Page 109 of Mark my Words

Sitting at the desk in my hotel room the next afternoon, I was nervous as I waited for the video call with Sloane to connect. This was the last step before the hiring panel would make their decisions, and I knew life was about to change no matter the outcome.

“Sam,” Sloane’s perfectly made-up face filled the screen as she sat at her desk in Boston, the skyline visible beyond her shoulders. “It’s nice to see you looking relaxed. How’s the tour going?”

“It’s been good,” I confirmed with a smile, easily slipping into small talk about the cities we’d been to, talking about how well their readers had received Chase and Evan’s book.

“Well,” she cut me off a few moments later. “I know you’ve got a dinner to attend in a few hours, but I wanted to take this last opportunity to talk to you about the positions. You and Miss Willard are the final candidates for the fantasy placement, but some last-minute developments while you two were out of the office have changed things.”

I tried to school my features as she went on to tell me that they’d offered the non-fiction job to another candidate from the New York office.

“Unfortunately for Kristine, the position for the romance placement in New York is probably no longer an option,” she continued.

“What?” I frowned. “I thought she was still being considered for that position?”

“She is, and after our talk before the tour, I was ready to consider her transfer seriously, but the copy editor who currently holds the position has likely decided not to transfer.”

“Oh.”

“It has thrown the hiring committee into a heated debate over which one of you to keep here in Boston, but I think we’ve come to a tentative agreement as to who to offer the position to.”

I nodded, knowing they likely wouldn’t tell either of us until they announced their final decision, but the outcome no longer worried me. I’d be fine either way. I was just worried about Kristine’s reaction. This had been holding her back all along, making her keep me at a distance, and I hoped the outcome didn’t negate all the progress we’d made in the last few weeks.

“We’ve also had a vacancy open up in another office that we think you would be perfect to fill.” Sloane’s voice was hesitant, almost like she shouldn’t be telling me this, but my interest was piqued by how she stared at me intently through the screen. “Have you ever considered relocating to the Midwest? We don’t need an answer immediately, but if you could think about it, we could offer equivalent positions to both of you...”

I was distracted as Kristine, and I slid into the waiting cab in front of our hotel. My day had been frantic, spending the morning at the venue for our dinner and then coming back to get cleaned up for my video interview with Sloane. Then I’d spent another hour in a three-way video conference with the head of publishing in the Chicago office, talking to them about the available position.

It was an attractive possibility, but Sloane had disclosed she wouldn’t move forward with their decision regarding the Boston office until she’d had her interview with Kristine. I’d spent the afternoon pacing my hotel room, trying to figure out if I’d even take a transfer if it were offered.

The only thing anchoring me to Boston was Kristine, and I knew she wouldn’t hesitate to jump if they offered her the promotion, regardless of the location.

“Are you alright?” she asked as she reached between us and clasped my hand resting on the seat between us.

“Yeah, sorry,” I apologized, turning my hand to interlock our fingers, knowing nothing would be decided tonight. There were some big decisions to be made in the next week that could change things irreversibly for both of us, and I honestly had no idea what I wanted.

Moving to the Chicago office would have been a no-brainer four months ago, but now I wasn’t so sure. It’d be closer to my family, but it meant starting over. And if I left Boston, I’d likely be leaving my heart behind as well.

There was no easy answer.

The Met Cloisters near the Hudson River was surprisingly beautiful. The main courtyard had been transformed into an intimate setting to celebrate the last leg of the book tour. We’d all been so stressed over the last few months; it was nice to sit and enjoy the company of the people I’d come to regard as more than simply coworkers.

“Sit with me?” Kristine asked as she tugged me toward the table, a few familiar faces amongst the crowd. Adrian and Isobel were talking to an older couple, a striking redhead and a tall blond man who startlingly resembled Chase. The rest of that half of the table was filled with a few young couples and another older couple I didn’t recognize. I knew Evan had invited their families tonight, so I was sure I’d meet them all later.

As Kristine tugged me toward the table, a familiar brunette turned the corner, her eyes widening as she turned toward us. “You guys are here too!” Kelly bounced in place before she sprang forward, hugging Kristine and me and tugging us toward the long table. “I’m so glad you were invited too. I was starting to feel like the thirteenth wheel, although now I’m just the fifteenth wheel instead.”

Kelly chatted animatedly with Kristine as I watched, both barely coming up for air as she asked about our travels since we’d seen her in Chicago. Kristine left out all the hot sex we’d had, but Kelly kept glancing at our joined hands and smirking.

“Whoa,” Kelly stopped talking abruptly, her eyes widening as she looked toward the door leading into the courtyard. “Who is that?”

Looking over my shoulder, I saw a familiar figure hesitantly headed in our direction, wondering if he’d brought his friends with him, but it appeared he was alone.

“Oh,” Kristine laughed, smacking the back of her hand into my shoulder. “Crap, what’s his name again?”

“Nathan,” I sighed, rolling my eyes at her. I knew we’d only met the guy for a few hours at the book launch, but she rarely forgot anyone’s name. It was clear I’d be carrying her out of here later if these two kept up with the wine consumption.

“Dayum,” Kelly whistled, “Is he for me? Please say he’s for me... I’d climb that mountain of a man like I was an explorer and mount his peak.”

“Oh God,” I sputtered, trying not to laugh at her antics. Her filter was almost as non-existent as Chase’s. I wondered if Evan realized he was marrying his sister’s fairer-haired clone.

Nathan hesitated, scanning the group seated at the table, clearly feeling out of place.

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