Maybe she’s someone who needs a lot of space. Or she sees how messed up things are in my life and is getting out early.
Yesterday feels like a dream, and I’m trying to figure out what to make of it. Even after a lengthy talk with Aiden, who was traveling back to Northern California, didn’t do much tohelp the tangle I’m in. He said I should give her a few days to figure out what she wants, and maybe she’ll come to me.
When I didn’t show up at the airport, my father called my phone at least thirty times, the last one coming close to one in the morning.
Then nothing, which is suspicious.
I went to sleep just after that, sleeping until closer to seven. If I were in New York, I’d have been working for at least three hours by this point, which I now realize isn’t healthy.
While I don’t want to return to work completely, I know I need to reach out to my assistant and the department heads and check in.
It’s been a couple of weeks since I left New York, but it could’ve been months for the change I feel.
I need to do something so I don’t keep checking my phone, hoping I’ve missed a call or text from the girl next door.
I open my laptop, logging into emails. It takes nearly two hours to go through everything, and that’s looking at the abbreviated versions at the tops of most of the messages. I’ve saved the ones that need longer answers than a few words, then send a message to my assistant with my new phone number.
As expected, five minutes later, I get a call from a New York area code.
“Max?” Charlie asks when I answer.
“Hey, Charlie. Sorry for disappearing. How are things?”
He lets out a long breath. “I’m just glad you’re alive. There have been a lot of rumors going around the office.”
I laugh. “I can understand why. I’ll be remote for a few days but give me updates on where we are with the new stores. Then anything else we might need to tackle.”
“The most important part,” he says, “is probably the board meeting at the end of this week.”
I blow out a breath. “I should probably be there for that. Will you set up travel from the airport nearest Penrose Beach?”
“Where is that located, sir?”
I smile. “Southern California. And if I’ve never said it, you’re the best trip planner on the planet.”
“Um, thank you?”
“I didn’t realize how easy you make my life in all aspects. I’ll get paperwork to payroll that I’m upping your salary.”
“I-I’m not sure what to say,” Charlie replies.
“You don’t have to say anything right now. Just get travel prepped for that meeting and then a return flight for the day after.”
“How long will you be staying in Penrose Beach?”
I let out a long breath. “That’s still up in the air, but for a bit. I’ll fly out whenever I need to, but I want to see a few things finished before I make any final decisions.”
“I’ll get that taken care of, boss.”
“Thank you, Charlie.”
He’s efficient, and I start seeing several forwarded emails about other issues at the company. Sinking into the work, I get lost in it, which is exactly what I need right now.
I came back to the apartment after the interaction with Wolfgang and haven’t left since. I don’t want to leave, but I know that I have a lot going on back in New York. How do I balance all of this while still committing to the company? Is that still what I want to do anymore?
Penrose Beach has captured my heart in more ways than one, and if I can work and enjoy my time here, it would be the best of both worlds. There’s nothing to do but try it and see.
I glance around the flat, and I’m surprised by how horribly awful the furniture is. If I want to stay here for an extended amount of time, I definitely need to make something work in here, and it’s not this furniture.
