Page 22 of Working for Him

I turn so we're facing each other. "That fear? That's what tells you it matters. I'd rather have something real and dangerous than something safe and empty."

She's quiet for a long moment, then her hand finds mine under the covers.

"Okay," she finally says. "Let's be real and dangerous together."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Whatever happens with the jobs, whatever the city decides, let's figure it out together instead of separately."

Relief washes through me, sharp and profound. That's all I wanted to hear.

CHAPTER 14

Rena

At 6:47 a.m. I receive an email which has a potential to shatter everything.

RE: Jefferson Street Project - Contract Status

I know it was a possibility, but to be honest I really didn’t think they would do it. The email is very professional and carefully worded. They appreciate my dedication, they value my expertise, but given the current timeline and budgetary constraints, the city has decided to conclude my consulting contract effective two weeks from today.

They're letting me finish with dignity, but the message is clear. I pushed too hard, and now I'm being removed as gently as they can manage while still making sure I'm gone.

"You okay?" Caleb's voice makes me jump.

"They're ending my contract. They’ve given me two weeks notice."

He reads the email, and I watch his jaw hardening. "This is bullshit. You were right about everything, and they're firing you for doing your job."

"They're not firing me, they're concluding the contract, there's a difference, legally speaking."

"There's no difference in practice."

He's not wrong. I lean back, suddenly exhausted despite being awake less than an hour. "I need to start looking for my next assignment. I've got contacts in Denver, maybe something in Utah."

The words hang in the air between us. Denver is three hours away. Both are far enough that this thing we've built stops being sustainable without major adjustments neither of us has agreed to make.

"So you're leaving," he finally says.

"My contract's ending. This is what I do, Caleb. I go where the jobs are."

"And us? What happens to us when you leave?"

"I don't know. Long distance, maybe? If that's something you'd want to try?"

"Do you want to try it? Or are you already planning your exit strategy?"

The question lands hard, because it's fair. "I don't want to lose you. But I also don't know how to do this. I've never successfully made a relationship work in the same city, let alone across state lines."

He crosses to me, his hands settling on my hips. "Then maybe it's time to consider building something here instead of always chasing the next assignment. There are projects in the area that would be lucky to have you. You could consult independently. Set your own terms."

"Everything you're describing is terrifying. It means putting down actual roots instead of keeping everything portable."

"I know, but you're already terrified of leaving. So maybe it's worth being terrified of something that has potential instead."

"I need to think about this," I say, stepping back. "This is a big decision and I can't make it while I'm still processing getting essentially fired."

"Okay," he says, and I hear the effort it costs him to accept that. "But Rena? Don't use thinking as an excuse to run."