Free Fragmented by Colleen Connally Page A

Halliday, he broke up with you last week. Said you were in denial. He said he only took what was his. My advice, ma’am—contact an attorney.”
    “ Matthew? Matthew did this? It doesn’t make any sense. There has to be a mistake. We’re getting married.”
    Cameron caught the look the two police officers exchanged, a pathetic glare. She didn’t have money for an attorney, but a lawyer did contact her. Shortly after the police left, Oliver Stanton, the Halliday’s family attorney, severed all ties between her and Matthew.
    Matthew didn’t even have the courage to face her himself. He used his lawyer to communicate with her, sending Stanton over to their apartment not long after he deserted her. Returning home from work, she found a letter under her door from the lawyer. He offered her a deal—her furniture back if she agreed never to contact Matthew again. She had ripped the letter to shreds. She had not talked with Matthew again until six months ago when he started his surgical residency at Beth Israel.
    Three years! Oh my God, three years since he dumped her cold…and here she was three years later in her flannels, sleeping away her Saturday night. Stood up.
    Her knight in shining armor had texted to say he had to postpone their date; a case had come up. He didn’t even have the decency to call. No, once more she had been slapped in the face. Impersonal text…a brush-off.
    What had she expected? For Darren to have felt the earth move like she did? Thankful ly, she received the text while in her bedroom picking out an outfit for the night. Zach was sleeping on the couch again. He had felt sick. Said he was coming down with the same thing Randy had. She didn’t want him to see her upset.
    She hated that Darren standing her up hurt. It shouldn’t have. She had known better, but she couldn’t get him out of her thoughts. The way he held her, kissed her…touched her. My God! Something is wrong with me!
    She squeezed her eyes closed and cried. How stupid could she have been! She turned over. Thoughts ran th rough her head…she wanted to think of anything except Darren.
    She had so much to do if she was going to move out. It would keep her mind off her love life —or lack thereof. She had to call her real estate agent to make the offer on the condo.
    She wished her father had come to see it beforehand, but if she didn’t make the offer , she would lose out. First thing in the morning, she had to call.
    A home to herself . She had worked hard for it: three years of overtime, striving to be financially independent. She would be eternally grateful to Karl and Greg, but it was time. She needed her space.
    She had known Karl since he had moved into her neighborhood during elementary school. They were in most of the same classes in school. Many a time, Cameron helped Karl on a test, let him copy her homework…that was , until he took the SAT and wiped her score in the ground with his.
    “ You’re not as helpless as you claim to be, Karl Neslund. You’re just lazy,” Cameron stated plainly the next time he wanted her to do his schoolwork.
    Greg Mobley , on the other hand, Cameron hadn’t seen since freshmen year of high school until she had run into Karl shortly before her break-up with Matthew. She hadn't known him well back then. He had only lived in Hull a couple of years.
    After Matthew left her, Karl offered her this solution of the three of them living together. Greg attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design, seeking some graduate degree. He had told her, but honestly she hadn’t listened. Karl graduated from Harvard Law last fall.
    From there , everything fell into place with the three of them, not that Cameron saw much of them—not with the hours she kept, taking care of her father and brother. Karl, she never saw between his work, hers, and his attention to the ladies.
    Her stomach growled. She had forgotten she hadn’t eaten. Not that she felt like getting up. It was an effort to even lift her