“For putting a new memory in place and erasing the other one.” I grip her tighter as she continues. “It was hard at first, the night flashing in my head for a brief second, but then you were there, your hands, your voice, your smell, guiding me back to the here and now. So, thank you. Thank you for giving me back that last bit of control I didn’t realize I was missing.”
I choke up, not realizing Blake needed that as much as I did. “I’ll always let you be you, firefly. You’re the calm to my crazy, and I don’t ever want to be without you again,” I whisper into the dark.
“I don’t ever want to be without you again, either,” she whispers back.
And that’s all I need to finally put my plan into motion.
Chapter Forty-Nine
THEO
Ifeel sick. She’s gonna hate it. She’s gonna get mad at me and tell me I’m a fucking idiot. I mean, I am, but that’s not the point. I wanted to do this for her. To show her how much she means to me. Only now I’m panicking and thinking I should have done something different. This isn’t a small gesture, this is one of epic proportions, and I’m fucking dreading this going tits up.
A hand lands on my thigh, and I glance over, one eye still on the road ahead.
“Honey, you’re really jumpy. Is everything alright?” Blake asks, her hand squeezing gently.
I place my hand over hers, bring it to my mouth, and place a gentle kiss there. “Just a lot riding on what I’m about to show you, firefly.”
Her face softens. “I’m sure whatever it is can’t be that bad,” she muses, an eyebrow raised.
“We’ll see,” I murmur, gently placing her hand back down as I park in front of a brick building.
We’re still in the center of the city, but this is a much smaller building than the one we work in. There are no revolving doors, no elevators, and no floors of offices filled with various businesses. It’s just a one-story building with doors you have to open yourself. The glass front shows the inside if you were to bother to look in.
Taking in a large breath, I blow it out before rounding the car and helping Blake out. Her face is a picture of confusion as she takes in the building before her—one that has ‘Moore and Associates’ on the outside in silver lettering.
“Theo?” she asks, glancing at me.
Grabbing her hand, I lace my fingers through hers, tugging her along for the surprise I’ve spent the last couple of months working on. I push the door open, gesturing for her to go in first.
Blake takes a couple of tentative steps inside, her eyes wide as she takes in everything. A receptionist's desk sits in front of us with the company name in gold lettering. Black chairs line the entryway to the left, and a couple of potted plants are in the corner by the window. To the right is the kitchen and storerooms, and behind the receptionist desk leads to three offices—all kitted out with everything a law firm could need.
“I don’t understand, Theo,” she says, turning to me. “This is beautiful, but what are we doing here, and why is your name on the building outside? You work for Sampson and Lowell.”
I take a step toward her, rubbing the back of my neck before straightening.
Here goes nothing.
“Iusedto work for Sampson and Lowell. As of this morning, I’m no longer their employee. I work… here.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, firefly. I don’t work with you anymore. We’re no longer co-workers and can have the life together we’ve always wanted.”
“Bu-but the case?” she exclaims, eyes wide. “You can’t leave.”
I chuckle. “I’ll still be on the case but as a consultant. With everything that happened with Raven and James, you’ve done the majority of the work as it is, and I told Frank as much, which is why it’s all yours now. You’re the lead, and I take my cues from you.”
Her mouth opens, and tears line her eyes. “I’m so confused.”
“There’s nothing to be confused about, my love. I gave up working for Frank and Michael so we could be together. Your career means everything to you, and I won’t stand in the way. You deserve the world, Blake, and I want to be able to give it to you. I love my job, but I loveyoumore. I always have.”
“Theo—” she chokes out on a sob. “You ca?—”
“I can, and I have, Blake. It’s done. I’m the sole owner of Moore and Associates. James helped me set everything up, and I spoke to Frank this morning. I regret nothing.” I brush a hair back from her face. “You are everything I’ve ever wanted. Oscar, too. You were always my end game,” I whisper.
Tears flow freely down her face, and I wipe them away with my thumb. “Aimee’s going to be my paralegal, and I’ve got someone lined up to handle the front desk. Frank’s letting me keep my clients as long as I work alongside them. Apparently, he was a bit of a sucker for our love story.” I wink, and she huffs out a watery laugh.
