Page 100 of Give Me Forever

"It's not her fault. She couldn't have known you didn't tell me." Her voice was strained.

I took her empty plate and put it on the coffee table next to mine.

"Want to take a walk in the backyard?" I asked.

"Sure."

We headed away from the living room, through the door that connected to the backyard. Outside, it was windy and far too chilly for my taste, but I wanted to have some alone time with my girl.

“Let me get your coat,” I said.

“There’s no need. Please, I just want to talk.”

“Okay.”

"How long have you known?"

"That's not important."

She looked up at me. Her eyes were furious. "Yes, it is.”

“Robinson Matthew, the CEO, told me about six weeks ago.”

"Weeks? You've known forweeks? So wait, all that time you were hinting at our future and you were secretly wondering how to tell me? Or were you going to tell me at all?"

"Avery." I made a move to touch her arms, but she took a step back. "Of course I meant to tell you. The thing is, I haven't accepted their deal."

Her shoulders dropped. "Why not?"

"Because it's in Maine, and it's not what I want."

"But that clinic is all you've been talking about."

"I want to open it in Chicago."

She swallowed hard, rubbing her arms with her palms.

"Are you sure you don’t want your coat?”

“I’m fine.”

"Avery, I'm not going to accept it."

"But it's your dream," she murmured.

"Yeah, but I'm flexible when it comes to that. My family is in Chicago. You're in Chicago."

"You were with Doctors Without Borders for years, Sam. You went all around the world, and your family was still in Chicago. What’s changed?"

"You. Now I have you."

She shook her head. "No. This isn't right."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You shouldn't make a decision based on our relationship."

I stared at her. "Why the hell not?"

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