Fifty-Four
Bay
The view of the Potomac River was incredible. But that was just one of the jaw-dropping perks to this place. High ceilings, walk-in closet, luxury bathroom, and the kitchen was huge.
How was this even remotely close to what I was paying in rent now?
The HR director at my new job had called me this morning with a housing option she wanted me to consider. She had said they had an apartment that the company owned and needed someone to take it over.
My lease wasn’t up at my current apartment, and I’d told her that, but she’d assured me that if I moved, they would handle that.
I didn’t know how she planned on handling it, but I had gone anyway.
After seeing it, I was in shock. I had expected something along the lines of where I lived now.
Crossing over into Virginia hadn’t appealed to me before because it would make my work commute longer, but I worked from home with this job, and getting to work was no longer an issue.
I imagined setting up a desk in front of the window that overlooked the river and working from there.
I couldn’t turn this down. I didn’t want to.
If this was another perk to my job, then I would take it.
Maybe moving and starting at a new place would inspire me to find joy in things again.
Think less about a man and more about me. My future.
If only I could stop dreaming about him, then perhaps I could let him go. But every night, he returned. Reminding me of how I’d felt with him.
I dropped my gaze to the key in my hand.
It had been given to me by the front desk after getting through security.
They hadn’t even sent someone up with me, just smiled, called me Miss Fox, and told me to take all the time I needed.
It was all so easy and simple. When had my life ever been this…
this smooth? One good fortune after another being dropped in my lap.
Was this Hale’s doing too? My hand tightened over the key.
God, why did I want it to be him so badly?
The man hadn’t wanted me. Why would he be wasting his time, setting my life up?
He wouldn’t. I was being ridiculous. I could believe he’d had a hand in getting me the job.
Nothing else added up, but this…this place? No. Not him.
Stop being delusional, Bay.
Hale
The cameras I’d placed in the new apartment covered every area.
Much better placement than the other apartment.
I could see her as she walked into each room and watch her expression, and, damn, that had been the first thing I’d enjoyed since I’d sent her away.
She liked it. No, she fucking loved it. Seeing her smile.
When it had sank in that she was happy about living almost a thousand miles away from me, my pleasure had dimmed.
I wanted her happy and safe. I just wanted that to be with me.
Something I couldn’t have.
The moving would begin tomorrow. I’d handled that, too, with the cover of her new job.
This was the last night I’d have to watch her sleep in this inadequate apartment.
I knew I had to get to Madison soon. Staying here any longer was going to cause issues.
Linc had called twice already. Leaving meant I wouldn’t have this. Being close to her while she slept.
The cameras weren’t going to be enough for long, but perhaps they could hold me over for short spans. It was either that or move my ass into an apartment in her building. The fact that I had considered it was proof I was losing my sanity.
Sitting in the corner of her small bedroom for hours every night was definitely not a sign of mental health.
She sighed and rolled to her side, causing the covers to slip down her arm. Standing, I moved over to her and pulled it back up to her chin, the way she liked it.
“Hale?”