Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dylan
Time was running out and he was no closer to a decision than he’d been when Sam had chained him to the bed and forced him to tell her the truth. On the one hand was the opportunity of a lifetime.
On the other, the only woman he wanted to spend that lifetime with.
Fuck.
When Friday morning rolled around and he still hadn’t made up his mind, he did what he’d always done whenever something felt too big to handle on his own.
He called his best friend.
“I swear if you’re calling to ask for advice about your relationship with my mother I’m going to hang up this phone and never speak to you again.”
Ethan’s annoyed growl surprisingly brightened Dylan’s mood considerably. “Now that you mention it, do you know if she prefers watermelon or cherry? I found this flavored lube and—”
“Fuck off, Cross.”
Laughing, Dylan leaned back in his office chair. “Man, I miss you.”
“I guess I miss you too, asshole. But I’m assuming you didn’t call me at 10 am on a Friday just to tell me you can’t live without my pretty face. So what’s up?”
It was now or never. “I got a job offer. From Pacificum.”
“Holy shit. Are you fucking kidding me?”
“No. It’s not my dream job, but it’s just a couple steps away and they’re offering me a shit-ton of money.”
“Congrats, dude. That’s incredible. I’m so fucking happy for you.”
“I don’t know if I’m going to take it.”
Shocked silence met his declaration, followed by an equally shocked, “Why the fuck not?”
“Because I promised Sam I wouldn’t force her to uproot her entire life just so I could go play scientist. It’s not fair to her.”
“Okay, well, first of all you’re not playing scientist. You are a scientist and a goddamn excellent one at that. Second of all, it’s not fair to either of you for you to turn this down.”
“What do you mean it’s not fair to her?”
A derisive snort came through the speaker. “I swear it’s like you don’t even know her. She’ll never forgive herself if she thinks for even one second you gave up your dream job for her, Dyl. And can you honestly tell me that a teeny-tiny part of you wouldn’t resent her for it?”
He didn’t want to admit it. But ever since Sam had planted that seed of doubt in his mind, he couldn’t stop thinking about what their future would look like. What his future could look like if he stayed versus if he left. “Yeah. Yeah, maybe.”
“Like I said, it’s not fair to either of you. Or me, come to think of it. I already come from a broken home, Dyl. Don’t make me a child of divorce again.”
“Asshole.” Dylan managed to laugh, but the truth of Ethan’s words lodged in his chest. “I don’t know what to do, E. I love her, so fucking much. She’s my endgame. When I try to picture moving to California without her it’s like there’s a giant hole right next to me where she’s supposed to be.”
“Have you considered asking her if she’d go with you?”
“I can’t do that. Her whole life is here.”
“And your whole future is in California. You can’t pass this up, Dyl.”
“Fuck.” Blowing out a breath, Dylan ran a hand through his hair, his heart already breaking in his chest. “You’re right. I can’t. But it’s going to kill me to walk away from her.”
“You’ll figure something out. You’re a smart guy.”
“Thanks, E.”
“No problem. And congrats again, man. You’re going to do amazing things out there.”
They ended the call and Dylan stared down at his phone for a long, long while before he gathered the courage to punch in the numbers he’d been given.
“Sylvie? I’m in.”
Sam
God, she hated her job. And not in the “man, today has been a hard day” kind of way everyone experienced in Corporate America. But in the “this job is slowly killing my soul and I don’t think I can survive another twenty years of this” kind of way.
Maybe she should start looking for something else. There were plenty of banking jobs in and around Atlanta.
Even more in California, probably.
Those kinds of thoughts had been popping up more and more as she waited for Dylan to make his decision about the job at Pacificum. And on a day like today, it was more tempting than ever to just throw caution to the wind and tell him he was taking the job and she was coming with him.
On her desk, her phone vibrated and she grinned when her son’s face popped up on the screen. Hitting the button, she brought the device to her ear. “Hey, baby. Everything okay?”
“Everything’s great here. But I just got off the phone with Dylan.”
Nerves knotted in her stomach. “Oh?”
“Yeah. He told me about the job in California, Mama.”
“He did?” Which meant he was taking it. He wouldn’t have reached out to Ethan if he wasn’t looking to be convinced he should take it.
She was going to be sick.
“He did. I told him he’d be a complete dumbass if he didn’t take the job.”
Closing her eyes, she swallowed hard, willing back the tears that threatened. “You’re not wrong. It sounds like an incredible opportunity.”
“It’s not just an opportunity, Mama. It’s the opportunity. So yeah, he’s a dumbass if he doesn’t take it.”
“I know.”
“And you’re a dumbass if you let him leave you behind.”
Shock had her eyes flying open. “Ethan Samuel. Did you just call your mother a dumbass?”
“I did indeed.”
“You’re grounded for the rest of your life.”
“Worth it if that’s what it takes to talk some sense into your stubborn ass.”
“My stubborn ass? What about Dylan’s?”
“He’s too mired in his martyrdom to listen to reason.
And, well, I think it needs to come from you.
” Ethan sighed. “Mama, that man loves you. It still weirds me the fuck out, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you.
And knowing he’s agonizing over taking this job the way he is, because he loves you too much to even ask you to give up the life you have in Georgia, well, it tells me everything I need to know about his feelings for you. ”
“I can’t just leave, Ethan. I have a job and I’d have to sell the house and… It’s just not that simple.”
“You hate your job and from what my realtor friends tell me, it’s a seller’s market.”
“But you grew up in that house. You love that house.”
“I do and I’ll be sad to see it go. But I’d be even sadder knowing I ruined my mother’s shot at true love over a damn house. Do you really think I’m that selfish, Mama?”
“No, of course not.” Mind racing, she went through the mental list she’d created of all the reasons she couldn’t go to California. “But your grandparents are here. I can’t just leave them.”
“Please. Nana and Pops spend as much time traveling as they do at home anyway, and they’re still young and spry. You really think they’d want you to stay for them?”
The truth of his words settled deep in her bones. “No. No, I guess not.”
“Mama.” Ethan’s tone gentled. “Sooner or later you’re going to run out of excuses and you’re going to have to face the real reason you’re trying so hard to stay in Georgia.”
“And what’s that, oh wise one?”
“You’re scared. You love Dylan, and the last time you loved a man, he ripped you into little tiny pieces you never thought you’d put back together.
But you did, because you’re a hell of a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for.
I don’t know if this thing between you and Dylan is going to last forever, but I do know that you’re going to regret it every fucking day of your life if you don’t at least give it a chance. ”
Silence fell between them, stretching out for several long, strained minutes before Ethan cleared his throat.
“My lunch break is almost over, so I gotta go. Just promise me you’ll think about it, and you won’t let that fear hold you back.
I love you, and I want you to be happy. Dylan makes you happy. ”
“I love you too, baby.”
“Bye, Mama.”
The call ended, leaving her alone with her jumbled thoughts. Every argument she’d had for staying, Ethan had systematically dismantled.
Dylan was going to take the job. Odds were, he’d gotten off his call with Ethan and called them to accept and he was, at that very moment, agonizing over how to tell her. But he was only going through with it because she’d insisted.
If she’d asked, he would have turned them down in a heartbeat.
And he would have made the best of their life here in Georgia.
He probably even would have been happy, because being with her made him happy.
A single word from her, and he would have turned his entire life upside-down to give her the life she wanted.
How could she possibly do anything less for him?
Pushing away from her desk, she grabbed her purse and shoved her laptop into her computer bag. She stopped in the doorway to her boss’s office, excitement skittering up and down her spine when he raised startled eyes to hers.
“Samantha. Is there something I can help you with?”
“As a matter of fact there is.” Adrenaline fueled by fear and excitement pumped through her veins, making her feel a hell of a lot braver than usual. “I have some things to say to you, Chase.”
Leaning back in his chair, Chase raised his brows, his expression bordering on amusement. “Then say them.”
“You’re a shitty fucking boss.” Shock had his mouth falling open, but now that the dam had been broken, there was no stopping the flood of words from her mouth.
“You have wildly unreasonable expectations for your employees, you talk to us like we’re children, and you never bother to tell us when we’re doing a good job.
You take credit for the work we do, and throw us under the bus when you fuck up.
You are everything that’s wrong with Corporate America, and I wish I could be here for the day karma finally catches up with you. ”
Pausing, she let her lips curve in a razor-sharp smile. “But I won’t be. Because I fucking quit.”
Without bothering to wait for a response, she turned on her heel and marched straight out of the office.
And into her new life.