Chapter 48
SAMMIE
‘Thanks so much, Aunty Jeanette. I really appreciate it. Speak soon.’
I ended the call then headed back to the office with a spring in my step. It was the first time I’d felt happy all week.
My boss had confirmed that if I wanted the head receptionist role, it was mine. HR were preparing the new contract and my new salary and responsibilities would be officially confirmed in a matter of days.
I should be over the moon, but ever since I’d ended the video call with Romeo abruptly eight days ago, I’d felt like shit.
He’d been messaging to ask if we could talk but I’d said I needed time and would be in touch soon.
The truth was, I’d been working on something and I didn’t want to talk to him until I knew whether or not it’d work.
What I’d said during our video call was wrong.
I shouldn’t have suggested that we cut our losses without first trying to see if it could work.
Romeo wasn’t like the other holiday romances I’d had.
He was special.
I loved him. And I wasn’t going to give up on what we had without a fight.
So I’d spent days racking my brain, trying to think of how we could be together.
And then the idea came to me.
Yes, I’d just been given a promotion I’d worked my sweet arse off for and had dreamed about getting for years, but was it really what I wanted?
The truth was, it wasn’t.
Like Romeo, I’d always wanted to travel around the US but I’d never got around to it because I was scared and I didn’t have the right motivation.
But now I did.
That was when it hit me. I could try and get a job out there.
I know, it wasn’t my smartest idea. It was batshit crazy.
The chances of finding work were slim. There were probably thousands of people with the same idea who’d already travelled to California looking for work.
But even if there was a 99 per cent chance that I’d fail, that meant that there was still a 1 per cent chance that I’d succeed, right?
I had to try.
I had to know that I’d done everything I could to make this work.
If the world ended tomorrow, what would I regret more: not accepting a promotion or losing the only man I’d ever truly loved?
Exactly.
As irresponsible as it sounded, there was no contest.
That was why I’d asked Dad if we had any relatives in California who could help.
He reminded me that Aunty Jeanette lived in San Francisco, so I’d just called to ask if she could put the feelers out and see if anyone knew of any jobs that might be available in the next couple of months.
I didn’t care what the work was. I’d happily work in a bar, restaurant or clean toilets if it meant I could earn money and be closer to Romeo.
It was a long shot, especially because I didn’t even know where in California the new hotel would be and even Jasmine wasn’t allowed to reveal the location. But living and working in the same state as Romeo would be better than being five thousand miles away in London.
I’d give it a few more days, then I’d call Romeo and tell him my plan. I didn’t want to get his hopes up if it wasn’t going to work.
Just as I was about to check my emails to see if I’d received any responses back for the jobs I’d applied for in two restaurants in San Diego, my phone started ringing. It was Stella.
‘Hey!’ she said. ‘You still on your lunch break?’
‘Yeah. I’ve got ten minutes left, so I’m heading back to the office now.’
‘Cool. So, how’s it going? Any leads?’
‘Nothing concrete yet, but I just spoke to my Aunt Jeanette and she’s going to ask around in San Fran and I’ve applied for jobs in San Diego.’
‘Great! Max has some contacts at different factories in the US too, so he said he can ask around there.’
‘That’d be amazing.’
‘I’m proud of you, Sammie.’
‘What?’ My eyebrows knitted together. ‘Why?’
‘Because you’re not giving up. When we spoke after you’d just hung up on Romeo, you were a mess and sounded so defeated.’
After I’d spent half an hour crying and still didn’t feel better, I’d called Stella.
‘Yeah, it was just a big shock and I wasn’t thinking clearly.’
Stella had tried to calm me down and I thought she was going to offer some words of wisdom, but instead she asked me what turned out to be a powerful question. She’d said, if the roles were reversed and it was her crying down the phone, what would I recommend that she do?
I’d paused then said I’d tell her not to give up. I’d say that if Max really was the one, she needed to fight for him and exhaust every option so she didn’t wake up one day with regrets and wishing she’d done more.
‘Exactly,’ she’d said casually.
And just like that, my tears had stopped.
By the next morning, there was fire and determination in my belly and I committed to finding another way.
‘I’m glad you saw sense in the end. Have you told Romeo your plans?’
‘Not yet, but I’ve kept in touch.’ I knew how shitty being ghosted felt, so I made sure I always replied. ‘In my last message a couple of days ago, I said that I needed more time and would call him by the weekend.’
That only gave me a few more days, but I was confident that I’d hear back from my aunt by then, so it’d be fine.
‘Okay, good. I just wanted to check you’re okay. Keep me posted and maybe we can meet on Sunday for brunch and you can tell me how the call went?’
‘Perfect. Cross your fingers, toes, elbows and legs for me.’
‘Will do. Although I can’t promise I’ll be keeping my legs crossed! Me and Max are going back to Sunshine Bay because I have another meeting at the Romance Library tomorrow and there’s just something about the sea air that makes us horny!’
‘It’s got nothing to do with the sea air. You two are always bloody horny!’ I cackled.
‘Wait until you and Romeo are living in the same country. You’ll be at it like rabbits too!’
‘Yep! We’ve been apart for almost a month, so I wouldn’t let him or his cock out of my sight!’
‘ Soon, hon . Soon. It’s gonna happen. I can just feel it.’
‘Fingers crossed. Good luck with the meeting and happy bonking!’
‘Thanks!’
I hung up feeling even more positive.
Stella believed that I’d be reunited soon with Romeo and I hoped so too.
Time would tell…