Page 59 of Champagne Nights

As I stuck the key into the lock of my apartment door, I heard Mr. Morris’ voice from down the hall.

“Hello, Aubrey. It’s me, Jack Morris.”

A smile crossed my lips as I turned my head in the direction in which his voice was coming from.

“Hello, Mr. Morris. How are you?”

“I’m great, young lady. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Thank you for asking. Are you going to see my Aunt Charlotte?”

“I am. We’re going to see a show on Broadway tonight.”

“Which show are you seeing?”

“Jersey Boys. Charlotte expressed an interest in it, so I got us two tickets for tonight.”

“I’ve heard it’s very good. Have a good time,” I spoke as I opened the door.

“Thanks, kiddo. I’ll talk to you soon.”

I gave him a small smile before walking into my apartment and shutting the door. After I locked up and put my leftovers in the refrigerator, I went into the bathroom and started the water for a bath. As I was relaxing and soaking up the lavender smell from the few drops of oil I placed in the water, my phone alerted me that I had a text message from Ethan. Drying my hands on the towel next to the tub, I reached over and pressed the message button on my phone as it read to me his text.

“I just wanted to tell you that you looked really beautiful.”

A sick feeling in the pit of my stomach emerged, and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to hear that from him. Maybe he felt that it was okay to toy with my emotions since he apologized. But it wasn’t okay, and I wouldn’t stand for it. I spent the last couple of days in the hurt phase, and now I found myself entering into the angry phase. How dare he say what he did to me. How dare he use me the way he did. I didn’t care how broken of a man he was; it didn’t give him the right.

“Thank you. But please don’t text or call me again. The damage is done. I forgave you. You made yourself perfectly clear on where you stood as far as I was concerned, and now it’s time for me to forget that I ever met you.”

I waited for a response that never came, which was fine with me. I said what I needed, and it was time to close that chapter of my life. Tomorrow, I would start a new chapter—one that didn’t involve a man named Ethan Klein.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Ethan

I sat on the edge of my bed and read her text message. She forgave me but still hated me, and I deserved it. When I saw her walking down the street as I exited the restaurant, I couldn’t help but smile because that was what she did to me. Nobody had that kind of power or control over me. Dr. Perry was right. I could feel the control over my emotions and feelings slipping away, and it scared the fuck out of me. She wanted to forget she had ever met me, and after reading that, I felt like I had been stabbed in the heart.

The next morning, I got up from my desk and walked outside my office on my way to the tech department when I noticed Holly wasn’t at her desk.

“Lucy, where’s Holly?” I asked.

“She’s in the bathroom. She’s not feeling well.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Morning sickness.”

I sighed as I rolled my eyes and headed to the tech department.

“Well?” I asked Rob as I approached his office.

“You gave us three days, Ethan. It’s only been two.”

“Do you have anything at all?” I asked with irritation.

“We’re making some progress. We’ll update you tomorrow once we have more. By the way, I’ll have the demo glasses ready for you tomorrow.”

“Have you tested it out yet?”

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