Page 54 of Caleb

Taylor hesitated, then motioned toward the kitchen. “We need to talk.”

His brow furrowed slightly, but he followed her, sitting across from her at the table. She swallowed hard, steeling herself before she spoke.

“I got a job offer,” she said, her voice carefully even.

Caleb’s face lit up briefly, pride flickering in his eyes. “That’s great, Taylor. Congratulations.”

“It’s in Chicago,” she added, the words dropping between them like a stone.

The warmth in his expression cooled instantly, replaced by something guarded. “Chicago,” he repeated, his tone unreadable.

She nodded, her fingers tightening on the edge of the table. “It’s a huge opportunity, Caleb. Senior Marketing Director for a major firm. It’s... everything I’ve been working toward.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “And you’re thinking about taking it?”

Her stomach twisted at his tone. It wasn’t accusatory, exactly, but there was an edge to it that made her heartache. “I haven’t decided yet,” she said carefully. “I wanted to talk to you first.”

Caleb’s jaw tightened, and he glanced away, his fingers tapping a restless rhythm against the table. “It sounds like a great opportunity,” he said finally, his voice low. “You should do what’s best for you and Liam.”

The casual dismissal hit her like a slap, and her breath caught in her throat. She stared at him, waiting for something more—for him to tell her he wanted her to stay, that they could figure it out together. But he didn’t.

His tone, his body language—it all screamed retreat. Every carefully built bridge between them seemed to teeter as if the ground beneath had shifted. This news, the possibility of her moving, had set them back in a way Taylor hadn’t anticipated.

And he wouldn’t even discuss it with her.

Caleb’s shoulders stiffened, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, and his gaze flicked away whenever she tried to meet it—it was all too familiar. He was withdrawing faster than a tornado skipping across town, leaving behind a trail of uncertainty and frustration.

Taylor’s heart ached as she watched him pull away. She wanted to reach out, to grab hold of him and make him stay in the moment with her, but he was already slipping through her fingers.

“That’s it?” she said, her voice sharp with disbelief. “That’s all you have to say?”

He met her gaze then, his expression conflicted. “What do you want me to say, Taylor? It’s your career, your decision. I don’t want to hold you back.”

Her lungs tightened, the hurt rising so fast, she could barely contain it. “Hold me back?” she repeated, her voice trembling with anger. “Do you honestly think this is about me wanting to leave? Do you think Iwantto start again in a new place with Liam?”

Caleb flinched, but his silence only fueled her frustration.

“This isn’t just about me,” she continued, her voice rising. “It’s about us. About Liam. About what we’ve been building here, Caleb.”

He looked away, his jaw tightening again. “I don’t want to stand in your way,” he said quietly. “You deserve what makes you happy. You deserve more than I can give you.”

Didn’t the idiot realize he made her happy?

Taylor’s fingers curled into fists at her sides as she fought the urge to yell at him, to shake some sense into him. She was torn, teetering on the edge of a life-changing decision, and all she wanted—all sheneeded—was for Caleb to meet her halfway.

She wanted him to look her in the eye and ask her not to go. To tell her to stay, to promise they could build something real, something lasting, together.

But instead, he said nothing.

He sat there, silent and stiff as if this wasn’t tearing her apart. As if she wasn’t silently begging him to step up and show her that what they had—what they could have—was worth fighting for.

There was so much she wanted him to say, words that would make her feel like staying was the only option. But he wasn’t saying any of it. And it broke her heart.

The finality in his tone created a sharp pang inside her. She stared at him, her mind reeling. After everything they’d been through—after everything he’d said about wanting to be there for her and Liam—this was how it ended?

All she wanted was for Caleb totalkto her about this decision. To sit down, listen, and help her figure it out. To fight for what they’d started to build together.

But instead, he was pulling away. With every passing moment, it felt like he was withdrawing further, retreating into himself, and it was breaking her heart.

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