Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
HADLEY
Two days after Christmas, I wake up with knots in my stomach. Today’s meeting with Thiago could change everything. My whole career. Brooks is none the wiser, and we go about our morning routine like normal.
Normal . That’s what spending time together has become. It isn’t a question of if we’ll spend the night together, but whether I stay in his apartment or he sleeps at the resort with me. I’ll admit, I prefer his place, if for no other reason than the fact it reminds me of him.
Once we’re dressed and ready to face the day, Brooks turns to me. “Walk me out?” he asks.
I grab my coat, something I don’t usually need when I’m working at the resort, and follow him out of my suite. He takes my hand and intertwines our fingers, filling the silence with his plans for the day.
I feel a little bad, but I barely hear a word he says.
When we make it outside, he turns to face me. His brows are knitted in concern. “Are you okay? You’ve been quiet this morning.”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m alright. Just tired.”
It isn’t exactly a lie. We didn’t go to bed very early last night, and even after Brooks fell asleep, I struggled to do the same. Too many what-ifs played in my mind.
He gives my hand a squeeze. “If you’re sure. But you know you can talk to me, right? About anything.”
I offer him a soft smile. “I know. I promise it’s nothing.”
He takes a breath before nodding. “Alright. I’ll see you later?”
I raise up onto the tips of my toes and press my lips to his. “Later. I’ll come into town.”
His free arm slips around my waist, giving it a squeeze. “Looking forward to it.”
I don’t want to let him go. I want to stay right here in his arms and forget about all my worries. But I can’t. I have to face this, come what may. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself if I don’t at least try.
All throughout Boxing Day, I couldn’t stop thinking about my job. About the manager position. About me filling the manager position. Sam was the victim of a very early morning phone call, where we spent an hour working through a list of pros and cons. Then I added myself to Thiago’s schedule for this morning.
Perks of being the assistant.
I pull away from Brooks reluctantly, offering him a small smile. Then I turn to head back inside. Almost as soon as I take a step, something hits me in the back. I gasp as I whirl around.
“Did you just throw a snowball at me?”
Brooks grins, not at all sorry. He shrugs. “Maybe I did.”
I shake my head. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Come on, Hads. Have a little fun with me.”
“Fun? You’re going to be late! I’m going to be late.”
Even my excuses sound flimsy to my own ears, but it’s hard to indulge Brooks when I’ve got the pressing weight of this impending meeting bearing down on me.
He scoops up another handful of snow and begins to craft it into a ball. “You better start running,” he says.
My jaw drops. “Brooks! ”
This time, the snowball hits me square in the chest. It isn’t hard enough to hurt, but I can feel the cold seeping through the fabric of my shirt.
When I meet his gaze, my own eyes are narrowed. With a shake of my head, I reach down and grab my own handful of snow. It’s freezing against the bare skin of my palms, but I let my need for retribution fuel me. Once my snowball is shaped, I launch it in Brooks’s direction.
It lands a foot to his left.
He laughs. “You still need to work on your aim, sweetheart.”
I grab another ball of snow and march toward him. Once I’m standing an arm’s length away, I shove the snow into his chest, making sure to rub it into his shirt.
“How’s that for aim?”
With a laugh, he snakes an arm around my waist, pulling me close. Brooks takes my mouth in another kiss that has my knees weakening. It’s shorter than I’d like, but we really are going to be late if we keep this up.
“Have a good day, Hads,” he says when he pulls back. “I’ll see you tonight.”
I wait outside until Brooks is in his truck and on his way down the mountain. Then with a sigh, I head in and start thinking about my meeting with Thiago all over again. Although Brooks doesn’t know the reason I’m in my head this morning, he still managed to distract me for a little while. He’s good at that.
Once I make a quick stop back at my suite to change out of my wet shirt, I start toward the offices. As I’m walking, my phone dings with a text.
Sister Sam
You've got this! You deserve this job.
Although I’m wary about believing her too wholeheartedly, her words are a comfort.
I won’t deny I have worked hard these past five years. If I’m ever going to grow, I need to challenge myself. More than that, I need to believe in myself. I’ve gotten comfortable in my assistant role, but I want to be brave. I want to be that girl who moved to a different country at eighteen with nothing but a desire to see what happened.
Thank you! Love you the most.
Sister Sam
Love you the mostest. Now go kick ass!!
With a small laugh, I tuck my phone into my bag as I head into the back office I’ve made my home here.
The picture Brooks gave me on Christmas sits on the desk beside the computer, and the younger versions of us stare at me as I get settled. Seeing that picture was the moment everything truly clicked into place for me.
I glance at the clock and instantly regret it. I still have five minutes until he gets here.
I had to be strategic with his schedule this morning. Thiago has been extra busy lately, and I’m sure it has everything to do with the baker he has developed feelings for. I’m happy for him, but it makes scheduling things harder when he’s constantly juggling responsibilities.
My nerves fully set in as I pace the small office, waiting for him to arrive. I haven’t been this anxious about speaking with my boss since I was initially interviewing for my internship. But asking for this new role feels like I’m letting him down, in a way, and I hate that.
Thiago took a chance on me all those years ago, and I showed my gratitude by being loyal and working my ass off. But…I want more. I need more.
As my decision solidifies in my brain, I hear the door swinging open. My stomach tumbles.
“Hey,” Thiago says as he enters. “You wanted to speak with me?”
“I did,” I reply. “I do . ”
He moves into the room, leaning back against the desk and facing me where I stand in front of it. “What’s up?”
I cross my arms, then immediately uncross them. “I wanted to talk to you about the manager position,” I say.
“Do you have a new candidate to interview?”
“Um.” I wring my hands together, nearly rubbing the skin raw. “Sort of.”
He chuckles. “Okay, who is this sort of person?”
I take a deep breath. Be brave . Be that girl again. Hell, be the woman who made out with her ex in this very office .
“Me?”
Silence settles over the room, so quiet I wouldn’t be surprised if you could hear the snow falling outside. My heart thumps in my chest.
He’s going to laugh. He’s going to laugh and say no .
“You?”
I nod with a grimace. “I know it wouldn’t be ideal for you, but I think I need to try something new. Not that I haven’t loved being your assistant! I have. But I?—”
“Hadley, slow down.” He cracks a smile. “It’s alright.”
My words dry up. I didn’t think he would yell at me or anything, but I also wasn’t expecting so little of a reaction. My body was prepared for a fight, but now that I’m not getting one, I’m at a loss.
“It…is?”
He nods. “Yes, of course. I’ve always known you weren’t going to be my assistant forever. I consider myself lucky you’ve stuck with me as long as you have.”
My eyes narrow. “So you’re not mad?”
This causes him to full-on laugh. “Not at all. If this is what you want, the job is yours. I can think of no one better to entrust this resort to.”
“You’re sure? Because I had a whole pitch planned.”
Amusement dances in his eyes. “I am very sure. Save your pitch. Working with you these past five years has given me every opportunity to see how driven and organized you are.”
All the weight that has been sitting on my shoulders since yesterday is gone, relief sweeping through my body. I did it .
“I’m going to miss working for you,” I admit. “But I think I’m ready to come home.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know they’re true. I thought going back to Pineridge on Christmas would have had me itching to book a flight to Brazil, but the only thing I felt was a sense of longing I’d never experienced before.
Not for the place necessarily, but the people I left behind there.
Thiago nods. “Then it’s settled.” He holds his palm out to me, and I return his handshake easily. “Congratulations on your new position.”
I grin. “Thank you.”
We talk for a few more minutes, going over some of the logistics. It will be a bit of a transition, but we can manage. When Thiago gets called away, I sit down in the chair at my desk and take a deep breath.
My first instinct is to find Brooks and tell him everything. But we both have to work today, and I want to be able to celebrate properly without being distracted.
My second instinct is to tell my sister, so I pull out my phone and call her. It takes me half a second to realize she’s probably at work, too, but she answers before I can hang up.
“Hey,” I say, “I just wanted to call to?—”
“To say that I was right and you got the job !”
I grin. “I got the job.”
“Damn right you did!” Sam shouts. “I knew you could do it. Now I have to go because my boss is glaring at me, but I’m so proud and I can’t wait to hug you and I love you the most. Bye!”
She hangs up before I can respond.
Still smiling, I open my texts and send one to Brooks.
Change of plans. Wanna come see the winter carnival with me tonight?
Brooks
I’d go anywhere with you. See you tonight.
I tuck my phone away, and with a full heart, I get back to work.