Absolutely Mine

“I’m not.”

I shrugged. “I’m not either.”

“Fine.”

“Fine,” I repeated.

We stood there a moment, still facing off, the envelope heavy in my hands. I didn’t think I could work with this man without wanting to murder him, or fuck him, or both.

“Pack. We are going to Vegas in the morning.”

With that he left. I felt breathless for reasons I didn’t want to acknowledge.

Chapter Eight

The flight was only a couple of hours but felt long and quiet despite the fact we were the only two passengers on the private plane. I had everything l could have wanted. But with Eddie so close yet so far away, it was pure torture.

Buried behind his computer screen, he never once looked at me. I wondered why l was there until I remembered the case against him. When had my life gotten so crazy?

“I won’t be a charity case,” I said.

His eyes lifted. “Charity case?”

He had the nerve to look mildly amused, which had the opposite effect on me.

Annoyance fueled my next words. “You hired me to be your assistant, yet the only thing I’ve done for you is answer your phone. You’ve ignored me today. Do you remember I have a degree, or have you forgotten?”

“I haven’t forgotten one thing about you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sure doesn’t seem like it.”

He ignored my sarcasm. “If you want to help, you can compose a written account of your movements when you turned in the annulment to the court.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Though it wasn’t a job function, it was something I could do. Remembering that day wasn’t something I wanted to do. Eddie had killed my fantasy of my first time with his actions the morning after. Though I wanted to hate him for it, I knew in my heart he did it because he cared.

Checking my frustration, I pulled out my laptop and began the painful recollection of events. When we arrived in Las Vegas, you would have thought we were rock stars. All the stops were pulled out except for an actual red carpet, though I thought I was walking one.

“Would you like a beverage?” the driver of the car service asked.

The heat felt like a typical Texas summer day, but it wasn’t summer. So, I asked for a water and was given one that chilled my palm. Eddie waved the guy off and stared out the window as if he were farther away than the few feet that separated us.

I shouldn’t have been surprised when we pulled up to the very same hotel we’d gotten married in. I tried not to be affected, but tears pricked the back of my eyes. I was so far in my head, I didn’t pay attention to what was said after we were ushered into a private room as we were checked in.

“Here are your keys,” the registrar said to Eddie, handing him the plastic cards that would give us entrance into our rooms.

When we stepped out and headed for the elevators, it suddenly felt like déjà vu. Though the décor wasn’t quite the same, I could pick out the blackjack table where Eddie and his friends had been playing at when I first noticed him. The closer we got, I remembered him tossing me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

I clenched my hands, my nails biting into my palms, and thought about the men I’d dated since Eddie. The bad boy, the all-star, the nerd, to the current one who could be my father. Had I purposefully sabotaged myself from finding love? If I were honest, I was still completely in love with Eddie. But that ended tonight.

Being here reminded me that he wasn’t mine and never would be.

I stepped off the elevator in a haze. It wasn’t until we stopped in front of a familiar door did I realize what was really happening.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

Was he trying to hurt me?

Instead of answering, he handed me a key and tilted his head toward the door behind me.

“Your room.”

I looked away, feeling stupid. He hadn’t gotten us the same room from that long-ago night. I steered my carry-on to the door and opened it. As I turned to close it, I met Eddie’s eyes as he stood in the doorway of that room. His door closed first as my heart kicked up into a gallop.

With the door at my back, I sagged a little. I wouldn’t read more into this than it was. We were here to end our marriage and prove that it wasn’t our fault we were still legally married. All of this so he could make a new life with his current wife.

Don’t read more into this than it is.

I wasn’t a morning drinker, but I could use one at this very moment. Eddie hadn’t given me an itinerary, which proved my job was in name only. I stepped into the room, which was of average size. After passing the alcove that led to a bathroom, I was immediately greeted by a freshly made king bed that looked inviting. Though I was emotionally exhausted, I resisted the temptation of a nap. I didn’t want to be up all night.