Page 84 of Score to Settle
I manage a smile, shaking my head. Why the hell didn’t I trust Tim to accept the truth? It’s the same with keeping the Scott thing from Jake, and even Callie and the team. I need to start letting people in. Trusting them to accept the real me.
“But Jake and I formed a relationship,” I say, unsure why I’m trying to dig myself into a bigger hole, but unable to stop now the truth is coming out. “It was unprofessional.”
“It was. And for the record, it’s not behaviorSports Magazinecondones. If it were to happen again, we’d probably be having a different conversation right now.”
“You warned me about the lines getting blurred and I didn’t listen. I’m sorry.”
Tim sighs. “You think you’re the first journalist who’s fallen for the person they’re interviewing? I’ve seen it before. As your boss, I wanted you to be aware and to act in a manner in keeping withSports Magazine. And on a more personal level, I didn’t want you to get hurt,” Tim replies. I swallow down the emotion threatening to take over as Tim continues. “Look, Harper, I can’t pretend what happened with you and Jake is ideal, but you were open with me about it, and you’ve continued to do your job. So I’m willing to overlook it this once.”
“But—”
Tim sighs. “Harper, take the win. I’m not firing you. You’re a fantastic journalist. Jake was right to ask for you to write his feature.”
My gaze snaps to Tim. “It wasn’t Jake who wanted me,” I say. “It was Mama.”
“I thought so at first, too,” Tim says. “But Mama Sullivan called to sing your praises the other day and mentionedthe request actually came from Jake. Apparently you wrote something about him once in high school?”
What?!
I feel like I have whiplash. Jake knew all along that it was me who wrote that article about him. I nod slowly. Suddenly, Jake’s reaction over dinner on my last night at the ranch makes sense. He wasn’t trying to change the subject because Mama wanted me to write the feature and he didn’t. It was becausehe’dchosen me. He knew I wrote that story.
“According to Jake, you saw through the bullshit when you were sixteen and he felt certain you’d do the same now.”
I briefly wonder how he found out I wrote that piece, but the question is swallowed up with the rising what-the-fuck anxiety threatening to take over. My head spins. I don’t know what to make of everything Tim has said, but there’s a new sense of urgency pounding in my chest, like I’m late for something. Like I have to go right now.
“I’ll let you get back to work,” Tim says. “But I hope you’ll consider staying on now your probation has finished.”
“You want to offer me the position?” My mouth drops open. “But I lied to you and I was unprofessional…”
He rolls his eyes again. “Are you trying to get me to change my mind?”
“No.” I give a furious shake of my head. “But Callie…”
“Will be staying, too. Her ice hockey knowledge is better than mine. The plan is to have both of you, but you’ll be focused on the longer features that go behind the scenes, if that’s what you’d like to do? Take some time to think about it. I appreciate you’ve now got your old job offer on the table.”
I nod, unsure what to say. I stumble out of Tim’s office in a daze, my mind whirring with everything he’s told me. Jake chose me to write the feature. He knew who I was all along and he wanted me to see the real him. And I have seen it, haven’t I? Thecaring, generous, funny man who puts everyone else first. The man who looks at me like I’m his whole world.
And I’ve ignored all his attempts to contact me this week. I’ve focused on one moment of hurt, one outburst said in pain and fear, and I’ve let it cloud everything else. Every tender touch, every heated kiss, every joke and heartfelt moment between us. That’s the real Jake. My Jake.
The realization crashes over me like a tidal wave. I love him. I am completely and utterly in love with Jake Sullivan. The second the thought lands, another is chasing at its heels. I have to tell him. I have to tell him now. Before it’s too late and I lose him forever. I spin around and head straight back into Tim’s office. He looks up in surprise.
“Um… I need to take the afternoon off,” I blurt. “I have to go to New York. Not for the job… for Jake.” My voice threatens to crack with emotion and urgency.
“You want half a day off after being back in the office for all of three hours?” he asks, pretending for a moment to be annoyed before the smile tugs at his lips. “Go. But you’ll have to make it up to me.”
I heave a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I’ll work on the feature over the weekend. You’ll have it first thing Monday.”
Tim chuckles. “I know.”
Relief and gratitude surge through me. “Thank you,” I reply.
“Oh, and Harper? I almost forgot. That novel you sent me. I assume it’s yours?”
I freeze, slowly turning back to face him. My face burns crimson at the thought of Tim reading about my sexy vampires, but I nod. “Sorry about that. You weren’t supposed to read it.”
“Well, I did. I can’t say I know much about those er… fantasy novels, but my sister-in-law is a publishing director for one of the big publishing houses. She was visiting over Christmas and read some of it. She wants you to give her a call if you’reinterested in talking more. Maybe she can help. I’ll send you her number.”
For the second time this morning, I’m lost for words. A publishing director read my novel. They want to talk to me. “I… I don’t know what to say.”
