Page 116 of Mark my Words

“That leaves the position for the fantasy division as the last position open. You two were the final candidates, and each impressed the hiring panel with your work on the manuscript developmental edits and your performance on the tour the last few months.”

This was it. The moment that determined both of our futures. My usually competitive nature was surprisingly quiet, hoping Sam and I could work things out, no matter the outcome. If he earned the promotion, I’d be happy for him. There would be other opportunities to advance my career. I’d never have the same chance to finally be with him in a real relationship.

“It was nearly neck and neck until our final virtual interview...”

Just spit it the fuck out already, Sloane.

“But we agreed as a panel that Kristine was the best fit for the position given the circumstances.”

“Wait, what?” I frowned. Sam was still refusing to look over at me. I’d have thought he’d at least say something. We’d both been waiting for this moment, and he was acting out of character. He had been anxious all morning, and I didn’t understand why.

“What circumstances?”

“Sam’s availability to move into the open position at the Chicago office made this decision much easier because you two were equally qualified.”

Chicago. What the fuck was she talking about? Sam was taking a position in Chicago? Since when was that even an option? Why hadn’t he said anything? How long had he known about this? The interviews were three days ago. He hadn’t said a word.

“I’m sure you’ll both excel in your new positions, and I’m looking forward to working with you more directly, Kristine.”

She continued to talk, but it sounded like the teacher from the Peanuts cartoon. Nothing she was saying made any sense. Sam was leaving? He was leaving, and he hadn’t told me. Chicago was a thousand miles away.

I hadn’t wanted to go to New York, but I’d been willing to try to make the four-hour distance work. Two hundred miles was a long distance, but a thousand...that was insurmountable.

Sloane kept talking as I stared at a red pen she had next to the closed laptop on her desk. Was this one of those moments when one decision changed my entire future? A decision I didn’t make?

“HR will be in touch with both of you in the coming weeks about your transitions, and the relocation agency will contact you within the next day or so, Sam. I have to say. I was relieved when an alternate position opened because it was so difficult to choose one of you over the other for the position here. We’ll miss you, Sam, but I have no doubt you’ll do wonderful things in your new role within the house.”

Miss him? Miss him... She didn’t even know half of it. And apparently, neither did I. I didn’t know a damned thing. And now I was left with the job I wanted, and the man that I...fuck me...the man that I loved—and now possibly despised—was going to be a thousand miles away as if the last several months meant nothing.

As soon as she was done talking, I stood, shouldering my bag and taking off for the door without a backward glance. If he could make this kind of decision without even talking to me first, I didn’t want to hear it. No amount of cold feet or fearing commitment deserved this kind of treatment. I’d confessed things to him. He’d seen me cry...

“Kris, wait.”

Sam’s voice carried down the hallway, but I didn’t stop, heading toward the door to the stairwell. I was seconds from crying or ripping someone’s head off, neither of which I wanted to do in an elevator.

“Come on, seriously? Stop!” Sam shouted as I pulled open the door and started down the stairs as quickly as I could manage. Thank God for small favors since I wasn’t wearing heels today.

“Kristine!” he shouted angrily over the sound of his footsteps on the concrete above me as I reached the first landing. Almost there. Then I could barricade myself in Isobel’s office and fall apart over what a colossal idiot I’d been.

Grasping the strap of my bag tightly in my hand, I ran down the last set of stairs, ripping open the door to our floor and jogging across the tile in front of the bank of elevators.

Andrea looked up from her desk at the sound of the door banging into the wall as Sam tried futilely to catch up. “Are you okay?” she shouted as I took off past her desk and into the hallway that led to Isobel’s office. I could hear her talking to Sam behind me, hoping she kept him distracted long enough that I could get away.

“What twisted your panties in a wad?” Carson fell into step beside me, his long legs easily able to keep up with my determined stride.

“Fuck off, Carson. Leave me alone.”

“Geez, who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?” he laughed, but I was not in the mood to deal with his crap. It was bad enough he’d weaseled his way back into the office before his university semester resumed. “I hear you got a promotion. You too important to talk to the little people in the office anymore, Krissy?”

“Don’t fucking call me Krissy, you colossal waste of good oxygen! Go back to your desk and pretend you never met me.”

“What has you so... Oh, I get it. Lover’s spat.”

I made the mistake of glancing over my shoulder as I reached Isobel’s door, and Sam was right there, a few steps behind us, with a determined look on his face.

“Don’t even fucking think about it,” Sam growled, reaching his hand out and pushing the door open, dragging me inside before I could protest. “Fuck off, Carson.” Before Carson could reply from the hallway, Sam had closed the door and pressed me against it, his hands caging me in with his palms flat on the door on either side of my head.

“Why did you run?”

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