Mechanically, she stuffed everything in the boxes, not taking the care she had when they’d been packed before. After thirty minutes, they were full, her overnight bag filled with her toiletries and her clothing. She stood surveying the room, knowing it would take several trips to get all the stuff to her apartment. Thank God she hadn’t terminated the lease and still had a place to live.
Squaring her shoulders, she pulled out her phone and Googled a local mover. After a phone call, and a hefty bill for a last-minute job, all she had to do was wait. Wait for the people who’d remove all traces of her presence in Ash’s apartment.
It hurt. She hurt. There wasn’t a part of her heart or soul that wasn’t sick. But how could she stay with a man who’d so blithely manipulate her? He might not have ever physically hurt her as Michael had, but right now Josie would take that kind of pain over the gut-wrenching agony she was experiencing over his deception.
An hour later, the movers arrived and began taking the boxes down in the elevator to the waiting truck. Josie remained in the apartment until the last box went down. She silently urged them to hurry. She wanted no chance of Ash coming home from work while she was still moving out. He hadn’t called yet, so she should have plenty of time.
By the time he made it home, she’d be back in her apartment. And this time, she wouldn’t be swayed by pretty words and hollow promises.
Damn him for making her love him. And damn him for pulling her into his world. She liked his friends. Loved Bethany and Mia and Brittany and all the others. But they were his friends. Loyal to him. She was accepted because of him. And now she’d have nothing at all.
It was on her way down that she realized two things. One, she didn’t have a ride to her apartment and Ash’s apartment wasn’t convenient to public transportation. She could take a cab, but she’d have to have the doorman call for one and it could take a while. Especially at this time of day when all the taxi drivers went off duty.
The other thing she realized was that she needed to confront Ash. She couldn’t just move out and hide in her apartment. Not that she owed him anything, but she didn’t want to go home, dreading the moment when he realized she was gone and the inevitable confrontation that would ensue. It would be better if she went to his office, said her piece and made it clear they were over. That way she wouldn’t have to worry about him showing up at her apartment.
For that, she would use Ash’s driver. After all, he’d have to pick up Ash from work anyway. A quick check of her watch told her the driver would likely still be here. If he wasn’t, she’d just take a cab to Ash’s building, even if it meant waiting. From his office, she’d just take the subway.
She rummaged for her phone in the big bag she’d thrown over her shoulder. After waving off the movers and providing the keys to her apartment so they could start unloading, she called Ash’s driver, who as luck would have it, was just a block away.
A few minutes later, she was on her way to Ash’s office building, silent tears trailing down her cheeks.
chapter twenty-nine
Ash leaned his head back against his chair, still holding the phone to his ear as the conference call droned on and on and on.
Christ, all he wanted was to get the fuck off the phone so he could head home to Josie. She’d had lunch with the girls today and he was looking forward to hearing about her day. Afterward he’d take her to dinner. Somewhere quiet and intimate. They’d talk some more and then he’d take her home and make love to her until they both dropped from exhaustion.
A knock sounded at his door and Eleanor stuck her head in. Ash frowned over the interruption, but then, if she’d poked her head in, it must be important. She was too efficient not to know he was on an important call.
Temporarily muting the call, he lowered the receiver and looked questioningly in Eleanor’s direction.