If I don’t see you this weekend, I’ll see you Monday.”

He nodded while tapping away on the keyboard. “Bye.”

I showed myself out. I considered calling Izzy to make sure she was okay. I knew what she looked like the last time Patrick had texted her. She’d been destroyed. If I wasn’t there, I wasn’t sure she would have been okay. I wasn’t trying to make myself into a hero, but she might have been left crying for hours. I hated to see her suffer. I really hoped she had blocked his number and didn’t know he was trying to reach out. I hoped she was out with Emmy or watching a good movie. Anything was better than crying and hurting over something that piece of shit said or did to her.

ChapterFifteen

Izzy

“Iknow I brought one in here,” I muttered and pushed another drawer closed. I pulled open the lower drawer. “Dammit.”

I walked down the short hall to the breakroom, hoping there was a lint roller in there. It was very unprofessional to show up to a relatively sterile lab wearing cat hair. Marmalade had made himself very comfortable on my couch last night. I didn’t mind. We watched old movies together with him curled up in my lap, purring away. I wasn’t going to pretend I was his first choice, but obviously his owner must have been out, and he was looking for a little love.

I was happy to give it. Unfortunately, I was wearing the evidence. My black skirt was covered in orange cat hair. I couldn’t find my lint roller at home and remembered I brought it to the office. But now I couldn’t find it here.

“Ha!” I grabbed the lint roller I finally located.

I ran it over my skirt, pulling away the cat hair. I heard male voices, recognizing them belonging to Cam and Ramsey. They walked into the breakroom and caught me twisted around to try and reach my butt.

“Problems?” Ramsey asked.

“There was cat hair all over my couch,” I said with a sigh. “I forgot and sat down.”

“Why is there cat hair on your couch?”

“I borrowed a cat for a while.” I shrugged.

Cam smiled and shook his head. “Marmalade?”

“The one and only.” I grinned. “I brought you guys coffee. I know how much you both love to flirt with the cute little baristas, but too bad.”

“Thank you,” Cam said and reached for one of the cups on the table. “I didn’t have time to stop and get one for myself.”

“Thank you,” Ramsey said.

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