This place is stunning. It’s expensive, sophisticated, and absolutely not the place I would’ve thought Liam would pick for dinner. Then again, he’s shocked the hell out of me more than once on this trip.
Our table is next to a giant window. I’d expected it to be drafty, but the glass must be awfully thick because I don’t feel any of the biting cold seeping through. Of course, that could have something to do with the gigantic stone fireplace in the center of the restaurant.
The lighting is low, allowing patrons to see out of the windows instead of simply seeing the restaurant’s interior reflected back at them.
I swear our view is the best in the whole damn place. Although I’m not a fan of heights, I love the view. And something like this is perfect. The ski lifts freak me the fuck out because they’re open, they sway, and there’s nothing but a thin, rickety metal bar preventing you from plummeting to your death.
But this place? It’s solid, sturdy, and immovable by the winds whipping around it. It’s warm, and I feel safe here, which allows me to really appreciate the lights from the village at the bottom of the mountain.
The clouds prevent the stars from being visible, but with the twinkling lights down below, I don’t really miss them. It’s kind of like being in a painting upside down.
Across from me, Liam looks gorgeous. His sweater is showcasing some of my favorite parts of his anatomy, and he’s making it hard to concentrate on what I need to tell him.
Fuck.
What if this whole ‘new leaf’ has him feeling more independent and wanting space from me? God, I didn’t even think about that. And here I am, about to tell him I’m throwing in the fucking towel on everything I’ve worked for so I can move to Boston to be with him.
I could always back out, say nothing, and live with regret for the rest of my life.Or,I could just throw it out there and let the chips fall where they may. Liam loves me. Everything he’s done since we started all this has done nothing but prove that.
I think it’s time I take a page out of Taylor’s book and just fucking go for it.
Right as I’m about to open my mouth, though, Hayden returns, setting our drinks down in front of us.
“Here you are. Have we had a chance to look over the menu?”
Shit.I haven’t even cracked the damn thing open.
“Um, could we have just a few more minutes, please?” I ask.
“Of course,” Hayden says with a practiced smile. “I’ll check back, or if you know before then, feel free to flag me down.”
Laughing, Liam says, “So, what are you thinking?”
He’s talking about the menu, but I blurt, “I’m tired of being apart. I’m moving to Boston. With you.” Unable to control the word vomit, I grip my Scotch and finally,finally,remove the last of the secrets between us…mine, anyway. “I called a client of mine a few days ago. He owns a gorgeous bed-and-breakfast on the outskirts of town. He said you have a job there if you want it. He’ll show you the ins and outs of what it takes to runthe business side of things, and you can make contacts, and we can put together a business plan for you, you know, when you’re ready to branch out on your own.”
I take a sip of Scotch, totally on edge while waiting for a reply.
Liam looks confused as he says, “What about your dad’s company?”
I shrug.
“I don’t want anything more than I want to be with you. I can work remotely as long as he’ll let me. I can use Tay’s buddy passes and fly home for quarterly meetings. I haven’t thought it all the way through, but I’ll make it work. I just…I can’t handle the distance anymore, Li. Not now. Not after all this. It would kill me.”
He stays quiet for a moment and then punches a hole right through my chest.
“I’m really sorry, Damon, but I don’t think that plan will work.” I bite the inside of my cheek to get my emotions in check and try to stop the bleeding from my heart when he says, “Because I’ve already switched my plane ticket for tomorrow to Raleigh. I’m coming home, baby. I don’t want the distance either. And as sweet as your offer is for the B&B connection, I’ve actually made some progress of my own. It’s time I take control and responsibility for my life, D.”
My heart is pounding in my chest.
What does this mean?
“Y-you’re…coming home?” I stutter.
Smiling, Liam nods. “Yeah. I plan to enroll in the MBA program at our alma mater next fall. I figure it’s two years, but if I don’t ever start, then I’ll never finish. Knowing how I want to use it means I can apply what I learn directly to that business plan you were talking about, and I’m sure I’ll have internship requirements that will help me build contacts. Owen said I was welcome to come check out their place any time, so that wascool, and he actually hooked me up with a job at a brand-new place a friend of theirs is opening close to us. That’s who I was on the phone with this morning…my new boss.”
My heartbeat is visible through my shirt. Can I survive this much joy?
I grab his hand across the table.
