I remembered how confident she’d been. How she’d seemed so sure of my willingness to participate. She’d come at me like it was already a done deal, swaying her curvy hips in my direction like she was about to cash in on a fortune.

Except I wasn’t for sale.

That confidence she’d had that night in the lobby was starting to waver now, the longer she stood here. The more I looked at her, the more I started to notice the slight differences in her normal appearance. She was a little rough around the edges, her perfect hair just slightly frazzled in places, like she’d stood too close to a faulty wire.

“What’s going on with you, Lauren?” I asked, trying to take her at face value.

Cara had seen something in her, something good and real behind all those phony layers she wore.

Maybe I could, too. Maybe.

“No!” she yelled. “You don’t get to be the good guy now. Not ever. You ruined my life!”

My eyes widened as I tried to comprehend what she’d just said.

I ruined her life?

Footsteps echoed outside as a frantic Cara entered my office. She was breathless, dripping wet from the rain, and she had inky-black tracks of mascara running down her face.

I’d never seen anyone more beautiful.

“You’re here,” I said, nearly stunned.

“I tried to—” She held up a finger, bending over to catch her breath. “Get here sooner, but I fell asleep after my coffee this morning because I’d been awake all night, and then there was a delay in the tunnels.”

Mid sentence, she looked over, noticing Lauren for what must have been the first time. Her eyes widened, much like mine had mere seconds ago.

“Has she told you?” Cara asked, looking at me.

“That I ruined her life?” I asked. “Yes, but I have no idea how.”

Opening her jacket, Cara pulled out a folder and held it up. “I know why—or why she thinks that, at least.”

Lauren viewed our exchange, her arms folded tightly across her chest, and then she obviously couldn’t handle being silent anymore.

“No!” she roared. “This is not supposed to happen. You’re supposed to leave him, and he’s supposed to be miserable. Just like he deserves.” Tears leaked out the corners of her eyes.

Cara made a move toward her, but Lauren deflected, stepping away from her.

“I don’t understand what’s going on,” I said, watching the two women in my office, feeling completely useless.

“I’m only making an educated guess here, based on what I know of you and what I’ve discovered here,” Cara said, holding out the file. “But I think the reason Lauren holds so much animosity for the Cavenaugh family is because of this.”