Free Hard Habit to Break (A Chicago Love Story #1) by K.T. Webb Page B

finally arrives and I head to turn in my final paper for class and find Cassie is accepting them in Isaac’s place. She looks like she’s been crying. I’m confused but I don’t want to talk to her. I drop my paper off and turn to leave.
     
    Quite frankly, I’ve seen Cassie Peters more times than I care to. She is far too chipper and I want to punch her to shut her up. She talks incessantly about how she loves being Dr. Miller’s assistant. I hate myself for being jealous.
     
    “Did you hear?” She asks.
     
    Okay, I’ll bite, “Hear what?”
     
    “Isaac put in his notice.”
     
    My heart drops to the floor, “What? Why?”
     
    “No one really knows.”
     
    “Wow, that’s crazy,” I want to end this conversation so I can text him.
     
    “I know,” she sniffles.
     
    “Why are you crying? You and Dr. Miller weren’t an item were you?”
     
    Cassie leans forward, “Just between us girls, we made out in his office last week.”
     
    I try to keep my expression blank but I’m certain I fail miserably.
     
    “We were working late one night and he seemed distraught so I hugged him, and. . .one thing led to another. I guess I misread the signs between us, he pushed me away and left the office pretty quickly.”
     
    “So I guess the rumors about him are true then.”
     
    “I guess. But, he stopped me from going any further. I’d have done him on his desk, but he didn’t let it go any farther than a two-minute make-out session,” she perks up a little, “Do you think he quit for me?”
     
    I desperately struggle to contain the snort that threatens to escape me, “I doubt it. I’m pretty sure if that were the case you’d have been the first to know.”
     
    I leave the office with my head spinning. Maybe he got an offer from another university. It’s probably too much to stay here and live right next door to the first person he’d wanted to be with since his wife.
     
    I send him a text and simply ask if he’s alright. I’m not surprised when I don’t get anything back. What the hell is wrong with me? I can’t just insert myself back into his life. I wonder for a moment if he really did leave because of me. Does he still want to be with me? When I get home, my stomach churns at the sight of a moving van in front of his house.
     
    I avoid going up to the door because I know that if he wants to talk to me, he will. When I get inside, CeCe is waiting for me. The look on her face tells me she’s already heard.
     
    “So, have you talked to him?”
     
    “No. I don’t think he wants to talk to me.”
     
    “Stop being stupid, Liv, go over there and talk to him. What are you going to do if he leaves and you never tell him how you feel?”
     
    Ugh. I roll my eyes at her but I know she’s right. I grudgingly stand up and trudge out the front door. I pull my sweater tighter around my body as I make my way down our steps and up his. I don’t bother knocking because the door is open. When I step inside it hits me like a ton of bricks. He’s leaving. The books are gone. The couch is sitting alone in the living room.
     
    “Olivia,” he breathes when he sees me from the kitchen.
     
    “Isaac.”
     
    “What are you doing here?”
     
    “I was worried about you. Cassie told me you’d quit.”
     
    He registers that I’ve spoken with Cassie. Good, sweat that out a little buddy.
     
    “I’ve accepted a positon at Loyola.”
     
    “Oh, good for you.”
     
    “I’m moving to a house in the suburbs.”
     
    “I see. Why didn’t you tell Cassie? She’s heartbroken.”
     
    Isaac narrows his eyes at me, “Olivia, please don’t go there.”
     
    “I mean, it’s none of my business, but I hope you guys will be happy.”
     
    He runs his hand through his hair, I’ve clearly pissed him off. I don’t know why I thought there was even the slightest possibility that he was still interested in me.
     
    “Do you really have to be this difficult?” He sounds exasperated.
     
    “Do you