Page 126 of April

“The errand I needed to run today was for work.”

“Oh?” Linden kissed her neck again.

“Yeah. I asked Carolyn to meet me.”

“Why?”

“Because I turned down Dallas, Linden.”

“Oh,” Linden replied and just kissed Asher’s neck again as if Asher hadn’t said the most important thing in the world a second ago.

“Oh? Justoh?” she asked, repeating herself. “I tell you that I’m no longer moving, and your response is, ‘Oh,’ like it doesn’t even matter, when you just told me that one day, you want someone planning our wedding?”

Linden just pressed her face to Asher’s chest, though, and Asher wasn’t sure if Linden was laughing or crying.

“Babe? Linden? What’s happening? Are you–” She lifted Linden’s face up and stopped when she noticed that Linden wasn’t crying. “Why are you laughing?”

“Sorry, I tried.” Linden stopped laughing and took a deep breath. “I know.”

“You know what?”

“Well, you ran off on me this morning, and I was worried at first, but then Carolyn texted me and asked if I’d meet her at the office.”

“Carolyn asked–”

“That’s where I went earlier, Ash. I had no idea what she wanted. I assumed it was something to do with the wedding yesterday, but she sat me down and told me that you weren’t going to Dallas. Well, she didn’t give me any details, and when you talk to her, you have to pretend like I didn’t tell you what happened.”

“She told you before I could…”

“Yes. Why didn’t you, though? We were lying in bed all morning. If you weren’t going to go, why didn’t you just tell me so that I’d stop worrying about it?” Linden asked her and slowly pulled out of her then, making Asher feel a little less complete in that moment.

“Because I wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to fire me.”

“What? She’dneverfire you. You’re her heir apparent and top earner.”

“I accepted the job and then told her I didn’t want it. I didn’t know how she’d react, so I wanted to talk it over with her first and then tell you, but when I got home, you weren’t here.”

“Because I was there. She was offering me your job.”

“What?” Asher asked.

“Yeah. She even had an offer letter ready for me when I walked in. She needs someone fast, and I offered to go to Dallas earlier this week.”

Asher pulled back a little and asked, “Whatnow?”

“When I found out you were going, I asked if I could go, too.”

Asher practically melted at that and said, “You did?”

“Yeah.” Linden pressed her face to Asher’s chest then. “I didn’t want to be here without you, but you told me you wanted the opportunity in Dallas, so I thought I could go, too. She said no because she needed me here, and when you turned her down, she asked me. I said no.”

“You did?” Asher asked.

“Obviously,” Linden replied, pulling back to look up at her. “Asher, I love you. I don’t go anywhere without you anymore.”

Asher smiled down at her and said, “It’s a good opportunity. A lot of money.”

“I don’t care about money. You know that,” Linden told her, shrugging a shoulder. “I make good enough money, and you make even more. We’re good. I just want you in New Orleans for as long as this place and our jobs make us happy.”

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