“I’ll make it worth your while, trust me,” Gage said. “I’ll be taking time off with Harper over the next few weeks to get her shop set up, you knew about that, so you’ll be able to focus more time on Chase and getting used to his schedule.”
“Well, that’s true, but there’s still plenty I need to do for you while you’re gone.”
My eyes bounced back and forth between them both, trying to keep up with what they were talking about. But I checked out. This was on them. To be honest, I didn’t care enough.
As I roamed around Gage’s office, thinking about the upcoming changes in my life, it didn’t give me the joyous feeling inside it should. Instead, a tight knot crept back into my gut and my chest. The one that showed its hand when my heart and brain battled over what I should be doing with my life. I slowly wandered from the room, and neither of them saw me leave.
At least I didn’t think they had.
“Chase!”
Her voice pierced my heart. I was almost to the elevator by the time she caught me.
“Chase,” she repeated when I didn’t look up at her. She touched the sleeve of my suit jacket.
I knew she only wanted to talk shop and touch base about what she and Gage had discussed. Yet hearing her say my name, the lilt of her voice with a tinge of concern, had my insides melting as she stood next to me. I could stay and go to her desk. We could sit and discuss what we needed to, like normal professionals should.
But I wasn’t normal.
And I wasn’t a professional.
Instead, I pressed the down button.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Out.”
She stepped back, knowing from the tone I used she’d get nothing more out of me. I hated doing that. If she was going to keep me out of her life, I couldn’t keep doing this in any way with her. Now it was my turn to walk away.
Once I got in the elevator, I called Mitch, my buddy on my floor.
“Hey, wanna get a drink?”
He was silent on the line.
“Ya there?” I asked.
“Dude, it’s ten in the morning.”
Fuck.
“I mean, maybe in a couple hours we can go for a beer and a burger, but this would be pushing it. Bars aren’t even open yet, man.”
“Yeah, came in early today, lost track of time, how about a coffee? I need to get out of here.” I had reached the lobby and was heading to the door when I realized I didn’t have my coat. “And can you grab my coat from my office?”
“Sure man, I’ll be right down,” Mitch said.
Mitch and I hung out sometimes outside of work. He knew how I felt about my position in the company and how my path was not a straight one at the moment. Most importantly, I could trust him.
“Hey, man, where do ya wanna go?” he asked.
“You hungry or do you just want coffee?”
We started through the revolving door and finished our conversation once on the street.
“Let’s head to Harry’s,” Mitch replied. “I could go for a bagel sandwich.”
We walked down the street to the bagel shop, and Mitch prepared himself for what he knew was coming.
