Page 69 of Once Upon a Curse for True Love
“Swan.”He set down the spoon and turned to face her fully.“What’s going on?”
Her eyes met his, then darted away.“Why would you think something’s up?”
“You’ve got that look.”
“What look?”
“The same one you had when you hexed my hair purple and pretended it wasn’t you.”He stepped closer, positioning himself between her knees.“I’m a detective, remember?I notice things.”
Andromeda rolled her eyes, the gesture tense, not playful.
“Come on,” Donatello coaxed her, “what’s bothering you?”
She exhaled deeply, her shoulders slumping.“Chief King offered me a job.”
He blinked, momentarily thrown by her confession.“As what?”
“Director of Magical Cybersecurity,” she confirmed, a hint of pride creeping into her voice despite her clear discomfort.“My own department, a team, the whole package.”
“Woah…” It made sense—after the Arcanet case, King would be a fool not to recognize Andromeda’s talents.And under different circumstances, he would have been thrilled for her.
But a heavy weight settled in his gut as realization dawned.“The non-fraternization policy.”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.“You know about it?”
“HR practically engraves it on new recruits’ badges.”
“Right.”She nodded, her eyes searching his face.
Dread knotted in his chest.“What did you tell him?”
“That I’d think about it.He gave me a week to decide.”
The sauce bubbled aggressively behind him, but Donatello barely noticed.She had seven days to choose between him and what sounded like her dream job.Seven days of limbo, of uncertainty.
“I’m sorry.”The words were out of his mouth before he could analyze why he was apologizing.
She frowned rearing her head.“Why are you sorry?”
“Because you can’t take the job.”His reply was automatic, instinctive.Honest.
The confusion on Andromeda’s face hardened into something else.“So that’s it?You’re assuming I’ll give up the opportunity of a lifetime for you?”
“That’s not what I—”
“Why don’t you quit your job instead?”she interrupted, sliding off the counter to stand toe-to-toe with him.Her eyes flashed with that defiant spark he usually found so attractive, but now it froze the breath halfway up his throat.
“I was working there first,” he said tightly, aware of how petulant it sounded even as the words left his mouth.“I’ve been a cop my entire life.I don’t know how to be anything else.”
“And I’ve been jumping from contract to contract, operating in gray areas, never having stability or respect.This job would give me all of that.”She crossed her arms over her chest.“But you’re right.Your career is obviously more important than mine.”
“That’s not fair.I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to.You stated it as a fact—I can’t take the job.You didn’t say, ‘We need to figure this out’ or ‘Let’s weigh our options.’No, you just gave me a blanket statement that I have to be the one to sacrifice.”
“There aren’t any options,” he snapped, frustration building.“The policy exists for a reason.King isn’t going to change it for us.”
“So that’s it?You’ve given it all of thirty seconds’ thought and decided there’s no solution?”
