The Wright Boss(55)

"I didn't know that!"

"Well, I didn't want you to think that I was out of line when you were still angry with me."

"What did Morgan say?"

Landon frowned. "She had to restructure the company to get me into this position. There is no other position for me right now. Nothing I'm qualified for at least. The job that I have is it for me until something else opens up."

I rocked back in my chair and frowned. "Wow."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, I guess that's off the table."

"For now, Heidi, but not forever. We can handle this." He slipped his hand into mine. "I promise."

I numbly nodded my head, watching all my carefully planned suggestions fly out the window.

"Hey," he said, leaning toward me, "we can handle this. I swear. I am with you one hundred percent."

"I know," I told him with a smile.

I'd wanted it to be easier. But, of course, it wasn't easier. Nothing in life was ever easy.

We finished our meal and headed back to the office. My head was up in the clouds on the drive back, and Landon remained silent, giving me the space to come back to the ground. 

I knew two things for certain-Landon was my boss, and I wasn't going to give him up for anything.

"Heidi," he said low, drawing me toward his office, as I had instinctively moved to my desk, "let's talk about this."

"What's there to talk about?" I whispered.

"Please," he said more earnestly.

"All right," I said. I didn't know what more we could figure out today, but I was willing to listen.

Then, we walked into his office, and my eyes landed on a woman in a skintight red dress who had seated herself in the middle of Landon's desk with her legs crossed seductively.

"Hello, darling," Miranda said.





Twenty-Two



Landon


Shit.

Oh, shit.

My eyes were wide with alarm. What in the ever-loving fuck was Miranda doing here? I'd been ignoring her calls, texts, and pathetic messages to try to get me to reconsider the divorce. I'd only responded to tell her to sign the paperwork or talk to her lawyer. I'd made my decision, and I wasn't going back to where we had been the last miserable year.

"Oh," Heidi said. Her cheeks were bright red. "I'm just … going to go back to my desk then. Good talk, boss."

"Heidi," I said softly.

"We'll chat about that … thing later."

And then she all but dashed out of the room, leaving me alone with the most conniving woman I knew.

"What are you doing here, Miranda?" I demanded.

"I came to see my husband, of course."

I nearly rolled my eyes. Why was I even surprised that she was playing that card? Nothing surprised me about her anymore.

This was the worst fucking time for her to show up. All I wanted to do was run out of this room and go talk to Heidi. I didn't know what she must be feeling right now and I didn't want her to think that anything was happening with me and Miranda.

I wished that I could go tell her not to worry and that there was nothing between Miranda and I anymore.

Instead, I had to deal with Miranda.

"Are you going to sign the papers?" I demanded.

She stuck her cherry-red lip out and flipped her blonde bangs out of her eyes. She'd gotten her hair cut since I last saw her, and it was angled around her chin. I tried not to look lower than that. She'd picked her outfit with purpose, and I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of assessing it.

"Do we have to talk about that silly document you sent me?"

My anger flared. "I'm at work. Either you're here to sign the paperwork or you're going to leave."

She hopped off the desk. The Louboutins I'd bought her for her birthday last year clicked as she hit the ground. "I flew all the way here, and you're kicking me out?"

"Yes," I said bluntly.

"I thought we could talk."

"Please, just stop this, Miranda. Just sign the divorce forms and get this over with."

She strode toward me with a feline's prowl, and it took everything in me not to shudder and back away from her. She trailed her French-manicured nail down my tie and smirked, as if she thought she would get a reaction, as if she had some sort of control over me. But she didn't.

At one point, I'd loved this woman. And seeing her here like this made me wonder how that had ever been possible.

"But I don't want to get this over with. I want you, Landon."

She leaned forward against me, and I took a step back.



       
         
       
        

"What part of divorce are you not comprehending?"