The Owner's Box

Chapter 30

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Isabella Saint POV

I had music playing as I worked, trying to finish up a few last-minute tasks before leaving for the night.

I was also trying to keep my mind clear because today was one, I only half expected. I spoke to Harlow for the first time in weeks earlier today. It was very awkward, to say the least.

After I blocked her on social media and blocked her numbers, she started sending things to me—flowers, gifts, cards, all of that. It was just so overwhelming, and I couldn't handle it.

I quit The Owner's Box because she embarrassed the hell out of me, so I had to get another job.

I almost quit this internship, but I know I need it to help further my dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. But it's been hard walking in here every day, the weight of everything heavily weighing on my thoughts.

I was anxious as hell the first time I came into the office the first week after I broke up with Harlow. But luckily, she's respected that we've broken up and doesn't bother me.

She's barely been coming out of her office since we broke up. She used to be around all the time, in meetings and talking to everyone, but ever since we broke up, she usually sends her assistant to pick up and drop off anything and take it to Harlow's office for her.

I hear the conference room door open, and without looking up, I begin to speak. "Back so soon, Jay? What did you forget this time?" I ask, before catching the distinct smell of leather—Harlow.

I look up from my laptop slowly, and there she is. Wearing the same blue suit pants from earlier, but this time, a few of her dress shirt buttons are undone, and her sleeves are pushed up above her elbows, giving me a good look at the tattoos covering her chest and lower arms.

Damn she so fine. She's like the whiskey she loves to drink so much. Just a smooth sophistication with a hint of rugged edge.

"Hey," Harlow says over the music. I frown at her slightly before turning the music down a little, hoping she can't hear my heartbeat about to beat out of my chest.

"Hi," I say before looking back down at my laptop. "I didn't think anyone was here. I apologize about the music; it won't happen again." I begin typing away, hoping that she'd just leave because my nerves were starting to take over.

Harlow stands there for a moment, her presence making the room feel smaller by the minute.

"Oh, it's alright, I like the music," she says, her voice softer than normal.

I can feel her eyes on me as I try to keep my focus on the screen in front of me. My fingers type away as if I could make myself disappear from the amount of tension in the room.

"I forgot some papers in my office and came to pick them up. I saw Jay on his way out and he told me you were still here working. I was wondering if I could talk to you." Harlow says, making me look up at her again.

"Harlow, we are done, and I just don't think—," I began to say before she cut me off.

"Listen Saint, I know that you broke up with me and I understand that things didn't end well with us but can we just... Talk, just for a few minutes?" Harlow asks me, sadness filling her voice making my chest ache.

I let out a breath before closing the laptop and motioning for her to come sit down. I've been trying so hard to distance myself from her. Trying so hard to protect myself, but now that she's standing here, it's hard to ignore how much I do want to understand what happened between us.