Chapter 32
Amelia
“Drive safe,” I call out one last time as Aurora rolls down her window.
“I’ll text when I get back to the city.” She waves before pulling out of the driveway.
An hour later, I stand outside Luna’s office just before my break, my palms sweating as I grip the resignation letter in my hands.
After talking to Mom last night, I knew I couldn’t keep working here.
She encouraged me to take the leap, her exact words echoing in my mind.
“If you quit, you’ll be forced to try something different.
” I’ve been half-heartedly browsing job listings since my talk with Violet over a week ago, but between juggling everything, I haven’t given it my full attention. That stops now.
Through the glass, I can see Luna hunched over her keyboard, her dark hair falling in waves around her face as she types furiously.
I knock softly on the door. “Luna? Do you have a minute?”
She looks up, and her face immediately brightens. “Of course. Come in.”
Gesturing to the chair across from her, she turns away from her computer. “Is everything okay?”
I shut the door and settle into the chair, the letter burning like a secret in my hands. “I wanted to tell you in person before I hand in the paperwork.” Taking a deep breath, I meet her eyes. “I’m resigning.”
Luna’s expression shifts from confusion to something like panic.
“Are you sure?”
I give her a reassuring smile. “Yeah. I’ll do the two weeks as per my contract, but after that, I’d like to leave.”
She runs her hands through her hair, something I’ve only seen her do when she’s stressed. “Look, I’m really sorry I couldn’t give you the promotion, but you know I couldn’t afford to lose—”
“Luna, it’s fine.” And I mean it. “You must do what’s right for the business. I get it. But I also have to do what’s right for me.”
She leans back in her chair, reading my face. “I respect that. But if you don’t mind me asking, what are you planning to do?”
As hard as it is, I respect Luna; she’s still family to me. So, I want to be honest with her.
“To be transparent, my heart isn’t in writing stories about day-to-day things in town.
I’ve wanted more, but I held on because I thought that a promotion was coming eventually, and things would change with that.
When you went with Tannis, it really opened my eyes to the fact that I’ve been sitting around.
I need to chase after what I want, which is fashion and lifestyle. ”
Luna’s expression softens with understanding as she reaches over to take my hand. “If you ever need help, you know I’m here.”
“Thanks. I might take you up on that.”
“Good. I’d love to be there for you.” She reaches across the desk, taking the resignation letter. “This doesn’t change anything between us, you know that, right?”
“I know. Thanks, Luna.”
“Anytime.” She sets the letter aside without reading it, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’m going to miss having you around here.”
I stand up, feeling the decision settling in. It’s scary, but it feels right. “I’ll miss this place too. But I think it’s time.”
Luna rises from her chair and walks around the desk to face me. For a moment, we just stand there, the change hanging between us. Then she pulls me into a hug, brief but warm.
“You’re going to be amazing with whatever comes next.”
“Thank you, Luna. For everything. You were how I got started in this career, and you’ve taught me so much.”
I leave the office on unsteady legs, my heart still beating fast against my ribs. Entering the breakroom, I find it empty. I collapse into one of the chairs and pull out my phone to tell Adrian.
Me: I just resigned from Pulse Bulletin.
I stare at the screen, waiting for his response. A minute passes, and my phone vibrates. I’ve never read a message so fast.
Adrian: I know that couldn’t have been easy. But I really believe in you. This feels like the start of something better.
I find myself believing that, too.
Mom’s out of hospital and trying to get back to her usual self, or at least close to it. Just over a week ago, she barely had the energy to sit up in a chair, and now she’s chopping vegetables, getting involved with my siblings, smiling again. It’s not perfect, but it’s better.
I step into the grocery store, the automatic doors sliding open, letting in the cool evening air behind me. The aisles are quiet; just a handful of people moving around.
As I grab a bag of chips off the shelf, I catch Candyce from the bar watching me from the end of the aisle, her arms crossed over her chest. “Well, well. If it isn’t the naughty journalist.”
I breathe through my nose, forcing a smile. “Good to see you too, Candyce.”
She laughs, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder before pushing past me. Typical. This town doesn’t forget anything, but at least most people aren’t making a big deal out of it anymore. Except for one…
I turn the corner and nearly run into Violet.
“Jesus,” she huffs, hand over her chest. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
She eyes the chips in my hand. “Stocking up for a solo binge, or?”
“Game night.” I shift the bag under my arm. “Had to grab some food. Mom put me on snack duty.”
“Ah.” She taps her chin. “I needed a few things too, so I figured I’d stop in after work. Honestly, I’m still bummed you’re leaving.”
“I know. But I just wasn’t happy there anymore. Of course, I loved working with you and Luna, but the job itself? I didn’t enjoy it. I’m ready to do something that I love.”
She nods slowly, studying me. Then, without warning, she reaches out and squeezes my arm before pulling me into a quick hug. "I know, and you’re doing what’s best for you. But damn it, I’m going to miss seeing you every day. Who else am I going to talk to about Max?”
As I pull back from her embrace, I chuckle. "It’s not like I’m leaving the country. We can still see each other and talk. What if we set up a monthly girls’ date with coffee and thrifting to catch up?”
Violet smiles. “Honestly, that sounds so perfect. So what are you going to do while you look for your next position? You could work in retail, doesn’t have to be full-time.”
I hesitate. I’ve never considered retail before, but maybe she’s onto something. “I don’t know. I still want to keep writing. I don’t want to let that skill go to waste.”
“So do both,” she suggests. “Work at the shop a couple of days a week, write the other days. Best of both worlds.”
“That’s actually… a really good idea.”
“I have those sometimes.”
I grin, feeling lighter. It would let me stay close to Mom, too. As much as she’s improving, I don’t want her pushing herself too hard.
Violet nudges my shoulder. “So, what are you really shopping for?”
I shrug, trying and failing to look casual. “Just snacks.”
Her eyes narrow. “Uh-huh. Seems like something else is on your mind. Have you and a certain doctor talked?”
I try but fail at hiding my smile. “Adrian’s coming to game night, if that’s what you mean.”
She grins like she’s won something. “Ohhh. He’s coming to game night? That’s serious.”
“He’s come to it before,” I say, remembering Thanksgiving Scrabble. “We just haven’t had time to catch up. With Mom in the hospital, then getting her settled at home, and him working night shifts… we haven’t really seen each other.”
She folds her arms. “And house hunting?”
I pause, biting the inside of my cheek. “Yeah. He’s been looking.”
“So he’s not leaving.”
The warmth that spreads through me is impossible to ignore. “No,” I admit, trying not to smile too much. “He’s not.”
Violet’s grin widens as she leans against the shelf, arms crossed. “Well, I’m glad he’s not going anywhere either. You deserve to be happy.”
“Thanks.” Heat creeps up my neck. “I really like him.”
She nods. “So do I. And I’m glad people are finally seeing the side of him outside of the New York hospital fiasco. Everyone sees what a good doctor he is, especially to our town.”
I smile, the words settling something deep inside me.
Violet’s eyes suddenly light up with mischief. “Hey, and maybe we should double date.”
I let out a short laugh. “I actually really like that idea. But, uh, we haven’t even been on a real date yet. Just us.”
“There’s plenty of time for that,” she assures me, waving a hand. Then, her smirk returns. “Unless, of course, you want to take him back to Pulse Point.”
I groan, my face burning from the memory of that disaster floods back. “Yeah, because that worked out so well last time.”
She snickers. “Chances of getting caught again are probably high. And, let’s be real, you could probably use a break from the headlines.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We don’t need another headline, but even if it happens, whatever. It’s a small town after all. What do I expect?” But the truth is, I don’t care anymore. Not like I used to. I’m done letting other people’s opinions dictate my life.
Violet watches me for a beat, then says, “Like the article you wrote about him. It was beautiful.”
Something tight and proud swells inside me.
“He saved my mom’s life. He deserved to be recognized for the hero he is and not the messed-up version of him that I made people believe when he first arrived.
” I shake my head. “He works harder than anyone I know. I wanted to make sure people saw that before I left.”
“Go out with a bang, huh?”
“Yeah. Literally.”
She winks, and I shake my head, but inside, my thoughts are spinning.
It’s ridiculous how much I miss him already.
We’ve barely had time together, but the distance feels too much.
It’s not just the time apart; it’s the way he’s in my head constantly.
How even something as simple as picking out snacks for game night has me thinking about him.
The way I’m counting the hours until I see him again.
My family loves him. They’re excited he’s coming tonight. And, honestly? So am I.
Violet pushes off the shelf. “Alright, I’m out of here. See you Monday?”
I nod. “See you then.”