Page 5 of I Choose You

He rolls his desk chair out to sit, then clasps his hands together on his desk. Gray peppers his sandy blond hair. No doubt from the stress of the job. The crow’s feet forming at the corners of his eyes are another telltale sign I’m not the only one who needs a vacation.

“Sit,” he orders.

There’s something off. It’s not the first time he’s called me into his office, but it’s the first time he’s asked me to take a seat. My brows draw together as I slowly move to sit on the couch on the east side of his office. What the hell is going on?

He clears his throat. “I was asked to extend a proposition your way.”

I blink once, twice, three times, then observe the New York City mural on the opposite wall. I look back at him. “Okay? Care to elaborate?”

He taps his clasped hands on the desk, then folds his cracked lips into his mouth. “You’re being promoted.”

Confusion trickles through me. I shake my head, not understanding. I received a raise a few months ago. “I’m sorry?”

His gaze shifts to the ceiling, then back down. “The big dogs want to give you your own damn team. Rather than working on your own here, you’ll have a group of experts in the field who will assist you with your work.”

I clear my throat, somewhat still uncertain. It makes little sense why I’d be getting a promotion so soon after technically just getting one, but a team to help me? That is enormous. To have help on my accounts would be life changing. Fucking incredible, if I’m being honest.

I’d be able to eat lunch. Hell, leave the office at a decent hour. My mind immediately goes to all the extra time I could spend with Mackenzie. We would actually be able to have dinner together. Lord knows that hasn’t happened in way too long, and I’m restless over it, over not getting to spend more time with her, over not being able to do all the things that would solidify my feelings about her and silence her worries where relationships are concerned.

I try to wrap my head around the news, but I think my lack of response gets to Richard because he wastes zero time explaining. As usual, he is all business, and I can’t say I blame him. Without his work ethic and drive to keep this office running, I wouldn’t even have this job. I know my specialized formula earned me the raise. Being that I’m at the top of the ladder here, I never contemplated what it would be like to get an actual promotion. This office is the smallest in Mane Social Management’s conglomerate.

“They see the numbers you report and want you with the best of the best. Mane Social Management wants you at their headquarters.”

“Headquarters?”

He nods, pointing at the stack of papers I brought in with me. His expression as blank as any other day, except for the wrinkles that line his forehead from years of using reading glasses. “Those are the companies they want you managing.”

I glance down again, and interest takes root. There are so many pages I can’t get a good grasp on how many companies are listed.

“They have made promises for you far above what Quaint can offer.”

Uncertainty sits in my stomach like a heavy rock. This is too good to be true. Before I get heart eyes, wonder fists my shirt, pulling me back. “What’s the catch?”

The corner of his lip tips up wistfully. “Aside from needing to move, there isn’t one.”

“To Texas?” I remember reading about the company’s background when I applied for this position. Jesus Christ. Texas is far as hell.

He nods again. “That’s right. Austin, Texas.”

My stomach does a belly flop, diving from Richard’s office on the fourth floor of the building to the parking garage on the lower level. It’s the kind of jump that has you smacking against the concrete-like water, stealing the air from your lungs.

I’m winded. Austin is miles and miles away.

Hundreds.

Richard plucks his reading glasses from his shirt pocket and peers down at a sheet of paper on his desk. “They’re offering to cover the costs of your move, including six months of rent until your new salary kicks in. Hell, I don’t know why.” Chocolate brown eyes peer at me over the rim of his glasses, staring out into the space around his office before returning to the paper. “You’ll be making more than you earn here, along with a 401K, investment options, and premium healthcare coverage at a discount. If you meet certain milestones, you’ll be eligible to earn all-inclusive retreats covered by MSM.”

I’m slack-jawed, my mouth falling open in surprise. “Wow. This is…” Amazement barrels into me, knocking me down each time I get to my feet. It’s like I’m being hit with grenade after grenade of good news. My formula is one-of-a-kind. It’s effective, but I didn’t realize it was catching the attention of the CEO and CFO of the company.

“A lot. I know.” He pinches his readers from his face and leans back in his chair. I do a double take when I glance up. In the slightest movement, the blankness of his expression turns crestfallen. Then, his appearance shifts once again. I almost can’t believe it when I see it. I knew Richard Keller was capable of disappointment, but appreciation? “They’re giving you time to decide, but if I were you, I wouldn’t sit on it too long. Offers like this stick around for only so long until they find a replacement. You don’t want to pass it up over indecision.” He tucks his readers back into his shirt pocket, then lifts his pudgy head to hold my gaze. The appreciation in his glossy stare magnifies. It’s as shocking to see as it is hearing about this promotion. And fuck if it doesn’t make my confidence soar and my chest swell with pride. “I see what they see, Mason. You’re damn good at your job. Don’t linger and lose out.”

I tip my chin, thoughts churning in my gut as if it were a cauldron being mixed by Richard. When he extends a folder my way, I extend my gratitude and reach for it. “Thank you, Richard.”

He holds the manila folder firmly in his grasp before releasing it, “Time is of the essence.”

“Understood.”

When I leave his office, I notice the contents in the folder show details of the position. I flip through it back at my desk, ignoring the way the spreadsheet on the screen glowers at me, begging to be complete. All the incentives that go along with the position are included, and I meander over them, some sentences multiple times before moving on to the next paragraph.

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