Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Nicole
“I have a big problem. A really big problem.” I shift in my chair, the wooden legs scraping softly against the café floor, and prop my phone against a napkin holder. The low hum of conversation and the hiss of the espresso machine fill the space around me as I tuck one earbud securely into my ear.
Nora blinks a couple of times on my phone screen. “Did Cocoa escape?”
“No.” I wrap my fingers around my warm mug, the heat seeping into my palms. “Of course, he didn’t escape. He’s just at home. He’s doing a lot better.” I feel like a proud dog mom because Cocoa is improving. I’m pretty sure he may only chew up one pair of carefully staged shoes.
“Fair enough. I guess Dom has really made a difference in a lot of ways. That’s really good, though. So … what’s the problem?”
“I ended up talking to Cityscape about my apartment complex proposal—”
“Cityscape?!” Her voice jumps through the earbud. “No way! That’s so cool! What did they say? Did they go for it?”
I glance down at my coffee, the latte art already dissolving into nothing, and take a sip. “They did.”
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Nora’s eyes widen on the screen. “I can’t believe that! Connor has pitched to them multiple times and has never been offered anything. They must think your idea is amazing!”
I try to conjure up a smile, but I fail, my lips forming a straight line. “Yeah, but they want me to move to Miami.”
“Oh, that’s so nice! The beaches there are beautiful!” Nora’s voice is full of enthusiasm, and I wish more than anything I could bring myself to feel the same way.
“I don’t want to go to Miami,” I say quietly. “I like Los Angeles. I finally feel like I’m building something here.”
Nora studies me through the screen. “And Dom’s part of that.”
I hesitate. “He is. But it’s not just him.”
“I know,” she says gently. “But it is him, too.”
I let out a breath, my shoulders sagging beneath my sweater. “Yeah. It is.” I stare down into my coffee. “He got some interest yesterday. From Texas.”
Nora’s expression shifts. “Does he want to go?”
“I don’t see why he wouldn’t,” I say, my voice softer now. “It’s his dream team.”
And I don’t want to be the reason he hesitates.
“Okay, well, Miami is closer to Texas than LA is, so long distance is totally possible. It’s not like you both can’t jet back and forth to each other whenever you feel like it—and then let’s not forget that Dom spends a lot of time away at games, traveling. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal…”
“Something about it just feels wrong, though,” I counter. I know my sister is making good points. I’ve already thought of all of them. “We literally just started dating. I feel like if we were to end up dating long distance, we’d be pretty much doomed.”
She shakes her head at me, her voice firm. “That’s not true.”
I look out across the boulevard to the ocean, feeling the weight of my thoughts. “And I’m not really ready to leave Los Angeles. I like it here. It feels like this is where my vision really seemed to come to life.”
She clears her throat. “I think you should send your proposal to Dad.”
“What? Why?”
“Because he’d be a lot more relaxed than those other investors.”
“But if I send it to Dad…” My heart squeezes in my chest. “He might assume that I’m going to fail again.” I swallow. “With Cityscape, it feels like it’s a blank slate. A fresh start.”
“Of course.” Nora nods over the phone. “I get that, but I also think you should at least give him a chance.”
“But I have to let Cityscape know today.”
“Then call him, Nicole. Just call him and see what he thinks. Then make the decision that you think is best for you. If things are meant to work out with Dom, they will.”
I nod again, a swell of emotion rising in my chest. “Thank you.”
“Love you, sis!” she says cheerfully before ending the call.
As I hang up, I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I glance out at the Pacific Ocean, the waves rolling calmly against the shore. I don’t know what it is about this city that suddenly feels so hard to leave, but I know it isn’t just Dom.
It’s the way I finally stopped feeling like I was auditioning for my own life here.
Like I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone for it to matter.
Just as I finish my latte, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, seeing the reminder there on the screen:
Call Cityscape and let them know!
My stomach twists—not because the opportunity scares me, but because I don’t want to say yes to something that doesn’t actually feel like mine.
I exit out of the notification and then navigate to my dad’s contact. I know he’s going to be in and out of meetings, as per usual, so there’s a real chance he might not even answer at all.
Still, my thumb hovers.
I give myself three more seconds to breathe and then hit the call button before heading for the beach. The phone rings three times, and just when I think his voicemail is going to kick on, my dad answers.
“Hey, hon.” I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Hey, Dad.” I clear my throat, feeling like I just swallowed a whole gallon of sand. The crosswalk light blinks, and I hurry across the street, heading for the water. “I was hoping that we could talk…”
“About?” His tone is nearly impossible for me to decipher, and I can’t tell if he already knows or if he’s just being himself.
“It’s about a new business idea.” I go on to explain my proposal in detail.
Not for permission. For perspective.
For the first time, I want clarity more than distance.
“That sounds like quite a plan.” His voice is bright. “It’s a big endeavor, though, Nic. How do you feel about handling something of that size?”
I pause just before the waves reach my feet. “Um, I feel good, I think. I actually took it before Cityscape’s investment board, and they really liked it. They offered to partner with me, but…”
He’s silent for a moment. “But?”
“But they want me to move to Miami to develop it.” I swallow the knot in my throat. “It’s an amazing opportunity.” I stop myself from expounding on how much I don’t want to go there, opting to wait and see what he says.
“I see.” He makes a humming noise, and I brace for what’s to come. “I think that’s a solid opportunity, Nic. Miami is a hot zone for real estate.”
“Yeah…” My voice trails off, and I don’t really know where to go from here.
“What’s your gut telling you?” My dad’s tone softens significantly.
I furrow my brow and then let out a dry laugh. “I, um, I don’t think I should trust my gut on anything, Dad.”
“I disagree,” he says, painfully nonchalant. “I think your gut’s always telling you what to go for, but sometimes we override it with our desperation to succeed. That’s when it becomes difficult to discern.”
“My gut isn’t feeling too excited about moving to Miami,” I admit. “This idea came together here. This city is part of it.”
“Then you should trust your gut.”
“So, you’re saying I should turn them down?” I chew on the inside of my cheek.
“Well, I think Los Angeles is a really solid business play, given that it’s a hub for professional athletes. Sure, Miami has a lot, too, but I think Cityscape is locked in a noncompete clause with Triton Development right now. That’s likely the only reason they suggested Miami.”
“So…” I try to process everything he’s saying. “I should pitch the idea to Triton?”
He laughs softly. “Or maybe me? Follow your gut, Nic. Just follow your gut.”
My gut twists anyway.