One Chance(14)

My eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”

“I said that I wouldn’t tell you what to do with your job decision. But I’ve been thinking about it, and I really don’t want you to go.” He looked up at me with wide eyes. “We just found each other, Livy. I’m not sure I could let you go.”

“Are you asking me not to take the job?” If he was, I wasn’t sure what I would do. I wasn’t the type of woman to take orders from a man, but we were a couple now and he deserved a say in how we would spend our relationship.

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” He shrugged helplessly. “I came to make you a different kind of offer.”

“An indecent one?” I said with a waggle of my eyebrows.

William sighed in annoyance. “Can you be serious for one minute?”

“Fine.” I made a big deal about checking the time. “One minute of seriousness. Go.”

“Quit.” William said. “Quit your job here, but don’t take the other job.”

I let out a snort. “Well, I didn’t know it was that easy. Such a great idea, William. Why didn’t I think of that? Oh, right. I’m not independently wealthy. I’m also not a hooker, so please don’t offer to pay me not to work and just screw you all the time.”

“That’s not what I’m offering.” William looked away and I had a pretty good idea that was exactly what he was about to offer me. “You can move in with me, just until you find another job in Chicago. Or for good, whatever you want.”

I felt my face grow hot and I started to yell but William cut me off. “Livy, I have a lot of money. I’m not trying to imply anything by that, I’m just stating a fact. Let me take care of you. I’m the reason you can’t stay at this job, and I’m the one asking you not to move to D.C. At least let me offer you an alternative.”

When the initial rush of anger had passed, it was replaced by a feeling of gratitude. Yes, William’s offer was a tiny bit condescending, but it came from a good place. He didn’t want me to leave, and he was taking a big leap asking me to stay.

I circled around my desk until I was standing in front of him. “Thank you, but no.” I smoothed down his suit lapels and kissed him on the lips. “This decision needs to be what’s best for both of us, not just you.”

“I know.” He smiled sheepishly. “You can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?”

“Certainly not.” I kissed him again. “But you don’t need to save me, William. I can take care of myself.”

“Trust me, I know. But that’s not going to stop me from looking out for you.” He kissed my cheek. “Just promise me you’ll at least consider my offer. We can talk about it more when I get back from Rome.”

“The answer will still be no,” I said, confidently.

He regarded me carefully. “I have this horrible feeling that if you move to D.C., I’m going to lose you.”

“That will never happen.” I sounded more certain than I felt though. Like William, I was worried about what would happen to us if I took the job. “Have a safe trip. I’ll miss you like crazy.”

“Likewise.” Another ten minutes of kissing and groping and we finally completed our goodbyes.

Two days later I found myself missing William terribly. If this is what it would be like to move to D.C., I didn’t think I would be able to make it. I kept myself busy by checking in on Bob and the kids. The house was actually in good shape which I quickly learned was because William had paid for a housekeeper to come in three times a week. He had also hunted down a terrific nanny that was keeping the kids well-fed, groomed and properly dressed. She had taken them for a walk so that Bob and I could talk openly.

“Still no sign of Courtney?” I asked him over a cold beer.

“Nah. She cleaned out our joint bank account, too. She’s gone,” Bob said. “I don’t think she’ll ever come back.”

“So what’s your plan?”

“I don’t have a plan.” Bob laughed and sounded very much like his brother. “One day at a time. Keep breathing. Worry about tomorrow when it comes.”

“Do you think that will work?” I wondered what it would be like to be able to focus only on the present.

“It has to. It’s the only way I know how to do this.” He looked at me thoughtfully. “William mentioned that you are considering taking a job in D.C.”

“He told you that?” I was surprised that William had talked about me at all with Bob. They didn’t really have that kind of relationship, but I guess a lot had changed in the last week.