Cece was beginning to think James had changed his mind on sharing. He’d eaten two more bites of cake without speaking another word.
If he decided to head out, that wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen. Her cheeks still burned with humiliation. She couldn’t believe she’d broken down like that to begin with, let alone in front of a virtual stranger. Worse yet, a male. Why, oh, why, couldn’t it have been Anya who’d knocked on her door instead?
What’s done was done, and she couldn’t take it back. At least James had been exceptionally understanding and sweet about the incident. He got bonus points for appearing genuinely angered at Daniel’s moral failings. His response helped to restore her faith in men.
James stood up abruptly. “Would you like to take a walk?”
Not what she’d expected, but okay. “Sure. Inside or out?”
“Outside?”
“Let me grab a sweater.” Rising to her feet, she grabbed the tunic-length cardigan she’d draped over the desk chair.
They took the elevator to the ground floor, and James led her to an exit at the rear of the castle which led to a walking path around the courtyards and gardens. The moon hid behind a cloud, but installed lights along the path lit the way.
James walked with his hands in his pockets. His confident gait she’d come to recognized had been replaced with an air of vulnerability. “Grant called me tonight.”
“Another surprise?”
“You could say that.” He let out a low whistle.
“What’s going on?” she asked softly as they walked along the paved path.
He ran a hand through this hair. “Palmer Securities is Grant’s company, but I’ve been with them since college. He’s always discussed major decisions with me, and last year we talked about the possibility of relocating the company headquarters.”
“You’re in New York currently, correct?” she asked, recalling their earlier conversation.
“Yes. We tabled the conversation because it wasn’t the right time, and I hadn’t given the topic much thought since then.”
“He wants to bring it back to the table?”
“Oh, he took it off the table and brought it to the market. An ideal building came up for sale at a great price. Grant put in the offer without telling me it was even an option.”
“Which means a big change,” she said, empathizing with him. “Maybe the offer won’t be accepted.”
“It already was.” James sighed. “If he’d told me before it happened, I could have mentally prepared myself, but bam, there it is, and I have to figure out my next move.”
“I’m sorry. Change isn’t easy, especially after you’ve had such upheaval.” She quieted until a couple also out for a walk passed by. “How far away is the new building from the current? Is there a coffee chain or bagel stop you frequent that might have a location on the way to the new place also that could bring familiarity?”
“I appreciate the suggestion, but unfortunately, it’s not that simple.” James held his hands behind his head. “We’re moving from New York to Virginia.” I thought they were moving to DC
“Gotcha.”
He dropped his hands to his side. “Do you know what I keep thinking about?”
She shook her head.
Ceasing his steps, he turned around to face her. His hands balled into fists. “If I move to Virginia, who will take care of Crystal’s grave. The thought of weeds growing around it and not being able to visit her twists me up inside. She’s gone. She’s in heaven. I have complete faith in her salvation, so why can’t I stop thinking about her grave being lonely if I leave?”
“Because you love her, and you want to honor and respect her memory. That’s a noble cause.” Her situation with Daniel—while the hurt was real—paled in comparison to the pain James had faced and continued to process.
“In many ways, I’m extremely blessed. Crystal’s parents live nearby, and I know they will tend to her grave. Which negates my obsessive worrying, but grief doesn’t always make sense. My youngest sister just graduated college from the University of Maryland and stayed in the area for a career, so a move to Northern Virginia would let me see her more often. And Grant…he is an amazing friend and boss even when he’s driving me crazy.” James relaxed his hands and resumed walking. “He’s offered to hand over the New York office to me while we make the transition. It’s a generous proposal.”
“That sounds extremely fair, but you don’t sound convinced that it’s what you want.”
His shoulders lifted then fell. “Grant’s throwing me a bone. It’s best for business if I make the transition to Virginia to begin with. If I stay in New York, I’ll be taking advantage of his kindness. I’d also be taking the easy way out.”
She considered her response before speaking. “Some outcomes will be hard no matter which decision you make to get you there. I would pray about it. The path to take is usually going to be the one that makes us grow as a person and deepen our trust in God.”
