Page 138 of Holding You
No sooner than the message says delivered, my phone rings.
“One sec,” I answer in a whisper.
“I’m sorry to call so late,” Steven says.
I climb out of bed and sneak down the hall.
I wait for him to go on, but he doesn't.
The silence almost speaks louder than whatever it is that he needs to tell me.
My heart races and my stomach turns as if I'm going to be sick.
“What happened?”
I hear him let out a long breath. “TurnBlue Inc. gave notice to cancel their contract with us.”
“Why?”
“We … missed a couple of deadlines that were required for them.”
Silence fills the line.
“Declan, if we lose our biggest client, there’s no way we can acquire Collins Corp.”
The chills that cover my skin sting.
My back hits the wall as I slide down to sit.
The rest of this call requires it.
“I thought you said you could handle this.”
“I thought I did.”
“If they are giving notice, Steven, something has been going on that you haven’t been telling me.”
“I-I’ve done my best, but you working remotely has changed too much here. So unless we want to lose them and possibly more clients, we need you back here in the office.”
He lets a moment pass before he adds.
“And not just for the weekend. We need you here. Permanently. Things aren’t as smooth without you here.”
My heart thuds louder and louder as I stare at the wall in front of me.
“Declan, did you hear me?”
“I heard you,” I whisper. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
I hang up, but I don't move.
My head drops forward and I close my eyes.
I hear sheets ruffling. Ruby. The woman who has changed my entire world in a matter of months.
The woman I can’t imagine living life without.
What am I supposed to do now? Ask her to change her entire life for me? Ask her to move to a completely different town where I’ll neglect her while I put time in at the office. Because let’s face it, things are fucked, and I’ll have to put in more time than I do now.
