Girl Get Rid Of That Jerk (Williams and Shawn)

The air was thick with secrecy.

Allison answered the phone, her eyes flicking a warning at Joshua, silently begging him not to make a sound.

He just arched an eyebrow, lips curled in a half-smile, watching her with that infuriating, unreadable expression.

Javier's voice crackled through the phone. "Allie, weren't you supposed to land at six-thirty? Why aren't you home yet? Old Chen said you didn't take his cab-said you left with a friend. Are you coming home for dinner or not?"

Allison kept her tone steady. "Dad, a friend asked me to help out with a couple of cases, so I went to talk things over. We just wrapped up. I'm heading home for dinner now."

"Alright," her dad said. "Your aunt and I are waiting for you."

"Okay." She hung up and finally let herself breathe.

That was way too close.

She'd almost lost it—Joshua made it way too easy to forget herself.

He was still watching her, eyes dancing with amusement, a teasing smile tugging

at his lips. "So, Allie, you're all grown up and your parents still keep you on a leash? It's barely seven and they're already calling you home for dinner."

Allison ignored the dig and kept it businesslike. "I'm heading out. Have someone send these over to my office tomorrow."

Joshua didn't answer. He just watched her quietly, expression impossible to read.

She stood up and walked away, feeling his gaze follow her the whole way until she slipped out the door.

The room suddenly felt a lot bigger—and a lot colder.

The next morning at the law firm, Allison stepped into her office and nearly tripped

over five big cardboard boxes sitting right in the middle of the floor.

Two of them were the case files from Joshua's place yesterday.

The other three? Instantly familiar.

His gifts. The over-the-top, "I missed you" kind.

She'd already peeked inside one: a gorgeous white, matte crocodile leather bag.

Allison frowned. She'd specifically told Joshua to send over the case files-not the presents. Definitely not the presents.

She grabbed her phone and called him.

He answered right away. "What's up, Allie?"

She didn't waste any time. "Come get your gifts. I really don't need them."

His voice was cool. "I don't take back gifts. If you don't like them, just throw them away."

She rolled her eyes. Was he serious? She knew that bag-there was no way it cost less than a hundred grand. Just toss it?

Even if he had money to burn, this was insane.

"I'll have someone send them back to you," she said.

"Don't bother," Joshua replied, voice low and lazy f you send them back can't use them. They'll just end up in the trash."

Allison almost said, Why not give one to Carolyn, one to Megan, and just hand off the third to whoever else is on your list? But that sounded way too bitter and she wasnt about

totet him see that.

She swallowed the words. "Just don't send me gifts anymore. I don't care how rich you are-it's a waste."

"How could anything I give you be a waste?"

Allison's reply was flat. "I don't want them."

"Alright." Joshua didn't miss a beat. "Then tell me what you do want. I'll get it for you."

She let out a sigh. “Joshua, cut it out. You know what I mean. I don't want anything."

He went silent.

"That's it. Bye." She hung up.

In the end, Allison didn't send the bags back.

V

Each one was worth more than most people made in a year. If Joshua really planned on throwing them out, that would be a crime

against humanity content belongs

She stuffed the bags into the back of the office storage locker, out of sight, tryingnoveldrama

not to think about them-or him.