My Boyfriend’s Childhood Sweetheart Set Me Up As An Escort Chapter 08
The Hospital
Three days after Christmas, Shane shows up at my office.
My assistant stops him at the door.
“The Commissioner is in a meeting.”
“I’ll wait.”
He waits four hours.
When I finally come out, he’s still there. Red-eyed. Wrung out.
He stands up fast.
“Erin—”
“Mr. Griffin. Walk with me.”
We go to the hallway. Empty. Quiet.
He starts talking immediately.
“Erin, I’m so sorry. I was an idiot.”
“I believed every word out of that woman’s mouth.”
“I should have trusted you no matter what. I never meant any of it.”
“Please. Please don’t shut me out.”
I lean against the wall. Arms crossed. Look at him.
“Shane. Let me ask you something.”
“If Reeves hadn’t shown up. If I didn’t have proof. If I was just some girl with no badge and no title.”
“Would you have believed me?”
He opens his mouth. Closes it.
Can’t answer.
That’s all I need.
“That’s what I thought.”
“You didn’t believe me because of who I am. You believe me now because of what I am.”
“That’s not trust, Shane. That’s not love. That’s math.”
His face crumbles.
“Erin, that’s not fair—”
“You’re right. None of this was fair.”
I push off the wall. Straighten my jacket.
“We’re done. I said it Christmas night and I meant it.”
“Don’t come back here. Don’t call. Don’t wait outside my building.”
“If you do, I’ll have security remove you. And I won’t feel bad about it.”
His eyes go wide. Wet.
“Erin… three years. You’re just going to throw all that away?”
“You threw it away, Shane. On Christmas Eve. In front of your whole family.”
“I’m just signing the paperwork.”
I turn and walk back toward my office.
“Erin—”
I don’t stop. Don’t turn.
The door closes behind me.