Page 149 of The Wayward Son

“So, we are talking about it?” She nodded, and he said, “I should’ve. I’m sorry. I just felt gut-punched.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t’ talk to you when the offer came in. It surprised me and I was…flattered I guess. Someone actually thought I was capable of doing the job I spent four years in college for.”

“I understand that. It’s something you wanted for a long time.” He drank some more coffee, then put his cup on the coffee table and adjusted his blanket. “No matter how I reacted, I’m happy you got the job you wanted.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Happy?”

He smiled. “Well, maybe not happy. But I’m proud of you. You went after your dream and you achieved it. You just caught me off guard. I thought maybe you could be happy here in Castle Springs.”

She stood and moved to the couch, sitting a foot away from him. “I’ve only cried two times in my life. At least since my mother died. Both times it was at the prospect of leaving you. When I was sixteen, I didn’t have a choice. I had to go. But this time, it’s my choice to go or stay.” She reached for his hand. “I need you to say to me what you said to me the last time. Do you remember what it was?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I said…don’t go.”

“Say it again.”

He looked at her. “Don’t go.”

Jade smiled. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“You’re not going to take the job?”

“No. I don’t want to leave you again.”

He put a hand on her cheek. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” She squeezed his hand and got to her feet. “I never intended to take the job. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I was just enjoying the prospect. I know it was wrong of me to lead them on. But I couldn’t help myself.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that Sunday night?”

She pointed at him. “Because you opened the door and told me to leave.”

“We need to learn how to communicate better.”

She smiled. “I think you’re right.”

“Do you think we’ve been spending too much time having sex and not enough time building our relationship?”

She laughed. “We’ve known each other forever. We have a great foundation for our relationship.”

“I feel the same way.’

“Do you think we’re spending too much time—”

He leaned in and kissed her. “Not at all.”

“Are we done fighting over the job I was never going to take in the first place?”

“Yes.”

“Are you in any kind of shape to…”

He grinned. “Not really.”

“Get some more sleep. Shower. Put on some clothes. Maybe you and I could go for a trail ride. Do you think you’ll be up to that in a while?”

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