Page 38 of After We Fall

“I’m not leaving the ranch. And I’m not leaving you.”

His words reach into my heart and squeeze, the sensation somehow both comforting and painful. I’m not leaving you.

But you’ll leave at the end of the week, I want to say to him.

I shake my head, chastising myself. What do I care what he does at the end of the week? He was always leaving at the end of the week. Heading to a new location. A new job.

Even if he did stay, I’ve ruined everything.

I’ll most likely be leaving too.

Tears well in my eyes. I sit and drag my purse out from under the chair. “Stay if you must. You’ll probably be bored. With everyone gone to their jobs, the halfway house is pretty quiet during the days. But most nights we eat dinner together. You’re welcome to join us.”

“Penelope—”

“The concert is starting.” After placing the scrap paper in the inside pocket of my purse, I zip it closed. I nod to the stage where the director stands, hands clasped in front of him, clearly waiting for the crowd to settle down.

Luke folds into the seat next to me. “Penelope, I could—”

“Hush.” If we continue this discussion, the tears will break free. And I’ve made too many mistakes lately for me to add emotional breakdown to my list.

He might be declaring that he won’t leave me this week. But he will eventually leave.

Finley’s not here today, but she’ll have to show at her place of work. I’ll let things settle down a bit, then I’ll pay her a visit. Without Luke.

I will solve this problem on my own. Without Luke.

And then I’ll find a new routine and settle into the predictability it offers. Without Luke.

10

A woman in a quiet house is someone to be feared.

I should stitch that on a pillow.

But it would cut into my productivity today. And I am a machine.

With the girls back at work and Luke gallivanting off to do whatever it is he does, I’m in my makeshift office at the halfway house, completing projects to make the transition as smooth as possible for Meredith when I leave my job.

Harlan’s consulting business is straightforward—a new assistant won’t find it difficult to work through my meticulous files.

The New Year’s wedding celebration planning is complete. The invitations are on their way to the guests. And I emailed my thorough yet concise notes about deliveries and decor to the Broadmoor liaison.

But sorting out the halfway house particulars is meticulous work. Construction crews are reconfiguring the boardinghouse, fundraisers are in the works, and several staff positions are unfilled. The good news is the grand opening isn’t for a while.

Plus, I need to solidify new employment.

I tap my lips with the end of my pen, studying the computer screen in front of me. Maybe LinkedIn will lead me to where I belong.

Acid has been swimming in my stomach since this morning. Leaving my position, my home, and the lovely people who come with them is more challenging than I want to admit. Instead of providing me with peace, accomplishing this particular task list fans the burning in my gut.

The sound of a FaceTime alert startles me out of my thoughts. A message on my laptop notifies me of an incoming call from my adoptive brother, and I click to answer. My screen fills with his familiar face. “Hello, Jason.”

He smiles. His dark blond hair seems to have thinned more since the last time I saw him. But he has the same kind blue eyes. Some woman should fall in love with those eyes someday. I wish that for him. And for her.

“Hey there. How are you?” His confident voice booms through my computer speakers.

Running my fingers over the mouse pad, I split my screen in half. Now I can view the Safari app with my searches while Jason continues to talk. My gaze locks on a job possibility. “Do you think I could handle the high temperatures in Phoenix?”