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"We've been so impressed with your work, and your friendly camaraderie with the students, that we'd like to offer you the chance to renew your contract and stay for another year."
The offer blindsided me. Not because I thought I'd been doing a bad job or anything, just because, in my head, this was only ever a one year opportunity. The idea of staying for another year set my head in a spin.
I was due to leave for the UK in five months for Christmas. While I'd grown to love Chicago life, I'd been careful not to get too attached because I knew this wasn't a permanent living arrangement. Even so, I already knew that, when I returned home, I'd miss the rush of the city, my job, my friends, the crazy bars and plethora of interesting people I met on a daily basis. The thought of staying for another year made my insides hum with excitement. Dorset was a lovely place to live, but compared to Chicago?
As they always did, my thoughts drifted to Brayden. He and I had been in regular contact since that first message back in January. We messaged online, sent texts, and called each other every few days. Nothing had changed for me. In fact, the pull towards him only grew stronger the more we talked.
I had family back home, but Brayden? Brayden was my biggest reason to return. I needed to see him. I needed to finally get that chance to find out if everything I felt was real. If it was really reciprocated.
"Hey, girl!"
Evelyn's voice caused my eyelids to lift, and I sat up slowly to avoid getting a head rush from lying down too long. She grinned down at me, Lewis at her side. I smiled back at my friends as they sat down on the blanket. Lewis reached for the basket.
"I'm starving!" His hand dipped inside and he began pulling out the ham salad rolls, potato salad, the bowl of mixed fruit, and the homemade cupcakes Ev and I baked the night before, and started laying them out on paper plates. I grabbed the still ice cold bottles of water and handed them out, opening mine.
"How was the rest of your day?" I asked, taking a long sip of the refreshing liquid.
"Never mind that," Evelyn said, opening her own bottle. "We heard about your job offer!" She reached over and gave my shoulder a squeeze, an excited smile on her face. "Congratulations!"
"Yes!" Lewis added, passing me a plate. "So, what did you say? Do we get to keep you for another year?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm still trying to process the idea. I didn't see it coming at all."
I picked up a sandwich and took a bite as my friends looked at me expectantly. I didn't know what to tell them, though. I truly was still trying to get to grips with the offer, and I was going to need a lot more than a few hours before I reached a decision.
"You don't want to stay with us?" Lewis pouted, his lower lip jutting out like a small, sulky child.
Laughing, I said, "You know how much I love you both. Honestly, I wouldn't have lasted here this long without you. And Chicago is amazing. I fall in love with it more and more every day. The job is way more fun than I could ever have expected, and a big part of me would love to stay. I feel like I've grown so much since I've been here, and I could probably learn a whole lot more if I had another year away from home."
"But?" Evelyn prompted.
I felt my cheeks heating as my mind wandered back to Brayden. My blush came with a warm, stirring sensation in my stomach as the idea of being in his arms filtered into my mind. If I didn't renew my contract, in five months, I'd get to go home permanently.
Evelyn and Brayden exchanged a knowing look, and Evelyn sighed. "As much as it pains me to say something like this, because you're right, another year here would be great for you, I don't think you're going to be happy until you give this thing with Brayden a chance."
"But she doesn't have to give everything up," Lewis pointed out. "We do have Christmas vacation." He turned to me. "You could go home for a few weeks and see him. See if he's really worth
all this daydreaming."
"I have to make my decision before then, though," I said. "I have to sign the contract in November if I want to stay. What happens if I go home for a couple of weeks and he is everything I think he is? I'm supposed to just hop on a plane and leave him behind?" I shook my head. "I don't think I can do that."
"If it wasn't for him, what would your choice be?"
That was a no-brainer. "I'd stay."
"Then... stay," Evelyn said. "Unless you really think he's worth leaving all this behind, you should stay. Do it for you. If things are supposed to work out with him, they'll work out regardless of where you are or how long it takes."
Throwing my head back, I let out a sigh. I took a moment to consider her words, because, if she'd been in my position, I probably would have told her the same. Turning down a great offer, a chance for personal growth to be with a guy sounded totally insane on the surface. But what about the feelings I had? Not just the physical attraction; it was more than that. It was something in my gut I still couldn't explain.
But then... if it was meant to be, Evelyn was right. We'd find our way no matter what.
Evelyn, Lewis, and I spent a relaxing afternoon enjoying the sunshine, picnic, and the freedom of being out of work for the weekend, but I found it hard to completely kick back. Thoughts of what I'd do swirled around in my head, and while Ev and Lewis tried to drag me out that night to a few bars, I declined. I wanted some time alone to really let the job offer sink in, and maybe make some kind of semi-decision about what I wanted to do.
I hadn't intended to talk to Brayden about it just yet, but he called me, somewhat unexpectedly, while I was having a much-needed glass of wine and sitting in total silence—most unusual for me. The sound of my phone almost made me jump out of my skin.
"Hey, Brayden," I said, trying to stop the tremble in my voice I always had when he was on the other end of the line.
"Hi. How are you?"
