Chapter 20 Unbalanced
Sara
After my outburst in Dante’s office, I sequestered myself in Tom’s. I even ordered lunch in. I asked my dog walker if she could keep Peabody for the night.
Even though I haven’t decided what I want to do, I’m tempted to call the girls over to hang out and get their read on things. But I still hesitate to text them.
I could text Drew and tell him what happened. He’ll give it to me straight, but part of me just wants to be alone and veg on the couch with some Bridgerton.
“Quitting time, flower.” Finn stands in my doorway, casually leaning against the jamb like he’s on the cover of a magazine.
I blow out a breath. I’m not ready to confront any of them yet.
Once I shut down my laptop, I put away my stuff.
“You okay?” Finn steps into the room and puts his hands on the back of a chair. His dark hair falls over his green eyes.
“Yeah, it’s just been a long week.” I grab my purse from the drawer and put it on the desk. “Lots to think about.”
He nods. “We’ll figure out where Tom went soon, flower.”
Tom is the furthest thing from my mind right now. I want to know what happened to him too, but so much is happening with me. Confusing stuff that I’ve just been letting brew.
“You want company tonight?” He raises an eyebrow and desire pours through me, thick and heavy.
I could lose myself in him, but that wouldn’t be fair. “I think I’m just going to veg at home.”
“If you change your mind, text me.” He gives me a wink and leaves.
I haven’t seen Wyatt all day. I’m not sure I want to see him. The whole situation is a fucking mess. I wish I could say I’m embarrassed that he saw me do that, but I’m not. Part of me wishes I’d been bold enough to do it years ago. Maybe things would be different now.
But something tells me this collision course was set before I even knew about it.
It’s not like Finn and Dante just noticed me.
There have been moments over the years. Heart-wrenching moments when I knew I could make a decision and lean in one way or the other, but somehow it wasn’t the same without Wyatt.
Purse in hand, I text Brandon that I’m ready to go.
When I step into the hallway, a throat clears and I look up to meet Wyatt’s dark eyes. I sigh and wait, because he’s the one who showed up at my house. He’s the one who needs to apologize.
“I’m sorry.” His tone is gruff but his eyes are sincere.
“Okay.” I don’t know what to say besides that. He tipped my world upside down last night. I thought I was getting over him. But then I saw him with Talia and it burned me deep.
“Sara, I—” He steps forward.
“I can’t.” I flinch away from him slightly. “I’m sorry, but it’s been a long day and I just can’t deal with this anymore. I want to go home, maybe have a bath, and just think about this week. Maybe something will pop up that I missed with Tom. But I really just want to go home.”
He backs away a step. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I sigh, because that’s the problem. “Trust me, I know.”
He rubs the back of his neck.
“You were trying to protect me because Tom asked you to. You went about it in the wrong way, but I’m...” I take a breath. “I’m grateful you’re looking out for me.”
Pretty sure I manage a small smile too, but I’m so done right now.
“If you need anything this weekend...” He lets it trail off like he always does.
I ignore the tears choking my throat. It’s never him that will help me. It’s always Dante or Finn.
“See you Monday,” he says quietly.
I hurry to the elevator and catch it just as the doors are closing.
“Hey, Sara, how was your first week?” Greg smiles. He looks friendly, but I’ve caught his eyes checking me out.
“It was great.” There are plenty of others in the elevator so I just pay attention to the numbers as we descend.
When I step into the lobby, Greg says, “Have a great weekend.”
“You too.” I lift my hand and give him a tight smile.
I get to the car without any other distractions and lean my head back as we make our way to the house.
What am I going to do? It’s not like I’m hurting anyone by messing around with the others.
Drew doesn’t care. Dante doesn’t seem to care.
Finn doesn’t care about Drew, but doesn’t know about Dante.
My heart pinches and I put my hand over it. Then there’s Wyatt.
Talia implied he wasn’t going to sleep with her last night. And he was at my house late. I can’t do this dance again. I can’t keep beating my head against the same wall and hoping for different results.
For whatever reasons, Wyatt doesn’t want me. That should be the end.
“We’re here, Miss Sara,” Brandon says.
“Thank you.” How long was he parked before he told me?
“Are you going out again?” He meets my eyes.
“Not tonight.” I slide out of the car, walk up my steps, and open the door. The alarm begins its beeping so I wave to Brandon and duck inside. After I turn off the alarm, I head into the kitchen, almost forgetting that Peabody is at the sitter’s.
My head is not on right. I just want to change into pajamas and stuff myself with junk food and romance shows. I pull up the pizza app and order a medium on the way up the stairs.
When I open the door to my bedroom, I freeze. Every drawer, every surface has been tossed onto the floor. I back into the hallway.
My phone is in my hand and without a second thought, I dial a number.
“Yeah?”
“I need you.”
“Are you safe?”
“I don’t—”
“Sara, are you safe?”
I turn and run to the hallway bathroom and lock myself in. My hands shake. “Come quick.”
“I’ll be there. Two minutes.”