Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Atlas
Friday, First Day of the Reunion
“Atlas, can we chat for a minute?”
My stomach tumbled at Jeb’s words an hour before we were set to close up for the weekend.
It had been a busy week, and I’d just gotten off the phone, trying to make a dinner reservation for next week.
I was planning to ask Miles to move in with me, and I wanted it to be special, so I’d called the Italian place we often ordered takeout from in Walhalla to see if they could accommodate us.
Of course, they didn’t take reservations, but they said they were happy to fit us in whenever we got there. The arrangements were almost complete.
But the sinking in my gut told me the next few minutes might change everything.
I straightened my simple emerald-green wrap dress with a tiny floral print as I stood from behind my computer and followed Jeb out of my office and down the hall into his.
When he shut the door after motioning for me to sit in one of the chairs behind his desk, my nerves ramped up further. This wasn’t good.
Jeb circled his desk in the smallish office and sunk into his faux leather chair that had seen better days. Though he had the largest office in the place, it was still smaller than my living room—and that was saying something.
I stared at his folded hands for a minute before I let my eyes trail up to meet his. My reluctance was warranted, it seemed, as I saw the sadness and regret in his gaze. Instantly, I knew why I was here.
“I’m not going to mince words.” He heaved a sad sigh. Shit. “I’m really sorry about this, Atlas, but we have to let you go.”
I froze, ice in my veins. I’d heard the words, but they weren’t registering. What did he say? Let me go? What . . . I . . . no . . . but . . .
My mouth wouldn’t work to reply despite my best efforts—which wasn’t a lot right now, to be honest—so he kept going.
“We love having you here, and you’ve done some really great work. This isn’t a reflection on you whatsoever. If it were up to me, I’d absolutely not be doing this. But . . . despite your best efforts over the past five months, we just can’t afford to keep you on the payroll.”
My eyes started burning, but I wouldn’t cry. “Wh-what?” I croaked.
The compassionate regret in his eyes wasn’t pity, but it felt like it, and I hated how it made my skin crawl.
“I’m so sorry, Atlas. You’ve been a bright spot here, and you have brought so much more value to this company than what your salary called for.
Your work has been exemplary—I will give you a glowing recommendation wherever you decide to go, whenever you need it.
” He sighed again, his countenance downcast. “I’ve been trying to find a way to keep you, Atlas, but the money just isn’t there. I’m really sorry.”
I swallowed hard, willing the tears to stay in my eyes before finally finding my voice. “Okay.”
Jeb nodded, studying my face. He was probably trying to figure out if he should offer me a tissue or stay still. I was not going to cry, dammit, but I had to get out of here soon. I was absolutely going to break down if I stayed.
Clearing my throat, I stood, smoothing my dress again. “Thanks for being straight with me.” I started to turn toward the door, but I thought of something else before I left, something I needed to know. “How long do I have?”
My question wasn’t articulate, but I must’ve gotten my point across. “We’ve managed to put together a month’s pay for you as a severance package. We anticipated this being your last day.”
My heart squeezed as I nodded, turning my face away. “Okay. I’ll use the rest of the day to finish everything up.”
I took the last few final steps to the door, but Jeb spoke again before I could open it.
“I’ll have a recommendation letter ready for you by then, and I’ll include all my contact information so you can list me as a reference on future job applications.
” He paused long enough that I swiveled my head to look back at him.
“I wish I didn’t have to do this, Atlas.
We loved having you here. I’m truly sorry. ”
I just nodded again before pulling his door open and heading back to my office. Only when the door was closed behind me did I collapse into my chair and start sobbing.
What the hell did I do now?
***
After a few minutes of bawling and another minute of cleaning the mascara off my cheeks with a tissue, I’d managed to pull myself together enough to be able to close out all my projects the best I could and pack up the few things I’d brought into the office.
My wardrobe was colorful and vibrant, but my workspace was relatively mild and sparse in comparison. I supposed that worked in my favor now.
As promised, Jeb stuck his head into my office ten minutes before four and handed me a formal letter on the company’s letterhead with a branded envelope and his business card.
After telling me he’d emailed the letter and his contact information to the email address I’d used to apply all those months ago and ensuring I had everything I needed, he gave me an apologetic pat on the shoulder and left the room, no doubt to stay out of my way as I left.
He’d been a great boss, and I didn’t blame him for this.
Things happened—I’d owned a business that fell apart, so I understood his position.
Didn’t mean I didn’t hate it.
I took my half-full banker’s box of my office decor and accoutrements, left my keycard on the desk of my—what used to be my—office, and headed through the empty lobby and out the front door.
I blinked at the bright sunlight, heat nearly suffocating me as the sun beat down on the blacktop of the parking lot.
I drew in what breath I could in the moist air and hurried to my car in my tan flats.
Once I’d deposited my box of possessions, including my empty lunchbox, on the backseat, I climbed into my car—shit, was I going to have to sell this to pay my bills?
—started the engine, and cranked the AC.
Then I clunked my forehead against the steering wheel and just . . . felt nothing.
I knew I wasn’t cried out. I suspected that would happen this weekend—fuck.
The goddamn reunion was this weekend. Miles still hadn’t given me an answer about coming to the reunion with me as my date, but even if he wasn’t ready to come out, we could still go as friends.
Though with this current heartbreak, I wasn’t sure if I could manage that one, too.
With a massive sigh, I dragged myself upright, shifted the car into gear, and started back home.
I’d RSVPed to most of the reunion events, so though I didn’t feel like attending now, I didn’t see that I had much of a choice. Maybe it would be a good distraction.
As I pulled into my driveway, I sat up taller, resolve washing away a bit of the pain of the loss of my job. That was what I’d do. I’d have a fabulous time this weekend and worry about my crumbling life on Monday.
Yes. That was what I’d do.
I didn’t see Miles’s truck in my driveway, so I unloaded my car and unpacked the box before texting him. Hey, my sweet boy. I know you’re not ready to come to the reunion as my date, but would you come with me as a friend? I had a shitty day, and I would love to spend time with you.
His reply was swift. I’d love that, Daddy.
Despite the raw wound, I smiled at the word. It never failed to fill me with joy.
Before I could reply, another text came in. You get fabulous, Daddy. I’ll be there in an hour. Does that work?
I smiled wider at his assumption that we’d go there together. Though he’d made no moves toward coming out, I knew he was committed to me and our relationship. He just needed a bit more time.
But as I texted back a simple Sounds good, baby, I started to wonder if time was, in fact, all he needed.
We’d been together for a couple of months, and in the grand scheme of things, sure, that wasn’t a long time.
But my heart told me I was all in, that I loved that man with my whole heart. Did Miles feel the same way?
Maybe losing my job had been a sign. Maybe Chase, my contact in Seattle, would have a job for me soon, and I’d move back. It would kill me to leave Miles, but if he didn’t want this long-term, maybe now was the time to let him go before we got in too deep.
Well, before he got in too deep. I already was.
Pushing away the dark thoughts, I put on my happy playlist to improve my mood and sang along as I showered, did my hair and makeup, and donned the beautiful yet casual silky femme suit that I’d purchased for tonight.
I had a showstopper for prom tomorrow night, one I’d kept hidden from Miles so it would be a surprise.
Fifteen minutes before Miles was due to show up, my phone rang. I blinked down at it, furrowing my brow when I saw Chase’s name on the screen. Had I manifested the man’s call?
After I’d stopped my music, I tapped to answer the call and put it on speaker, my stomach tumbling for the second time today. “Hello?”
Chase’s voice came across loud and clear in my otherwise quiet room. “Atlas, how are you?”
I sighed, deciding to share a little bit of the truth. We were in that weird gray area between colleague and friend, so I felt like it would be okay. “I’ve had a bit of a rough day, but I’m headed to my high school reunion in a bit, so hopefully things will turn around.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but I have news that will hopefully brighten your day.”
“Oh?” I smoothed the mascara wand over my eyelashes for a final touch. My eyeshadow and subtle but striking liner was already perfect.
“I have that job for you.”
I froze for the second time this afternoon, grateful I hadn’t jolted and poked myself in the eye. Carefully, I returned the mascara to its tube, twisting it closed and setting it down. “You . . . you have a job for me?”
Chase chuckled, probably at how ridiculous I sounded parroting his words back to him. “Yes. I want you to join my C-suite as my Chief Marketing Officer, as discussed. All the benefits we talked about plus a few more I threw in to sweeten the pot.”
My jaw dropped as he outlined said benefits. It would be ridiculous to turn this down, but . . .
“That all sounds incredible, Chase, but I’m seeing someone right now. Can I have some time to think about it, talk it over with him?”
“Absolutely. Feel free to bring him along! The apartment I have set up for you is plenty big enough for two.”
I coughed, nearly choking on air at the idea of Miles moving across the country to be with me. I couldn’t picture him in a high-rise apartment in Seattle, but who knew?
Shit, now that I’d imagined it, the idea had me in a chokehold. But would he even want to move across the country with me?
No, his life was here. Claudia and Ophelia—who he’d told me the other day had just gotten engaged—were nearby, and he’d grown up here. It would be selfish of me to even ask him to consider it.
But this job offer was too good to pass up. And given that I was unemployed as of like an hour ago, I wasn’t sure what choice I had. “Can I sleep on it? I can let you know sometime tomorrow.”
“Of course. And listen . . . I hate to be so pushy before you even accept the job, but we have a major client starting with the firm on Monday, and the project kickoff is at nine am. I know that’s a super quick turnaround, but I’d love to have you here for that if possible, even if you need to go back to tie up loose ends once we onboard you and that client.
We’ll pay for the travel back and forth, of course. ”
I swallowed a gasp. Chase must really want me to offer me all of this. The benefits package alone told me that. “I’ll reach out tomorrow evening, Chase. I really appreciate the offer. You don’t even know how timely this is.” I sniffed out a derisive chuckle.
He mirrored the sound. “Sounds good. We would love to have you, Atlas. There’s an early morning flight on Sunday, and we’d like to have you on it. I’ll send you an email with all the details. Let me know what you decide.”
After he’d hung up, I sat at my vanity staring at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t believe the timing of this. Who got laid off then got a dream job offer in the same afternoon?
The timing was wild. But what did I do about Miles?
I only moved when I heard Miles opening the front door I’d left unlocked for him. Glancing at my reflection for a final appraisal—and giving myself a mental thumbs-up—I pushed from my chair and walked out into the hall to greet him with a kiss.
He accepted it eagerly but kept the kiss light, trained after months of dating me not to mess up my lipstick. When I pulled away with a small smile, his eyes scanned my entire body. He took in my royal blue suit and whistled. “Damn, Daddy. You look incredible.”
“Thanks, sweet boy. Feeling a little they/them tonight.” I looked him over as well, and my breath caught at his black button-up shirt—with the sleeves rolled up in the most gratuitous of forearm porn, of course—and gray dress pants with a black leather belt and shoes. “Fuck, Miles, you clean up well.”
He blushed, chuckling in the most adorable way. “Thanks, Daddy. I have a suit for tomorrow night with a purple satin pocket square and tie, as requested.”
I grinned. We were going to prom—coordinating outfits were pretty much required, even though we weren’t going as each other’s date. Even if it wouldn’t be obvious, I was leaning into the cheese; isn’t that what high school reunions were about, anyway? “Good boy.”
Miles’s face lit up, and warmth bloomed in my chest. I loved watching his reaction to those two words, so I used them as often as I could.
“Ready to go? I thought we could take my car.”
Miles nodded, glancing around my small home. “Are you all set? Do you need to grab anything?” He glanced down and smirked. “Like shoes?”
I had a delicate shoulder bag that matched my sparkly white heels, too, but both were still in the bedroom. “Be right back.”
We were on the road in less than five minutes.