idly if there might be an oxygen shortage in the room. âThatâs irrelevant,â she said, and the flatness of her own voice shocked her.
A muscle twitched at his jaw, his eyes darkened and narrowed. âIs it something Iâve done?â
Try something you havenât done, you dope, she wanted to shout, but said, simply, âNo.â
Alec used his fingers like a comb, dragging them through his incessantly messy, longish dark hair, but one disobedient wave of it fell back over one eye immediately. She stared at it, wishingânot for the first timeâthat it was her right and privilege to push it back into place.
âWell, I wonât accept it.â To punctuate his claim, he crumpled up the envelope and shot it into the trash can across the room.
A cold fist of frustration curled up inside her as she watched her carefully crafted resignation rebound off the credenza and sink gracefully for three points. Now that she was finished with the frantic pace of part-time school and a full-time job, she had more time than ever to contemplate the yawning stretch of futility that would be her life if she stayed here. Unless she made a change, she knew it would be more of the sameâshe would watch from the sidelines, powerless and lonely as he dated one bimbo after another and remained blissfully unaware of her as anything other than his loyal, hardworking assistant.
âI was actually just thinking that weâd have to change some things now that youâre finished with school,â he said, his voice low and relaxing and sure. âAnd this is as good a time as any to discuss it. Whatever it is you want, Iâm sure we can work it out.â
âYou donât understand, Alec,â she said, keeping her tone firm with substantial effort. âIf youâd read thatââ she jerked her head in the direction of the trash can ââyouâd know that Iâm giving two weeks notice. But I am leaving. Iâm taking another job, one that is more in line with my career goals.â
Since she hadnât actually taken another job, she experienced a tiny flash of guilt. Lies werenât her normal style, but she knew it was better this way. It would be a clean break and, more important, she wouldnât have to suffer the humiliation of telling him the real reason she was leaving.
As Alec stared at her, his eyes registered something that on anyone else sheâd guess was hurt. Then he moved to the window and looked out over the short, featureless buildings to the ocean. He stood with his back to her, his hands on his hips, and his breathing was the only sound she could hear. He stayed there a moment, only a moment, but whatever it was that he saw beyond the glass triggered a change in his demeanor that shook her.
Because when he turned back to her, his blue eyes were icy, his mouth was drawn into a thin line. âIt wonât be necessary to give notice,â he said, his voice as frosty as his gaze. âYou can leave now.â
She wouldnât have thought it was possible for her heart to sink further but it did, right down to the soles of her new summer sandals. Heat flooded her cheeks and the anxiety in her stomach revved up to a riot, but she managed to keep the flood of emotion out of her voice when she said, âI should at least finish out the day.â
No particular expression lit his face as he said, âThat wonât be necessary.â
Daisy bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. Dammit, this wasnât how it was supposed to end. Her heartbeat began to pound in her ears, but not so loudly that she couldnât hear the voice of some nameless, faceless coach from her sports-filled youth advise her with Obi-Wan-like wisdom, Donât show weakness. Donât let âem see how you really feel.
A new resolve began to fill her, giving her strength. She stuck out her chin, put on a smile and threw out a hand for Alec to