‘Wait, this is what you couldn’t tell me on the phone last night? I thought you were in the firing line?’
She swivelled to face him, staying in the circle of his arms. Her breath plumed. ‘Well, I was—still am—trying to get my own head around what it means, but the short version is that Gerard believes there could be legs in setting up a rural office. And, like I told you before, he’s a shrewd operator.’
Hell, he hoped she couldn’t feel the increase in his heart rate through their layers of clothing.
‘The problem is,’ Jemma continued, and his heart faltered. ‘I’m sure I could push him to make me partner if we open a second office.’
‘Er, how terrible? Just what you’ve always feared …’
Jemma wrinkled her nose. ‘But I reckon he’ll probablyalsomake Rohan partner.’
‘Isn’t that win-win?’
She stepped back a little, a frown settling on her face, although he got the impression she was wrestling with her thoughts. ‘The way Gerard was talking, I suspect I’d get the challenge of setting up the new office—but Rohan would stay in the city, where all our contacts and colleagues are. So it’d be like being awarded equal firsts.’
‘And that’s not good enough.’ He made it a statement, not a question.
She shook her head. ‘Even with a partnership, being sent to the country will always be interpreted as a demotion.’
Disappointment settled heavily in his gut. Jemma’s career was important to her above all else. He had to be supportive, no matter the cost. ‘By your colleagues?’
She nodded.
‘So then you fight for the better option. Force Rohan to take the rural placement.’ Bloody Rohan had better not open an office in Settlers, though. He’d probably kill the guy.
‘Maybe that’s the solution,’ Jemma said as Hamish ushered her toward the house. ‘But I feel like I’m overlooking something and it’s driving me crazy, because usually the path is so clear.’ She used her hands to mime a straight, narrow track.
Her discipline and planning were the complete opposite to his wild impulsivity. ‘As you don’t like working with Rohan, perhaps heading up a new office could be a way out,’ he risked.
‘I don’t like Rohan, but I do enjoy the challenge of working with him.’
‘Sounds like you’re a masochist.’
She stood on tiptoes, her mouth close to his ear. ‘You know, you can find that out for yourself, anytime you want.’
He responded by tugging her into his arms, his lips seeking hers. There was so much he wanted to find out about her.
‘Technically the partnerships would be equal, though?’ he suggested eventually. ‘It’s only in your mind that one position holds more weight than the other.’
Jemma lifted an imperious eyebrow. ‘Is there anywhere more important?’ As he snorted with laughter, she broke character with a quick grin before continuing. ‘I do suspect that I’d be jealous of Rohan if he took the country placement. I mean, all that potential of starting from scratch …’ She shrugged. ‘But I have to work out what’s best, career-wise.’
‘You’re really not into flying by the seat of your pants, are you?’
‘Sounds like a great way to waste time.’
‘Or to live life,’ he countered. ‘We only get one go, and no one has all the answers. So maybe it makes sense to take risks and enjoy what we have.’ He tilted his head to the house as a squall directed needles of rain their way. ‘And right now what we have is a toasty warm house. Though if you’re going to hang around open doorways letting all my heat out, I’m going to have to go get another trailer load of wood off the farm this weekend.’
‘You have an open fire?’
‘Most everyone round here does. Plenty of free mallee roots for burning.’ He directed her down the central hallway of the cottage.
‘Oh, I have plans, then …’ Jemma said.
He suspected those plans were more likely to involve sheepskin rugs in front of the fire than hanging a pot of stew over it. ‘Ethan stayed over.’ His words came out in a low-oxygen croak, and he cleared his throat. ‘So I might have to take a raincheck in case he rocks back in.’
‘Calling on backup to protect your newfound chastity?’
‘Something like that.’
