33. Quandary #2
"Hi yourself, Red. Shall we?" The shadows in his eyes from last night had receded, as if he had a better handle on whatever problem tormented him. "It's a lovely day outside and I know the perfect café patio to take advantage of it."
Turned out, the outdoor patio belonged to more of a burger joint than a café, but Noah was right about the weather.
It was gorgeous. Houston winters, she was learning, were far different from the harsh, icy colds of West Texas, and much milder than those in Northern California as well.
She'd bet this balmy sixty-five-degree day was also different for Noah, too.
Once they'd received their meals and picked a table, Noah got straight to the point.
"Sorry I've been so distant. Jackie made me a job offer, and it took me by surprise."
"A job offer?" Claire's brow furrowed. "In IT?" She bit into her burger and waited for him to explain.
"Yes. I've told you how boring my current job had turned before the project, right?"
At her nod, he continued, "What I haven't shared is how hard I think it will be to go back to just being a production manager.
After seeing how all the pieces fit together from a high-level overview—What'd you call it?
Fifty-thousand-foot view?—it'd be like going back into a smaller box.
Like moving your horses from the pasture to a ten-by-ten pen, to use your Texas vernacular. "
Claire grinned at his attempt to put things in her terms, never mind that she'd never ridden a horse in her life or even been around them, for that matter.
"This is not news to me. We've talked about your discontent.
And everybody at work talks about your big picture knowledge all the time.
I already knew you'd grown beyond your old job. "
Noah stared at her for a moment before speaking again. "Well, you could have said something, so I didn't have to figure it all out for myself. Cheeky monkey."
Claire giggled. "Anyway, the new job?" she prompted, popping a french fry into her mouth.
His smile left his face. "It's almost perfect. I would move into a global position where I could see everything. But I wouldn't be in operations anymore—which is where I'm comfortable and secure. I'm up for the adventure, but it'd be like taking on a new job with no experience, which is daunting."
Claire wiped her hands on her napkin. "I don't see that as something you'd shy away from. I mean, you're already doing something similar. What's really got you jammed up?" She popped another fry into her mouth. "These are delicious, by the way."
Noah smiled. She could see him collecting his thoughts as he watched a bird hop along the sidewalk, searching for scraps.
He dismissed the bold little bird and faced her.
"You're right, I'd love the challenge. The thing that has me hesitating…
" Noah squirmed in his seat and played with his burger.
"The potential deal breaker is…" He blew out a harsh breath. "I'd be your boss."
Claire choked on the fry. She grabbed her soda and gulped a drink, trying to stem the uncontrollable coughing. Noah stood to rub her back, but she waved him off while she pulled herself together.
"Well, fiddly sticks," she said, once she could speak again.
"That's exactly what I thought," he said, grinning at her phrasing. "Actually, the word I used was less… chaste."
"I bet." Claire glanced at her burger, which she no longer had a desire to eat. Setting it down, she slumped in her seat. "So, what does that mean for us?" Her stomach churned. She pulled her coat tighter. Funny how a balmy sunny day could turn chilly in a heartbeat.
"It means…" He looked away, his gaze aimed at the distance.
She watched his chest expand as he inhaled deeply and prepared herself for the worst. She was going to lose him.
He'd spent his whole life working toward that next step up the corporate ladder and he'd known her for what?
Five months? She braced herself for his next words, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Six months ago, I wouldn't have hesitated. I would have asked Jackie where do I sign. And how fast do I move?"
"Move?" She took a drink from her cup, trying to appear nonchalant while fear gripped her insides.
"Oh, yeah. They want me to relocate to Houston.
" His sad little smile almost stopped her heart.
She wanted to get up and walk away before he told her he was breaking up with her so he could take the job.
Instead, she listened as Noah told her the rest. How if he turned it down, they'd ship him back to England, back to his little box.
"What are you gonna do?" she whispered, blinking back tears she refused to let fall.
He flinched. His gaze drilled into her. "Claire, I care about you. I-I thought you felt the same about me." He carefully wiped his hands on his napkin and rested them on the table. "As much as I want to take this job, I won't if it means I have to give you up."
"Oh, my gosh!" she gushed, relief sending her heart into overdrive.
Her limbs loosened. "I thought you were breaking up with me because this job sounds like everything you've been wanting, and I couldn't imagine you giving that up for someone you've only known for…
" She trailed off as he reached across the table and placed both hands on either side of her face.
"Perhaps I haven't been clear about my feelings.
" His thumb rubbed against her cheek. "I don't do serious relationships.
Ever. Whenever I've been involved with a woman before, I've always kept it casual.
I never stayed over at her house, and I certainly never took her around my family.
We were together purely for companionship.
" He dropped his hands and scooted around to her side of the table, eyes still locked onto hers.
Once seated on her bench, he cupped her face again, his thumbs gently caressing her cheeks.
"Claire, you've blown me away. I want something permanent with you.
I'm totally in love with you. Any job that means I can't be with you is unacceptable. Do you understand?"
She nodded, lightheaded from the whiplash of emotions from the last few minutes. The tears she'd held back spilled over to run down her face. Claire sniffed, embarrassed for crying in relief.
"Oh, honey, don't cry." He wiped the tears off her cheeks, then softly kissed each one.
"I love you too," she whispered. "It came to me this morning when I saw you standing in the hallway waiting for me. I almost stumbled and fell."
Noah threw back his head and laughed. "I wondered what the stutter step was about. You had such a strange look on your face, but I didn't want to ask in case it was something embarrassing, like indigestion or something."
She laughed with him. "So, what now?" The idea of him giving up something he'd been working toward before he even knew her was a bit humbling. And a little dizzying. She needed to unpack that later, but right now, she was overwhelmed with relief and joy.
"I don't know. But I am glad we didn't tell Simon or Jackie about us.
I'm not sure they would have made the offer, since there would be an immediate conflict of interest." He scowled.
"Man, I am really starting to hate that phrase.
" Noah pulled his plate over and picked up his burger.
"Eat up. We'll figure something out. Let me tell you a story about Jeff Davis and his wife. "
She listened to Noah recap their company leader's romance story unable to stop the smile spreading across her face.
He wasn't leaving her. He wanted to make it work between them.
And he was confident that he could work out a solution to his job dilemma.
Warmth spread throughout her body and she snuggled closer to Noah while they ate.