Chapter Twenty-Seven Laney
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LANEY
I watched the fake flames flicker as heat surrounded me.
Connor’s scent cloaked me, and I trembled as I thought about our connection.
I had to give us credit. I felt empowered to speak my feelings now.
I wasn’t worried or scared of our conversation.
Sure, there were some nerves, but Connor opening up had changed our relationship.
I wanted to know about the board meeting. He hadn’t mentioned anything. My hair was a mess, so I redid it in a messy bun as Connor walked into the living room with two bowls on a tray. I was about to flirt with him, but there was tension all around his eyes.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
His gaze met mine as he sat down, setting the tray between us.
“Ryan left a message.”
Ah.
“You’re worried about it.”
“He asked me to call him back.” Connor nudged my knee, his pointed stare urging me to eat. “Laney, I will feed you if I have to.”
“That might be fun.”
He snorted, his lips quirking up on one side. I wanted to lighten the mood, but the tension in his shoulders was too noticeable.
Instead of fighting him, I took a few bites. He nodded in approval before he stared at the fire.
“All my life, I was told I had to fight to be good enough. My dad raised me without real love. It was all drive and competition to be the best. Being the CEO of a startup tech company was all I knew how to be. Then I met you, and you clashed with my plans a little. I had this beautiful soul loving me and wanting to be in my life. It was a gift. You are a gift.”
My chest ached for him. The pain, the stress poured out of him. But he needed to do this. I rubbed his knee, drawing small circles on it as he took a deep breath and continued.
“My dad always liked having control over me. I used to think it was to help me succeed, but now… I don’t even understand his motivations.
When he told me to let you go, it broke something in me.
Then he threatened me about Dennis and my position.
” Connor shook his head, his voice quieter now. “This isn’t the life I want.”
“Do you think Dennis has something on him?” I asked gently.
“I don’t know,” Connor admitted. “Or maybe it’s just the way they all play the game.
Dennis told me he’d only give the COO role to his nephew.
It’s all politics, and I’m tired of it. I thought this was my dream career, but…
maybe it’s not. I’ve been holding on to it so tightly, I didn’t stop to ask if it was worth it. ”
“You’re great at your job,” I offered carefully. “You love leading, creating, negotiating. That’s who you are.”
“I do love those things,” he said, his gaze meeting mine.
“But not with all the strings attached. I’ve been so scared of losing their approval—or my position—that I forgot what really matters.
Cutting ties with my dad doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.
Honestly, I feel relieved. But walking away from this company? That’s harder.”
I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “You’re allowed to choose something new. Something better for you.”
He smiled faintly, as if seeing the possibility for the first time. “Maybe I already have.”
“What do you want, Connor? No filters, no second-guessing—what do you want? Six months from now, how do you want your life to look?”
His gaze moved from the fire to me, a soft, gentle expression on his face.
“I want you happy and looking at me like you are now. I want to see our child grow inside you, be there for every appointment, and laugh and cry with you as you waddle.”
“I will not waddle!” I teased.
“Being here has reset my priorities. Cherrywood has magic to it.” He flashed a nervous smile, his shoulders tensing. “You love it here.”
I nodded. “Can I share something with you?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. Honesty, forever, even if it’s hard to hear.” His voice quieted, but the intensity in his eyes stayed firm. “I want to know all of you—your thoughts, your dreams, your fears. I’ll carry them with you, no matter what.”
I took a deep breath, finding strength in his words.
“I want to stay here. Full time. I’ve hinted at it before, but I need you to know—I don’t just like Cherrywood; I feel like I belong here.
It’s not just the familiarity or my parents being nearby.
It’s everything. The small-town life, the friends I’ve reconnected with, the quiet moments.
I’m not lonely here like I was in the city.
I don’t just want this to be a retreat. I want it to be home. ”
His gaze locked onto mine, unyielding and steady. “Keep going,” he said, his voice low but encouraging.
“I also don’t love the idea of you working an hour away all the time,” I confessed, softer now. “If we lived here, you’d miss so much—coming home late, leaving early. It’d be just me again. And I want more for us, especially now.”
His jaw tightened for a moment, then relaxed.
“I’ve thought about this too,” he admitted, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“I even talked to Alex, our finance guy, a while back to see if we could afford to keep the condo and buy a house here. Turns out, we can. I was going to surprise you with the idea.”
My eyes widened. “Two places? Really?”
“Yeah.” He leaned back, running a hand over his jaw, a mix of hope and hesitation flickering across his face.
“But after everything—the hospital, the baby—it’s clearer to me now.
A place in Cherrywood isn’t just a second home.
It’s our home. And if that means finding a remote job or even something here, then that’s what I’ll do.
I’m not going to miss a single moment of this life with you. ”
Tears stung my eyes, but they were from relief, not sadness. “You’d do that?”
He reached across the table, taking my hand in his. “Baby, I will do that. You’re my future—this life we’re building is my future. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make it ours.”
“Can you call Ryan back?” I whispered, my voice steady but full of hope. Connor needed clarity, and I believed this call would bring it. “You deserve to know the full story. Even if that’s not what you want anymore, you need to know.”
Connor hesitated, his brow furrowed. “You think I should hear him out?”
“I think you owe it to yourself—and us—to get the truth.” I leaned forward, placing a hand on his knee. “And whatever happens, we’ll figure it out.”
He studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Alright.”
He picked up his phone and called Ryan. I stayed close, offering silent support as the line connected.
“Connor, thanks for calling me back,” Ryan said, his tone earnest. “I wanted to update you personally.”
“I’m listening,” Connor replied, his tone guarded.
“First off, I’m relieved Laney is doing better. We were all worried,” Ryan began.
“She’s fine, thanks,” Connor said curtly. “Now tell me what’s going on.”
“We had an emergency board meeting this morning,” Ryan continued.
“Jen told us everything—how Dennis orchestrated the breach. It was a calculated move to undermine you and secure the chief operating officer position for his nephew. He thought if the company looked unstable, we’d turn to him for leadership. ”
Connor stiffened, his jaw tightening. “And my dad? Was he involved?”
“No,” Ryan said firmly. “That’s actually something I wanted to clear up. Your father wasn’t part of this, Connor. In fact, he came to us last week to express concerns about Dennis’s behavior. He was advocating for you.”
Connor froze, his wide eyes meeting mine. “What?”
“Your dad’s been in your corner this whole time,” Ryan said. “I know your relationship has been strained, but he had your back. Dennis, on the other hand, has been removed from the board and is under investigation. He won’t interfere with the company—or you—again.”
The weight of Ryan’s words settled over us. Connor’s hand gripped the armrest, his knuckles white. He let out a slow breath before speaking. “I appreciate the clarification. I have conditions if I’m staying.”
“Name them,” Ryan replied without hesitation.
Connor leaned forward, his tone measured but resolute. “I’ll stay for six months, working remotely most of the time. I’ll help transition Petra into her leadership role.”
There was a brief pause before Ryan responded, “Done. We should’ve given you that flexibility from the start. Thank you for staying on.”
Connor’s jaw tightened as he considered Ryan’s words. “I’m agreeing to six months, Ryan. That’s it. After that, I make no promises. I need to prioritize my family and where my life is headed.”
“I understand,” Ryan said quickly, his tone conciliatory. “You’ve more than earned the right to dictate your terms. We’ll take it one step at a time.”
Connor nodded, but his expression remained distant. His mind was clearly elsewhere. “I’ll touch base after the holidays. I want these next few weeks to be about my wife and our plans. No interruptions.”
“Absolutely,” Ryan assured him. “Take all the time you need. Merry Christmas to you and Laney.”
“Merry Christmas,” Connor replied curtly before ending the call.
He set the phone down and exhaled, his shoulders sagging. I moved closer, resting my hand on his knee. “Six months?” I asked gently.
“That’s all I can give them,” he said, his voice low but firm.
“I don’t know what happens after that. Maybe I’ll stay as a consultant, maybe I won’t.
” He ran a hand over his face, sighing before meeting my gaze.
His voice was quiet, almost disbelieving.
“I was wrong about him. My dad wasn’t working against me. ”
I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. I could hardly believe it myself. “That’s a lot to take in.”
“It is,” Connor admitted, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve spent so much time assuming he was trying to control me, that he didn’t even believe in me. But all this time, he secretly had my back. I don’t get it.”