15-05-2021-052358It-Ends-with-Us

I wince at the gesture. The unnecessary gesture. “I won’t need it.”
“I hope not.” He walks to the door and reaches for the doorknob.
And I know this is my only chance to get out what I have to say before
he’s out of my life forever.
“Atlas, wait.”
I stand up so fast, my chair scoots across the room and bumps
against the wall. He half turns and faces me.
“What Ryle said to you last night? I never.. .” I bring a nervous
hand up to my neck. I can feel my heart beating in my throat. “I never
said that to him. He was hurt and upset and he misconstrued my
words from a long time ago.”
The corner of Atlas’s mouth twitches, and I’m not sure if he’s
trying not to smile or trying not to frown. He faces me straight on.
“Believe me, Lily. I know that wasn’t a pity fuck. I was there.”
He walks out the door, and his words knock me straight back into
my seat.
Only... my seat is no longer there. It’s still on the other side of my
office and I’m now on the floor.
Allysa rushes in and I’m lying on my back behind my desk. “Lily?”
She runs around the desk and stands over me. “Are you okay?”
I hold up a thumb. “Fine. Just missed my chair.”
She reaches out her hand and helps me to my feet. “What was that
all about?”
I glance at the door as I retrieve my chair. I take a seat and look
down at my phone. “Nothing. He was just apologizing.”
Allysa sighs longingly and looks back at the door. “So does that
mean he doesn’t want the job?”
I’ve got to hand it to her. Even in the midst of emotional turmoil,
she can make me laugh. “Get back to work before I dock your pay.”
She laughs and makes to leave. I tap my pen against my desk and
then say, “Allysa. Wait.”
“I know,” she says, cutting me off. “Ryle doesn’t need to know
about that visit. You don’t have to tell me.”
I smile. “Thank you.”
She closes the door.
I reach down and pick up the bag with my three-year-old gift inside
of it. I pull it out and can easily tell it’s a book, wrapped in tissue