Page 2 of Only If You Dare

“Um, well, actually, I don’t have another job lined up at the moment. I was sort of going to free spirit it.”

Her smile faltered a bit, and the glimmer in her eyes went away.

“Oh,” she shrugged. “Well that’s not a big deal,” she predicted. “You’ve saved enough pennies to live off of for a few years. Do you have any idea where you’ll look?”

I braced myself for the bomb I was about to drop on her. Santana and I had grown very close. We were each other’s left and right. My fingers drew a circle around the coaster sitting next to my keyboard, but it didn’t stop my words from coming out in a whisper.

“I’m moving back to Chicago.” I cleared my throat and waited for her response.

“Say what?”

I cleared my throat again and adjusted my blouse, thinking it would give me more courage to speak louder. “I’ve, um, decided to move back to Chicago and find a career there.”

What little happiness that was left on her face vanished and was replaced with a scowl.

“What!” Santana held her arms out. “Are you kidding me?”

“Ssssh! I know it’s surprising, but can you please keep it down.”

“Surprising? Keep it down?” She repeated.

I crossed my eyes. “Yes, keep it down!”

“What do you care? You’re leaving this place, not to mention the whole city,” she hissed.

I rubbed my temples. “I’m sorry. Look, I have to. Like you said, this job has been wearing me out, and I’m going with my gut after all. Your words, not mine.”

Santana waved her hand in the air. “Oh, I don’t want to hear that! Since when have you ever listened to anything I’ve said? If I knew you were talking about leaving the city, I would’ve just said, don’t even think about it!”

I gave her a small smile. “It was a last-minute thing. Come on, you know I’m not happy here, and what’s to keep me in Houston? I’m single, my job sucks, I have no family, no friends…”

Santana glared at me.

“I mean except for you, of course.”

“Since when has being single been an issue for you? You don’t take the time to so much as look at a man never mind date one! Annnnnd,” she said dragging out the word, “I thought you left Chicago because living there tormented you with thoughts of losing your father. How’s going back now going to be any different? Did you have an intervention I don’t know about?”

I massaged my forehead and let out a sigh.

“You’re right and you’re right!” I repeated. “But, I can’t let my father’s disappearance cripple me. It’s had enough of an effect on my life thus far, and I’m done with it. I need to move on.”

“And what about me,” she asked.

“You can always call me. You can always visit. I’ll visit too! We will keep in touch. It’ll be like I never left.” I stood to my feet. “I have to do this before I change my mind.” I grabbed my purse and scooped up the envelope. Santana looked pensive. There was something she wanted to say, but she held her tongue and waved me off, shooing me out of the cubicle. I reached out and hugged her. She didn’t respond, only held me with that scowl.

“How about I pay for your lunch today?” I smiled and shook my head like that would make things betters.

“And drinks,” she muttered.

“Yes!” I shouted, grateful to do anything that would satisfy her; if only temporarily, “Drinks, too.”

Santana rolled her eyes. “Go,” she said, giving me the green light. I squeezed her tight and marched off to Fredrick’s office with my shoulders back, and head held high. Now encouraged, I knocked twice and didn’t wait for a response before barging right in.

My footsteps slowed when my eyes landed on the man sitting in a visitor’s chair in front of Fredrick’s desk. Their eyes were drawn to me upon my entrance, and immediately I lost my train of thought.

“Just the person I was getting ready to call,” Fredrick said, dropping the phone back into the cradle. “Desiree, this is Julian Alexander Rose, international male model and owner of A Few Good Men male modeling agency. We were just discussing getting the first shots of his photo shoot slated for October 3rd in Dubai. He’s requested you to put together this piece. It’s essential that we cover this story, and I know you’ll do a great job.” Fredrick’s boastful smile was staunch. “Congratulations.”

I fixed my vision on Julian, and his dark gray eyes met mine. A sexy smile drew back his lips, and I was caught in his hypnotic stare. My legs weakened, and I almost went down. My hand flew out to brace myself on the empty chair that sat next to him. Julian moved; his strong arms circling my waist as he leaned into me.

“Careful,” his profound voice thumped. “We wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

I got a whiff of his natural male scent mixed with a striking cologne that put my nerves on edge. My eyes dropped to his mouth, and I sucked in my bottom lip, as my tongue traced the shape of them. Fredrick cleared his throat, and I snapped out of my haze and removed myself from Julian’s grasp.

“What do you have there?” Fredrick asked eyeing me speculatively. I’d forgotten all about the envelope in my hand that held my resignation letter. This was my moment of truth. I was supposed to be brave and tell Fredrick he would have to find another reporter for his assignment. Besides, this wasn’t a part of my job description. I went after crooked politicians, restaurants that failed their inspections and covered the national news. I didn’t do photo shoots and write simple articles, even if it was with gorgeous men. But my boldness left the minute I stepped into the office and saw his beautiful face. I tucked the envelope underneath my arm and offered a flimsy smile.

“Oh this? Nothing. I was just coming to discuss a project I’d made headway on.” My gaze went to Julian then back to Fredrick.

“Whatever it is, give it to Ms. Summers. You’re officially on Julian’s assignment. Fredrick looked to Julian. “For the next few weeks, she’s all yours, Mr. Rose.”

Julian’s all-pervading gaze never left me. “Then consider me the luckiest man in the world,” he said.

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