Crushed (In This Moment Book 2) Read online

  His forehead creases as his lips curl into a mischievous grin. He takes a purposeful step in my direction, and my back tenses as my eyes go wide.

  “Why are you so worried about my date, Jules?”

  “I’m not.” I shake my head in protest. “Just curious, is that your wife?”

  “You see,” he begins, taking another predatory step toward me, “that certainly sounds like you care to me.”

  “It’s called polite conversation.” I shuffle to create more space between us again. “I don’t care. It’s none of my business.”

  “Exactly! My life is none of your business, just as yours is none of mine. Let’s do ourselves a favor and stay out of each other’s lives.”

  I flinch at his words, feeling as if he struck me. The sting brings tears to my eyes again. Refusing to let him know how much his statement hurt me, I blink away the moisture and school my features.

  “At least you had the balls to say it to my face this time.” I twirl away from him, only to turn right back after a couple steps. He’s not going to get off that easy this time. “You were right about Christopher,” I admit, my voice soft as a resurfaced tear slips down my cheek. “He did hurt me, but it’s you I should’ve been warned against. No one’s ever caused me more heartache than you.”

  Swiping my face dry, I stare at him with fiery determination. He remains quiet, shaking his head as he looks down at his feet before running his hands through his hair. Every part of me is numb from the overwhelming pain as I retreat, getting away from him as swiftly as my feet will carry me.

  INTERVIEW

  December 28th

  Cracking open my window, I inhale the fresh, winter air. The cold wind breezes in and I lean closer to the door, willing it to cool me down.

  “Don’t be nervous. You’ve got this,” Lizzy says, trying to reassure me.

  If only her encouraging words were enough to calm my racing pulse. I’m literally sweating and feel like I’ve just run a marathon. My hands are so wet, I’m forced to move the phone from one hand to the other so I can wipe them dry on my dress slacks.

  “What if they think I’m a joke?” I whine. “It’s not like I have actual experience. Hell, I haven’t even had a real job in years.”

  The knot in my stomach grows, my insecurities tightening their hold on me, and I whimper.

  I’d been both thrilled and surprised when I got a call from EJ Photography yesterday asking if I could come in for an interview today. Out of all the places I’d submitted my resume, it was the only one I had any interest in. Photography has always been a passion of mine. I’d even been studying it in college before I dropped out. Though the job posting was for an assistant and office manager, I assumed they’d still want someone who had at least worked in the field before. And while my time helping Christopher start his firm more than qualifies me for the job, I didn’t expect anyone else to see it that way.

  “I’m not sure I’m the right person to be giving motivational speeches,” Lizzy cracks. “What would you say to me if the tables were turned right now?”

  Moaning, I roll my eyes. I’ve always been much better at giving advice than taking it. “I’d probably tell you to suck it up and put your big girl panties on. If they don’t hire you, it’s their loss.”

  “Well, there you go,” Lizzy chirps. “Get in there and kick ass. I should get inside. I’m already running late. Let me know how it goes.”

  “Will do. Bye.”

  She disconnects the line and I drop my phone on my center console. Taking deep, calming breaths, I gather my things, then get out of my car, studying the building as I approach it. EJ Photography is in a cute little office building in the “downtown” square of Smyth. It’s one of those old brick buildings that have been here since the early development of the town back in the 1900s. There’s a cute little wooden sign with the EJ Photography logo on it hanging from an iron post by the door, keeping with the feel of the older building. I love everything about this place already, and my gut is telling me it’s all too good to be true.

  “Hi. Welcome to EJ Photography,” a young woman greets me as I step inside the door. She has incredible vibrant red hair and a dazzling smile. She’s stunning—tall, slender, and perfectly put together. If I hadn’t already been feeling inadequate, I would be now. “I’m Roxy,” she offers, standing directly in front of me now. “How can I help you?”

  “I’m Julianna Monroe,” I reply, stuttering through my words. “I’m here to interview for the office manager slash assistant position.”

  “Of course! Welcome, Julianna,” she beams, her tone and demeanor almost over animated, as if she’s trying to impress me and not the other way around. “EJ is out on assignment, but he should be here shortly. Come on in and I’ll show you around.”

  Returning her smile, I nod as she motions for me to follow. Her hands wave about as she leads me through the building explaining what and where everything is, but I’m too distracted by the beauty of the photography surrounding me to understand what she’s saying. This clearly isn’t your typical family photography studio. These are real pieces of art—moments, scenery, and even common objects captured in a captivating way, turning everyday life into something more…something beautiful.

  “I’ve been working with EJ since he opened this office,” she tells me, coming to a stop in front of a small office in the back. “It’s only been the two of us until now. The business has grown so much lately, I’m no longer capable of giving him all the support he needs. That’s where you come in.”

  “So, we’d be splitting the responsibilities?” I ask, hoping my disappointment at the thought isn’t too evident in my tone. Two people doing the same job can get messy. Not to mention, it could prevent me from getting full time hours. And I need all the hours and money I can get right now. I need my own place and life back.

  “No. I was originally hired to answer phones and make appointments. I’ll be going back to my job, and you will be taking care of everything else.” She lets out a nervous chuckle and eyes me as if trying to gage my reaction. “The man can be demanding, and I’m ready for him to be someone else’s problem.” She clamps her mouth shut, pressing her lips together as she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “I’m doing an awful job pitching this job, aren’t I?”

  “It would take a lot more than a difficult man to scare me away from this opportunity,” I retort. EJ can’t be any harder to work with than Christopher. “Besides, I think I’m the one who has to do the impressing today.”

  “Oh!” She claps her hands together in excitement. “Did I not tell you? You’re our only applicant. EJ left the responsibility of finding and hiring someone up to me. So, if you still want the job, you’re hired.”

  My mouth drops open as her words sink in. Hired.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, ma’am. If you’re brave enough to take it on, it’s yours.”

  “Wow,” I breathe. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” she jokes. “EJ can be a handful, and he’ll still want to meet with you. He should be here in—”

  The chime of the bell on the front door sounds, interrupting Roxy, and she smirks. Even though we can’t see who walked in from where we are, she seems certain it’s him.

  “EJ!” she calls. “Your new office manager is here!”

  “Okay, Red,” he answers, his voice strained and choppy, as if trying to catch his breath. “Have her wait for me in my office. I’ll be right in.”

  She gestures for me to step inside the small room we’d stopped outside of, then slips away, and my nerves go back into overdrive as I take a seat.

  My knee bounces and I chew my bottom lip, waiting and listening for my new boss. When I hear Roxy speaking, I lean closer to the door, nearly straining my neck to understand what she’s saying more clearly.

  He asks her about me, and she tells him I’m very pretty. A smile blooms on my face, flattered to receive a compliment like that from someone as gorgeous as Roxy. But my fac
e quickly falls right along with my stomach the second I remember it’s my boss she’s saying that to.

  He scolds her for trying to play “matchmaker,” and their voices become hushed. Hurried footsteps begin to echo around me, and I stiffen, holding my breath as someone blurs past me. He stills once he’s behind his desk, allowing my eyes to bring him into focus, and I gasp as all the air leaves my lungs at once.

  This can’t be happening.

  His head snaps up and his eyes widen.

  “Jules?”

  Confusion then surprise washes over his features as he rubs the back of his neck, mumblings I can’t understand streaming out of him. It’s clear he wasn’t expecting me today any more than I was him. As my own shock begins to subside, my heart sinks. There’s no way he’s going to let me have this job. It was only two days ago he was telling we need to stay out of each other’s lives. Working side-by-side every day would be the opposite of that.

  “Eric, I didn’t…” I come to my feet, shaking my head as tears threaten to spill down my face.

  My knees wobble, threatening to give out, but I brace myself and stand a little taller. My eyes dart to the door as I contemplate running, but he moves to stand by me, blocking my path.

  “So, you’re my new office manager?” he asks, his words low and unsure.

  Lifting my eyes to meet his, I’m surprised to find his expression filled with concern instead of the anger I was expecting.

  “Did you know about this?”

  “Not even a little,” he grits out.

  “I’m sorry. I should go.” My shoulders fall in defeat as I step around him.

  “Jules, wait.” His words are pleading as he grabs my hand to stop me from leaving the room. His warm palm sends a shockwave through my body, and I jerk away before turning to face him again. “If you still want the job, it’s yours. Just be here first thing tomorrow morning.”

  His gaze never fully meets mine, preventing me from getting a read on what he’s feeling. At the moment, I’m not even sure what I’m feeling. A part of me knows taking this job is an awful idea, but there’s a much bigger part that knows I need this job, and maybe even a sliver that’s excited about the prospect of spending so much time with him.

  “Okay,” I exhale, nodding. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  When he turns and moves toward his desk, I retreat, needing to get as far away from him as possible and quick.

  Roxy calls after me as I hurry by her for the door, but I can’t bring myself to acknowledge her, knowing that I may not be coming back. Eric being EJ changes things for me, and it could be a deal breaker.

  It never occurred to me that EJ could stand for Eric Justin, I had no clue that he was even still interested in photography. As far as I knew, he’d given that up after high school. Of course, we haven’t been friends for over seven years, I imagine there are a lot of things I don’t know about him—just as there’s a lot he doesn’t know about me.

  WORKING THINGS OUT

  My bed squeaks and shakes as Eric moves to join me at the foot of it, my eyes going wide as I watch him settle in next to me, a sly smile on his face.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, my shrill tone reflecting my manic heart.

  Since the VCR is broken in the living room, we ended up watching Hackers alone in my room. When he made himself comfortable on my bed, his shirt rising just enough to reveal a glimpse of his tan, firm abdomen as he tucked his arm behind his head, my stomach knotted. It was so much more than a feeling of unease from being in here with him. It was needful, and I knew I had to keep my distance. So, I positioned myself as far away from him as possible, my feet at the head of the bed and my head at the foot. This way, I didn’t have to look at him, making it easier to block out those unwanted feelings and thoughts about him. Now, he’s right beside me, making it hard to breathe.

  “You looked comfortable. I thought I’d try it.”

  His voice is smooth and calm, his smirk unwavering as he locks his gaze with mine.

  My stomach flips, and I turn my attention back to the movie, my face heating. Only a moment passes before he bumps my foot with his. Keeping my focus on the movie, I giggle as I roll my eyes and bump his back. Then he bumps my knee, and I bump his back. My heartrate spikes as he scoots even closer to bump my hip this time, but I play it cool and bump his back. By the time he bumps my shoulder, he’s too close for comfort. There’s no space between our bodies, and I’m overly warm, feeling like I might faint. When I don’t bump him back, he starts nudging me in the side with his elbow, tickling me.

  “What are you doing?” I squeal with laughter, rolling away from him and onto my back. Instead of letting up, he reaches out for me, placing his hands on either side of my stomach before continuing his attack. “Eric! Oh my God…stop!” I plead through my laughter, struggling to get free.

  He finally stops, and I pant, trying to catch my breath. It takes me a moment to realize he’s leaning over me, his face mere inches away from mine and eyes locked on me. I’m frozen with fear and anticipation, adrenaline coursing through my veins as he gets closer. His breaths become heavier now too, the heat ghosting across my skin. My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and his eyes drop, training in on them.

  My bedroom door bursts open and Eric immediately jumps away from me as I shoot upright. “What’s going on in here?” Lori asks, grinning as she eyes us from the doorway.

  December 29th

  “Good morning, Roxy,” I chirp, a fake smile plastered on my face as I make my way through the front door of the studio.

  “Oh, Julianna! Thank God!” Her face lights up as she claps her hands together. “After you rushed out of here yesterday, I was worried EJ had run you off.”

  Roxy hops off her stool and scurries over to me before quietly continuing. “I was ready to kill him. What happened anyway? You seemed to be in a hurry when you left. EJ snapped at me when I asked him about it, then stomped out of here and didn’t return for the rest of the day.”

  The fact that Eric didn’t clue her in on our past is not surprising, but now, I’m not sure it’s something I should reveal either.

  “Nothing,” I answer, shrugging my shoulders. “He just told me to come in this morning.”

  It’s not a complete lie, but it’s not the whole truth either.

  Deciding to return hadn’t been easy, I’d barely slept last night, tossing and turning as I weighed my uncertainty of being around Eric against my desperation for a job. In the end, I knew I couldn’t afford to pass up this opportunity, regardless of where things stand between Eric and me.

  “Okay,” she drawls, her eyebrows bunching together as she tilts her head. I clearly hadn’t been very convincing in my lie. “Well, he isn’t here yet, but he should be any minute.”

  “Oh,” I sigh out in relief. Though I’ve told myself that he wouldn’t have offered me the position if he had an issue with me working here, I’m still concerned about how he’ll act toward me. “So then, why are we whispering?”

  She points up toward the ceiling above us. “Because he lives in the apartment upstairs.”

  Nodding, my eyes lift as if I’d be able to see him through the floor to confirm the information. The knowledge that Eric is right above us causes my heart to beat a little faster, my lower abdomen tightening as an image of him wet in nothing but a towel pops into my mind. My gaze snaps back to Roxy and she gives me a knowing smile as heat paints my cheeks and the tips of my ears.

  “I guess he was in one of his moods yesterday,” she continues, thankfully not calling me out on the awkward moment.

  She turns to make her way back over to her desk, and I let out a sigh of relief as I follow behind her.

  “His moods?”

  Eric had always been laid back with an even temperament when we were younger. I thought the bad attitude I’ve witnessed lately was solely directed toward me, and it’s almost comforting to hear that’s simply the way he is now.

  “Yeah,” she chuckles, taking her p
lace behind the desk and shooting me an apologetic smile. “He can be a little intense sometimes, but he’s a good guy.”

  A good guy. Yeah, sure. I used to believe that too. Of course, he did give me this job, so maybe he’s still not all that bad.

  Nodding in understanding, I force myself to return her smile. She opens her mouth as if to tell me something more, but quickly closes it again when we hear a door slam.

  My entire body goes rigid as his footsteps grow louder, heading in our direction. My heart beats erratically, screaming for me to run, telling me I’m not ready for this.

  What if I can’t make this work? What if my unresolved feelings for him get in the way?

  Dear Lord, this is going to be so awkward and uncomfortable.

  “Good morning, EJ,” Roxy beams.

  “Morning, Red,” he replies, stepping up behind me, his clean scent invading my senses. “Do I have any messages?”

  “Yep. Here you go.” Picking up his messages from her desk, Roxy hands them over, and he reaches around me to retrieve them. I know I should move out of his way, or, at the very least, acknowledge the fact that he’s in the room, but I feel like a deer caught in headlights.

  “Great. Thanks. I’ll be in my office returning these calls if you need me.”

  My heart rate slows as he begins to walk away, only to stop altogether when Roxy grins mischievously at me.

  “Hey, wait!” she calls. Through my peripheral, I watch as he stops and lifts his eyes to give her his attention again. “Aren’t you going to say good morning to Julianna?”

  My eyes widen, my face heating as I reluctantly move my gaze to him, a tight smile on my face.

  His features bear an almost pained expression as his eyes briefly meet mine.

  “Yes.” He coughs then clears his throat. “Of course. Good morning, Jules.”

  Before I have a chance to return his greeting, he turns and sprints toward his office. My head spins from the lack of oxygen in my body by the time I hear his door close, allowing me to breathe again.