She beams like I just promised her a partnership. “No. I was scared not knowing what was going on. I’m up for the challenge of cleaning shit up.”
I hold up my hand in warning. “But look, you’re going to get mad. You’re going to get frustrated. You’re going to think, this is so fucking easy, why doesn’t he just do this or that. And that’s going to shut me down and piss me off.”
She nods solemnly. “But you know I can’t lie to you, Benito. I have to call you out on your stupid shit.”
I arch a brow at her. “This ain’t going to be easy. I’m just warning you. My ego’s on the line here.”
“I know.” She’s quiet then. “It would be a blow for anyone’s ego to have to own up to stuff they can’t handle and ask for help. I’ll do my best not to make it too personal. And I won’t take it personally if things get heated.”
I slap my hands on the desk and stand from my chair. I hold out a hand to her. “If I didn’t trust you, Mags, this wouldn’t be happening. Thanks for having my back even when I didn’t see it or acknowledge it.”
She shakes my hand and turns to leave. “Oh,” she says. “Since I’m here, you want me to stay?”
I’m tempted. If she stays, I can go home to Willow. Home to tell her everything that I’m going to fix. Everything that I’m determined to make work. But then I look at Mags. Every choice I make from here on out, I’m going to try to do the right thing. Not going with what’s easy or what pleases me.
As much as I want to let her close so I can spend time with Willow, I need to give Mags some time off. I need to make a little progress in my office so I’m ready for her help tomorrow. I know what I need to do, and for once, I’m going to say yes to the shit I hate doing. I’m going to face it and do it.
“No,” I tell her, shaking my head. “You get out of here. Take the day off. You want to work tomorrow, I’ll see you when we’re both fresh.”
She nods and gives me a smile as she leaves. Then, since Carla and Duncan are covering the kitchen, I open my deskdrawer and pull out the laptop that I use so rarely, it’s not even charged, and I get to work.
18
WILLOW
After Benny leaves for work,I make his bed and grab the spare key from the kitchen counter. I lock his unit behind me and head home, braced for what’s coming.
I check my email and see I have close to fifty new messages and an invitation to a meeting with Theresa for tomorrow morning. I send Alex an instant message and ask if Theresa is free now.
Alex: Let me check with her assistant. One sec.
While I wait for Alex to reply, I wander over to the huge glass windows that overlook the river. I stare out into space until the pinging of the IM system brings me back to the moment.
Alex: She wants to talk now.Just to you. Can you jump on?
I confirm that I can, quickly smoothing my hair back into a bun and peeking at my reflection in the camera on my phone. I look fine. From the neck up, there will be no signs that I just got fucked within an inch of my life by the most amazing man. The most amazing chef. The reason I might consider something very different for my life.
I click on the meeting invite that Alex sent, and within seconds, Theresa’s furious face fills the screen.
“It’s fucking done,” she says quietly. “Pardon my language, but all this work, all the time they spent pursuing us. I’m pissed off. So much waste. The Kincades filed an injunction to stop work on the property in Star Falls,” she tells me without preamble. Without so much as even a hello. “It’s over, Willow. Pancake Circus is dead. I’ll announce the news to the team in the meeting tomorrow, but since you reached out, I figured I’d give you a heads-up.”
I knew this outcome was inevitable, but hearing it from Theresa’s mouth sours my stomach. “Thank you,” I say. “And I’m sorry.”
I have nothing to be sorry about, of course. None of this has anything to do with me, and yet the only word to describe how I feel is sorry. Sorry that my company will lose valuable time and an enormous amount of money while we fight this out with the Kincades in the legal system. Sorry that this means my time in Star Falls is officially coming to an end.
“No point in having Alex make your travel plans back to Chicago,” Theresa says, her voice frustrated. “I don’t have another site set up for you yet, so you might as well stay in Star Falls while we have the lease on that condo you’re staying in. Unless you have someplace else you’d like to stay. I’d love to have you back in the office to strategize and meet with our attorneys. Are you all right staying there until we figure out our next steps?”
I nod. “Of course. But I’d like to take a little time off, if you’re okay with it.”
Theresa nods. “How much time are you thinking?” she asks.
I calculate the distance in my head, the idea starting to take shape. “Two weeks, tops.” I rush on to explain, so she doesn’t jump to any incorrect conclusions. “One of my best friends is on bed rest, about to have her first baby as a single mom. I’d like to visit her while things are settling down.”
She nods. “All right. Make sure Alex knows your schedule. You may have to take calls with our attorneys while you’re away, but I’ll do what I can to accommodate your time off.”
“Theresa,” I say, before she’s able to end the meeting. It’s just me and her, my boss. The woman I’ve worked for and whose company has given me purpose for…well, maybe for too long. “Thank you,” I tell her. “I love what I do. I believe in what we do as a company. And I am just sorry that things have turned out this way.”
Theresa nods, but I can tell she’s stressed, angry, and probably scared. This deal going south is going to cost the company millions. There’s just no putting a positive spin on that. “Enjoy your time off, Willow.”
