Page 2 of Why Not Forever?

“You are exquisite. If I had plans with anyone other than my niece, I’d tell them I came down with something and stay right here with you.”

“But you can’t maintain favourite uncle status if you cancel on her,” I point out.

“True.” He stands, buttoning the top three buttons of his shirt again. Had I done that? “I’ll see you tonight. Wear something sexy for me?” He winks.

“Maybe. Or maybe I’ll wear sweats and the t-shirt I wear on laundry day.”

“Perfect.”

I get up, slip on some pyjamas and my robe, and follow him to the front door, bringing the paper rose with me.

“Don’t throw that away, now,” he says, pointing at the flower. “I made that for you.”

I roll my eyes. “I won’t throw it out.” I take it to my china cabinet and find a small vase, placing it inside and back on the cabinet. “Happy?”

He grins. “More than you can possibly imagine.”

He pulls me to him, kissing me again before saying goodbye and heading out.

A few minutes later, Spencer’s bedroom door opens.

“Was that Tanner I heard?” he asks, scratching his messy blond hair before padding into the kitchen on bare feet. I sit at the counter, watching through the pass-through as he pours coffee. “Who made this?”

“I guess Tanner did,” I say. “He stayed here last night.”

The only reaction I get is a quick look before he focuses again on pouring coffee.

“About fucking time.”

“Excuse me?”

He turns to me with an exasperated expression. “Vic. I love you. You are my best friend. But you are really stupid sometimes. You’ve liked that man for the last couple years.”

“I have not,” I exclaim.

Spencer sets a cup with a pink, purple, and blue triceratops on it in front of me. The coffee has a splash of milk. He leans a hip on the counter, holding his own mug and watching me with patience.

If anyone in the world would have guessed that I secretly liked Tanner, it would have been Spencer.

“Fine. You’re right.”

He just smiles and drinks his coffee. My phone rings, cutting off the conversation. My dad’s face flashes across my screen; the picture is the one he uses on the website of our company. I pick up the phone with excitement thrumming through me. I’ve finished my MBA. The interview process with the rest of the applicants at Sterling Properties is well underway. The last thing I’ve been waiting for is this call, when my dad tells me my start date.

“Hey Dad,” I answer, putting it on speakerphone so Spencer can listen, too.

“Victoria. I want to ask you about a few of the students in your class. They’ve applied for jobs here at Sterling, and I want your opinion of them.”

I blink. “Oh. Okay. I can do that, I guess.”

We go through a list of three people and I tell him what I think about all of them. One of them is Tanner. When we’re done talking, he hums, considering my information.

“This all lines up with the impressions of our hiring team,” he says eventually. “I’ll let them know, but it sounds like we’ve found our candidate.”

My eyes meet Spencer’s, my heart racing. There is only one position open at Sterling. I’d gone through the hiring process—like everyone else—but I’d assumed it was a formality. I never expected I wouldn’t be chosen for the job.

“Are those the only three candidates?” I ask, thoughts swirling around my head, insecurities nipping at me, telling me I’m not good enough to be part of Sterling. That I’ll never be good enough.

“This is our short list, yes. Now that we’ve spoken, I think we all know who’s getting the job. You’re sure this Tanner Marcus is the best of the three?”

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