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“No problem.” It would really be fine for you to keep it.
Back inside, I set both wine glasses in the sink. I was pretty damn proud of myself for putting the one with her lip marks down so easily tonight. But then I looked at what I’d thrown over my arm: the sweatshirt.
No, you’re not.
Definitely not.
No way, Catalano.
Listening to my conscience for a change, I tossed the damn sweatshirt on the couch and rushed out of the room like it had something contagious. But five minutes later, I found myself back in the living room, staring down at the goddamned thing.
This is getting ridiculous.
I really need to get laid.
I scooped the sweatshirt from the couch.
Or jerk off while wearing this…
CHAPTER 6
Lala
After another week in my new position—one slightly more productive than the first—I went home to Pennsylvania for the weekend to visit my fiancé. I’d gotten in late last night, but Warren had cooked me a delicious dinner of beef stroganoff this evening, and we were just finishing up when he seemed to notice that I’d been distracted.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
I nodded, willing myself not to turn red or look guilty. “Why do you ask?”
“You just seem a bit out of it.”
I moved the last of my noodles around on my plate. “The stress at work is getting to me, I think. And I’m a bit tired from the drive over here last night, I guess.”
Or maybe it was my several late nights last week thanks to a certain neighbor.
“Okay.” Warren used his index finger to adjust his glasses upward. “Well, I was kind of hoping to have your undivided attention tonight. I need you to be of clear mind because I have something important to talk to you about.”
I straightened in my seat. “What’s going on?”
He cleared his throat. “I found out about a lead researcher position at UCLA, at the cancer center there. I’d like to put my hat in the ring for it. I think I have a very good chance because my old boss from PENN is now over there. He’d be able to put in a good word for me.”
California? “Um…wow. Okay. When will you know?”
“I haven’t applied yet. The position opens in six months because the current guy is relocating to Europe to head a large study over there. But they’re taking applicants now. I’m not sure when they’ll make a decision, but going for it means I need to be prepared to relocate if I get it.”
“Which means I need to be prepared to relocate.” I gulped some water.
He nodded. “How do you feel about that?”
Staring down at my plate, I shook my head. “I don’t know, Warren. It’s not that I don’t want this opportunity for you, but being so far away from my family? That would be really hard. I’m all my parents have now. At least in New York, I can drive home whenever I want.”
Maybe that was selfish, but he needed to know how I felt.
“Of course it would be difficult, my love. That’s why I would never go for this unless you were okay with it. It would need to be a team decision.” He stood up and grabbed a notepad. “Let’s go over some of the pros and cons together, shall we?”
I rubbed my temples. “Alright.”
Warren loved making lists and drawing diagrams. Any excuse he could find to do that, he took it.
He sat back down. “One major pro, which I haven’t told you yet, is that the salary would be almost double what mine is now, Laney.” He wrote down a number and underlined it before turning the paper toward me, displaying a ridiculously huge amount of money. Holy shit.
My jaw dropped. “Oh my God.”
“Yeah. Is that crazy or what? You know I don’t do what I do for the money, but this kind of money would be life-changing for us.”
How could I keep him from this? I blew out a breath. “Well, that’s obviously a very big pro.”
“And the research facility is twice as big and twice as modern. They have equipment I could only dream about getting where I am now.”
“I guess that’s an even bigger pro than the money.”
“Indeed.” He examined my face. “But let’s go to the cons. You’d obviously be farther away from your family. And me from mine.” He wrote the word distance down on the paper. “But with the extra money I’d be making, we could afford plane tickets home whenever we missed them.”
He had a point. “Okay…” I stared into space, imagining myself stressed and rushing through airports. It might’ve been doable, but that didn’t mean I wanted to have to get to the airport anytime I felt like seeing my mother. God, this sucked.
“There are many research opportunities for you out west as well,” he added. “I’ve already spoken to a few contacts. Once New York is over, things were going to be up in the air for you anyway, right? You don’t have anything lined up. This timing might be perfect. So that’s a pro.”
