Free Private Property: a Contemporary Romance Novella by T. Michelle

followed him down the hall and unpacked her belongings into the whitewashed dresser and closet.  Jared stood, leaning against the edge of the door while she did this, content to study her movements.
    “You’re moving well.”  Suddenly he clapped his hands together loudly.  “Okay – you should get started on Monday that will give you the weekend to relax.  Let the fun begin.”  He heaved himself off his post and sauntered out of the room.  Tabitha suddenly felt like maybe she’d bitten off more than she could chew.
       
    The office was located to the left of the bathroom at the end of the L-shaped hallway.  It was as pristinely organized as everything else in Jared’s life and she found it easy to maneuver about.  It was a large room, boasting several filing cabinets and two huge desks: one set up for working manually at, the other for the computer.
    Tabitha had not done much work on a computer and spent the first week familiarizing herself with it as well as her boss’ preferences.  For the most part, he was easy to work for.  He came and went, sometimes leaving the house for long periods of time, made long, difficult phone calls regarding his patient load, and taught her how to use the book-balancing software and file paperwork away.
    By week number two, Tabitha was on a roll.  Even with the one-arm handicap, she managed to keep the office running smoothly.  At night, she usually made herself a small bowl of cereal or fruit if Jared wasn’t home then crawled into bed.  She slept soundly – the nightmare not haunting her for a change.  On Wednesday, Tabitha woke feeling energized and decided to dress a bit better, now that she could manage somewhat without the use of her left arm.
    She decided on a pair of jeans and turquoise tank top with a built in bra.  Trying to fasten a bra with only one hand was impossible.  Plus, t hat way at lunchtime, she could take Sam for a walk.  She couldn’t manage to tie her hair up, so she brushed it until the blue-black shine cascaded down her back.  A little makeup was applied to her cheeks, eyes and lips.  She felt good for the first time in three weeks.
    She patted Sam’s head as she passed him in the hall.  They’d become good friends in the past days , having spent many a night together.  At first, it was difficult.  Tabitha’s fear would skyrocket at the sight of the dog, but now, she realized that he was essentially harmless.  He’d just been trying to defend his homestead that night.  They took walks together, played catch, and at night he slept at the foot of her bed if Jared wasn’t home, which made her feel safe in the darkness.
    The phone rang as she entered the kitchen.  It wasn’t yet time for office hours, so Tabitha let the machine get it.
    “Jared, it’s Amanda.  Give me a call.”  Ah, The Girlfriend .  Or that’s what Tabitha assumed she was.  Amanda was the person he’d been talking to right before she’d been taken to the hospital.  She called every day or two and that usually signified Jared being in a bad mood and indisposed for the night.
    Tabitha found she liked the isolat ion her location brought her - t he starry nights, no traffic or city noise.  Plus, it wasn’t as though she were stranded.  Her car had been fixed while she was in the hospital – a new radiator, hood , fender and bumper, along with a brand new back axle and set of tires.  Her first week as Jared’s employee, the car had been repainted and now she drove an emerald green Camry.  It felt like a new car.  Even though she couldn’t manage to drive too much, there was cause for a cruise to the store on occasion.
    She hadn’t had time to sit down and go over all the bills she’d accumulated with Jared.  In fact, they had yet to determine when her last day working for him would be.  With it being the middle of the second week, she knew it was time to approach him on the matter.
    The day went as they all did: she was able to fend