“And you can mail the stuff to me. I’ll pay for shipping.” That’ll cost me an arm and a fucking leg, but there’s no way I’m making a trip to New York just to pick it up.
“No need. It’s all here at my house.”
Damn it. I forgot she works with me now, which means that she lives here as well. If that isn’t like a bucket of fucking ice water dropped on my head, I don’t know what is.
“So you’re going to be working at the same hospital as Harley and me?”
Brit’s eyes flash with an unknown emotion … uncertainty, maybe? “Well.” She clears her throat. “I didn’t know Harley worked there too, but yes. Congratulations,” she says with a hint of sass. “You’re looking at your newest coworker.”
Son of a bitch.
My mind works furiously to try and remember when Harley’s next shift is, because I’ll need to tell her before then. The last thing I want is for her to go in to work and ‘surprise, you’re working with your fiancé’s ex-fiancé.’
“What floor does Harley work on?” Brit asks as though she was reading my mind.
“She floats.” Brit nods slowly in understanding. “So you’ll be seeing her around. And I know that the two of you never really got along, but I hope that you can at least—”
“Really, Ty? You think that little of me?”
“No. It’s just—”
“I’ve grown up. I’m not the same person I was back then, and I’m sure as hell not the same person I was when you left. I know how to be courteous and professional.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I say, my tone more defensive than I intended. “It’s just that she’s got a lot going on right now. I’m sure this is going to be stressful for her, and she’s not supposed to—”
“Is she okay?” Brit asks, concern marring her face.
Despite the sincerity of her question, I growl. “Would you let me finish what I was trying to say?”
She looks away, a flush seeping into her cheeks. “Sorry. Go ahead.”
“She’s fine. I just want the two of you to get along, that’s all.”
“Fine.” Grabbing her mug, she tips her head back and finishes off her coffee, then sets her mug at the edge of the table. “Now that that’s settled, when can we meet so I can give you the money and your stuff?”
“I’m not sure,” I say, running my hand along my jawline. “Let me text you once I look at my schedule.”
“That works.” Brit slides from the booth and turns to walk away, but then she stops midstride and slowly spins around. Her eyes are imploring and soft, much like the girl I fell in love with so long ago. “It was good to see you, Ty. You look good … and happy.”
“I am, and so do you.”
“Not yet,” she says with a gentle shake of her head. “But I’ll get there.”
Her words don’t settle well with me. I want to ask what she means and maybe apologize again—not that it’ll do any good—but in the blink of an eye, she’s gone.
My mind is racing a thousand miles a minutes trying desperately to comprehend what I just read. Looking down, I run my hands over my face and sigh.
How the hell could he do this? How could I not see this coming?
My eyes drift to Tyson’s phone sitting on the table in front of me, and I swipe my finger across the screen, once again bringing up the text.
Brit: It was good seeing you yesterday.
I swallow hard and remind myself that Tyson is engaged to me now. Then I read the next message, even though I already know what it says.
Brit: I’m off tonight and tomorrow if you want to come over. Let me know.
Bile rises in my throat and I swallow past a wave of nausea. He saw her yesterday. It was his day off, and he got called in to work in the morning and didn’t come home until after six o’clock. Yet he managed to make time for her—the one woman who brings out all of my insecurities. The woman he left me for once already.