“So, what are we doing for our date?”
Rhett glances down at his feet nervously, moving his palm to the back of his head. “Actually, before we go, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”
“Oh, okay.” My stomach sinks. Something is wrong. He wants to take back what he said yesterday. He just got caught up in the moment, trying to comfort me. He doesn’t really love me.
Immediately he reaches out to me, wrapping me up in his arms. “Everything is fine. I can see the concern written all over your face. You don’t need to worry.”
“Then what is it?”
“I spoke with Morgan Newton today.”
“Oh.”
He releases me. “She told me you haven’t responded to her email, but she wants to give you a chance at her firm. The place seems great, and it’d be a real, secure job that would allow you to stay in Roots. So, if you’re still interested in working with her, the door is open. She also told me that you need to believe in yourself and that you get to determine who you are and who you want to be, not anybody else.”
Heat rises to my cheeks. “You make it sound so easy, but my meeting with Chance and Margaret showed it doesn’t just take me believing in myself. I need someone to take a chance on me too. I fought for myself, and they still didn’t want me.”
“That’s just one company. Believing in yourself means that you don’t let one instance kick you down. You keep going. You keep looking into other opportunities until you find the right one.”
“I guess so.”
“I know so. Putting aside any of your fears, are you interested in a job with Morgan?”
“Yes,” I say, hardly audible.
“Say it like you mean it.”
“Yes!”
“That’s better. You should email her right now. I’ll wait.”
He doesn’t say it, but the look on his face makes it abundantly clear how much it would mean to him to see I’m making an effort to stay here.
“I can do that.”
A smile blooms on his face. “I’ll be right by your side through this. I’m your biggest cheerleader.”
“Thank you. For everything. For helping me yesterday. For supporting me now. For supporting me all the time. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you.”
“I could say the same. You’rewayout of my league.”
“Shut up!” I shove his shoulder, laughter slipping from my lungs.
“Okay, email her now. I’m excited for the rest of our date, and I’m starting to get impatient.”
I pull out my phone and begin typing, trying not to overthink my email. Once it’s written, I hand the phone to Rhett. “How does this sound?”
He scans the screen, handing my phone back to me. “I think that’s perfect.” He pulls me in for a quick kiss. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t do it without you.”
“You could, but you don’t have to.” He laces his fingers in mine. “Should we get going?”
“Yes, please.”
We spend the ten-minute drive teasing each other and making plans for the future. It feels amazing to finally have hope that I can have all the things I want, a job that doesn’t drain me, and a slower, more intentional life filled with the people I love.
When he finally pulls off the road, I take in our surroundings, noting that I have absolutely no clue where we are right now. All I see is a vast empty field with the slow rolling river cutting through it all. “Where are we? What are we doing?” I ask eagerly.
