Source One

into yours?”
    “Yes,” Amber whispered.
    “Why?”
    “I-I don’t know.”
    Brian was shaking his head. “Why didn’t you tell me about this break-in before?”
    “I had forgotten about it.” Once the words were out, Amber realized how ridiculous they sounded.
    She could see Brian’s expression change, tighten.
    He snorted. “Right.”
    Amber swiped tears from her face. “Brian, I’m telling the truth. Please believe me,” she whispered.
    Brian closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. “I think you should leave,” he said.
    Amber opened her mouth then closed it a moment later.
    Her chest was constricted. Stretched tight. She could barely breathe. She stood staring at Brian.
    The man she’d known these last months had vanished. In an instant.
    She recognized the set of his jaw.
    The man she’d first met was back. The man who distrusted her.
    Saying the words again - trying to make him understand - would be pointless. He saw what he wanted to see.
    Amber swiped at her tears again. She looked up to the second floor. Thought of asking to say goodbye to Katie. But she knew what he’d say.
    “Tell Katie and Mrs. Quinn I said goodbye.” She choked out the words.
    Amber sucked in another breath and ran past him. She grabbed her purse from the entryway table, yanked open the door and ran out.
    She’d barely made it into her car before hard sobs wrenched her body. She slumped over the wheel.
    He didn’t believe her. He thought she was a liar and wanted her out of his life.
    Amber had begun to trust in a happy future with Brian and Katie. All of that was shattered now.
    She dragged her head up. Covered her face with her hands as another wave of sobs came.
    She couldn’t just sit there and weep in his driveway. She had to leave.
    With trembling fingers, she started the engine. Put the car into gear and maneuvered it up the driveway.
    ***
    “Daddy, where did Amber go?”
    Brian stiffened. He wiped his eyes and turned around to Katie.
    “Amber….” Brian’s voice caught as he knelt down in front of Katie. He swallowed hard and started again. “Amber had to leave, honey.”
    “Why?”
    Brian pressed his lips together.
    “When is she coming back?”
    Brian cleared his throat. “Listen, Katie…….sometimes adults do bad things and we can’t have them in our lives.”
    Katie was frowning. “Do you mean Amber?”
    Brian slowly nodded.
    “She did something bad?”
    “She did, honey,” he whispered.
    “No! I don’t believe you!” Katie turned and ran out of the kitchen.
    Brian looked up. Mrs. Quinn was standing in the doorway. Her mouth hung open.
    Brian met her eyes and they stared at each other for a long moment.
    Then Mrs. Quinn turned and hurried after Katie.

CHAPTER 19
     
    Abby Grover, Amber’s boss at Sumner Systems, was calling. Amber had missed the last two days of work.
    She’d told them she had the flu.
    “How are you today, Amber? Feeling better?”
    With a shattered heart? No. No better.
    Amber cleared her throat. “Yes. I’ll be in tomorrow.”
    Somehow, she’d pull herself together.
    She took a breath. “Is Nicole still filling in for me?”
    “Yes.”
    “She can call me if she has any questions.”
    “Thanks, Amber. You take care, okay?”
    “Thank you,” Amber whispered.
    ***
    Katie had asked over and over again why Amber had left. The more Brian tried to explain, the worse it got.
    Now, she sat slumped in her chair.
    “Want to go get some ice cream after dinner?”
    Katie didn’t look up. She only shook her head as she pushed food around her plate with a fork.
    Mrs. Quinn was looking at him from across the kitchen. Brian blinked as he met her stare. She shook her head before she turned away from him.
    ***
    It was lunchtime and Nicole was standing at Amber’s desk.
    “Amber, have you eaten lunch once this week? ”
    Amber shrugged. “I haven’t had much of an appetite.”
    Nicole studied her. “The flu, my ass. You’ve got man troubles, don’t you?”
    Amber sighed and nodded.
    Nicole raised her brow. “Want to talk about it?”
    “Not really, but thank you.”
    Nicole nodded then walked away. Amber got back to the letter she was writing.
    Twenty minutes later, Nicole was back at her desk. She handed Amber a white bag. One whiff told Amber the contents.
    Nicole arched an eyebrow. “Cheeseburger and fries. And you’d better eat all of it.”
    ***
    Amber pushed the blaring alarm. It was Friday. One week since Brian had broken up with her.
    The sadness