Page 114 of My Secret Snowflake
“I have to go, but it was a pleasure meeting you.” She leaves the room, saying thank you to Pearl and asking her to call with any updates.
She nodded. Would this company prohibit our relationship too? Probably, right? I need to talk to Sebastian.
He’s willing to quit and find another job!
We might succeed.
My whole body feels so much lighter.
Pearl offers to see me to the elevator. I pick up my coat and bag and find my way out of the building. It’s dark outside, but the shops are lit up on Broadway. College students congregate outside a bar, deciding whether to go in, while two figures in hooded coats with large backpacks scurry by.
I was too quick to dismiss Sebastian’s plea that there had to be a third way. Maybe Patrick was right, that I am too quick to put my career first. But to see Sebastian become bitter—like Patrick did… I definitely didn’t want that. But Sebastian isn’t Patrick.
This is the perfect solution. I already know Raphael and I work well together, and it gives me more of the work-life balance I want. And hopefully Sebastian will take me back. And he doesn’t have to quit his job at Dream, but I am so grateful he also looked for another job.
I need to see him in person.
Chapter thirty-seven
Sebastian
ThetinyChristmastreeon my coffee table looks a bit lost in my apartment, especially with all the socks clipped with wooden clothes pins to the branches. Maybe I should have bought a bigger tree. Should I put on some music? Probably not. Then it will look more like I’m trying to seduce her rather than sit down and talk.
I can’t wait to see Iris. It’s now so clear to me that this is the right choice. If only I’d realized that immediately. Even if I don’t get this job at Shooting Stars, I’ll find another job.
The doorman buzzes to let me know she’s on her way up.
I prop open my front door and pace in the hallway. What if she doesn’t take me back?
The elevator opens, and she steps out. And we both just stand there, drinking each other in.
“I’m so sorry I was such an idiot. I’ll change jobs,” I say quickly.
“You don’t have to. But I know you’re trying. I just interviewed for a job at Shooting Stars, and the CEO mentioned your name. I applied for the Deputy CISO job there—Raphael is CISO, and they offered it to me, and it’s perfect for me,” she says without a breath.
“What?”
She smiles. And I’m so happy to see that grin that I just reach out and pull her into my arms.
“Can we just hug for a minute?” I ask. “It seems like we’re back, and I wasn’t sure we would be, and I just want to hold you.”
I hold her tight and bury my face in her hair. It smells of peony. And she squeezes me right back.
We finally release each other—sort of. I don’t release her hand, and instead I pull her into the living room.
“You bought a Christmas tree,” she says.
“A small one. We should get a big one together.” I pull her down to sit on the couch next to me. “But wait, you don’t have to give up CISO to be Deputy CISO. I’ll leave Dream, and you can stay there. Our being together is much more important than the job or that title. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it immediately.”
“No, I had to realize it as well. And that you were right—there is a third way. And actually, reporting to Raphael is perfect. I already know that we work well together, and we will get to build our own department. And I’ll hopefully have a life as well. And the Shooting Stars CEO is so cool. I like her much better than Xavier. You can stay at Dream.”
“Okay. I should cancel my interview, then. But only if you’re absolutely sure. Because I want to support what you want. You don’t have to leave Dream.”
“Liam was annoyed I was staying at Dream, given how they treated me. But Shooting Stars hasn’t called you to cancel the interview?” she asks. “They know we’re dating. She asked me what I thought of you, and I said I couldn’t be unbiased because I was dating you. I didn’t want to say we’d actually broken up. And I said there was a no-dating rule at Dream.”
“You sure you don’t want to think about it overnight?” I ask.
“I’m positive. I feel good about this.”
