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“Deal,” I say, grinning. “You know, I’m sitting in a rock-climbing gym right now. Can you imagine me in a climbing gym in the middle of the day?”
“No,” she says in all honesty. “I never dreamed you’d leave your desk during work hours. What dragged you there?”
“Fiona. Remember that assistant you hired for me? She’s really into it.”
“Oh, wow, good for her,” she says, laughing. “That’s, uh, surprising. That you’d go to a climbing gym… for an assistant.”
I grimace slightly. “I married her too.”
“Right. Now that makes more sense.” An awkward pause. “Congrats?”
“Thanks,” I say, leaning my head back.
“It’s funny, actually. There’s this extremely popular company, Appalachian Peaks, trying to hire for a few positions. I’ve been really digging for someone good.”
“Fiona’s good,” I say automatically, not sure why I’m doing it. But fuck, she loves Appalachian Peaks. She’d absolutely kill to work there. “Smart girl, got a degree from Penn. You’ve seen her resume.”
“I know, which is why I was wondering why the hell she took your job. Desperate for a gig, I guess.”
“Thanks, that hurts though.”
“Just saying. Should I throw her hat in the ring? See if anyone’s interested? I still have her information. The job’s in Dallas though, if that matters.”
I hesitate. Fiona’s going to move to Boston with me—because she says she has nothing else.
But this could be huge for her. She’s been so adrift lately, so desperate to find meaning in her life. After the fire, her parents leaving, her best friend moving away, she needs a win.
A massive win like getting a job at her dream company.
That win won’t be me, no matter how much I want it to be.
I’m not enough for her.
But a job with her favorite company though? A real shot at a future, a career? That’s the sort of good luck that could turn everything around for her.
I want to say no. I want to be a selfish prick and keep her all to myself.
“Do it,” I say. “See how it goes.” Maybe that’s a mistake, but Fiona deserves this. She deserves better than a fake marriage to me.
I don’t know how we’ll work that out with the Crowleys, but it’s my problem to solve, not hers.
“You got it. Tell your wife I said, uh, congrats. And good luck.”
We make a little more small talk then hang up.
Fiona reaches the top of her wall. She lets go, the auto belay catching her and lowering her down to the floor. She floats like an angel, grinning at me huge, clearly excited to have made the difficult climb.
I wave to her, my stomach twisted into a knot.
Chapter32
Fiona
Gareth decides to surprise me by taking the rest of the day off. We leave the gym and head to a nearby wine bar. Lots of glass, lots of light. Wood and metal are the dominant motifs. We get a table near the front windows, away from the other patrons. Gareth orders for both of us. It’s quiet, but starting to fill up as Friday wears on and people leave the office early.
“You’re not talkative,” I say, swirling my red, eyeing him over the glass. Despite claiming he wants to spend time with me, as soon as we’re actually together, it’s like his mind is elsewhere.
He forces a smile though. “Sorry. Just thinking.”
