Lynn didn’t get a chance to ask for clarification when escalating voices and shouts rang out from the opening doors of the elevator.
Phil, surrounded by a group of very vocal women, was being escorted from the building by a uniformed guard. Phil held a cardboard box in his hands, and the weight of the world on his handsome face.
“Oh dear.”
“No,” Suz ordered. “Don’t you feel sorry for him. Anything he got, he deserved.”
Lynn sighed as more guards closed in and separated the mob of women from their target. “He made mistakes. We all make mistakes.”
“Uh-uh, girlfriend.” Suz caught her by the chin and tugged until Lynn had to look her in the eye. “A mistake is being scared to tell the truth for a while. A mistake is forgetting a birthday, or being a little bit selfish and not telling someone about a shoe sale so you can go through the stock first.”
“Fine. Phil chose to do what he did. I know.”
“The sexual harassment charges are all on his head,” Suz pointed out. “He’s not even getting dinged for what he did to you.”
Lynn knew that as well. Dana had told her they were planning on lodging a complaint—she and the other women, who it turned out Phil had all promised career advancement in exchange for their “favors”.
Still, there was something she had to do. Lynn rose and set an intercept course for Phil. His eyes widened as he spotted her, placing his guard between them. His bruises were fading, but still the lingering touches of blue colored his jaw.
“Can I have a minute?” she asked quietly, a noticeable contrast to the continued ranting going on behind them.
The guard checked with Phil. He jerked his head abruptly, easing the box in his hands into a more defensive position.
“You want your chance to slap me down like the rest of them?”
Lynn swallowed a sigh. “No. I just…” She could feel Suz’s disapproving gaze burning into her back, but she forced herself to keep going. “I want permission to text you a phone number, if you’re open to it.”
He laughed—a hard burst of derision. “I don’t need any more women offering their numbers. I have enough of them on my back as it is.”
“It’s not a woman’s number—it’s a man’s.” She hesitated. “A therapist. After we had our little ‘incident’, I wondered. It’s obvious you’re not in a healthy place right now, and…well, sometimes it’s good to have someone to talk to.”
“And you’re not offering to be that someone.”
Oh hell, fuck no. “Afraid not.”
“Too much to hope, I suppose.” Weariness lined his eyes. “I’m not crazy, Lynn.”
There were two opinions about that. “Can I send it to you?”
A hint of the old bluster and ego returned. “Up to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Phil turned away without another word, his head held high as the guard took him to the front doors and out into the street.
Suz slipped her arm around Lynn’s waist. “You? Are too saintly for your own good. That man never deserved you.”
“No, but he deserves help, if he’s smart enough to take it.”
“Or brave enough, or honest enough, but I’m afraid that ain’t him, hon.” Suz gave her a final squeeze. “Come on. Enough. Close that door and get ready to open the next one. I hear there’s a party happening, and we both have invites.”
Lynn’s heart lightened. “When have you ever needed an invite? I thought it was more fun to crash?”
Suz’s jaw dropped. “Shit, you’re right. Tell Dean to take my name off the list so I can sneak in. I haven’t used my lock-pick set in ages.”
“You’re incorrigible.” But Lynn was smiling, and as the two women turned away from the lobby, she batted her lashes like an old-time Hollywood starlet. “I’m taking the straightest route possible to get to where I’m spending the night—Parker’s arms.”
Suz made a gagging noise. “Ugh, save the mush and googly eyes for him.”
“Trust me, I will.”
Pepper
She stood with both feet planted on dry land and stared at the magical vision in front of her. The dock leading to the boat was festooned with glittering white lights. Music carried over the water along with the sound of laughter and clinking glasses—the party appeared to be in full swing.
Pepper Wilson adjusted her backpack to fit more firmly in position, the familiar weight comforting. All her worldly goods.
Melodramatic, much? a little voice in her head taunted.