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I closed the door, leaning against it and drawing in a deep breath. They loved the TV console. One man's trash was another man's treasure. I was glad it would make them happy, and I was ecstatic that I'd managed to get rid of it. In the three weeks since I'd put the furniture online, I already managed to sell most of it. I hadn't yet started to order anything new, though, because I didn't want it to arrive before I'd managed to get rid of bigger pieces like the dresser. The result was that the condo looked empty. The walls seemed to close in on me, not just because of the memories, but because it was so damn small. After living in Taylor's mansion, it felt claustrophobic. This whole condo could fit into her master bedroom.
I went to the living room, lit one of my favorite candles—pine scented—and looked at it with a smile. Wally hated candles so much. But now there was no one to tell me what I could and couldn't do. It was glorious.
My phone beeped with an incoming message while I was checking on the muffins in the oven. I had a fun idea for my outing with Spencer. I wanted us to go on a picnic. I’d already made some sandwiches, and now I was trying my hand at baking.
Taylor:Check your inbox. You’ve got news.
Frowning, I wondered why she didn't just tell me the news. But I opened the email app on my phone, nonetheless. It was titled "Job offer." Her contact had already come through! That was amazing, especially considering we hadn't even had an interview. I’d expected them to at least reach out for a one-on-one.
Dear Penny,
Taylor spoke wonderfully of you, and we love your portfolio. So, this might be a little unorthodox, but we'd like to have you on our team as soon as possible. Attached is the offer. We can meet via Zoom to discuss it at your earliest convenience.
Holy shit, was this real? I couldn't believe that something worked out so effortlessly for once. I immediately opened the attachment, and my eyes bulged when I saw the salary. But then my stomach dropped because the job was London based. Had Taylor shared this with me, and I'd completely forgotten it? I knew the company was based in London, but I’d figured the job itself would be remote. The job description said that remote work was possible... twice a week.
Taylor knew I wanted a change of scenery, so I could totally see why she thought this would be a good fit. But I felt like someone had just pulled a rug from underneath my feet. Just a few months ago, I would have probably said yes without even a second thought. But right now, I couldn't muster any sort of enthusiasm. I didn't want to leave at all, and it was because of Spencer and Ben.
Oh, Penny, why did you have to go ahead and fall head over heels for Spencer? Have you learned nothing from your past mistakes?I shook my head. This was not even remotely the same thing. Spencer and Wally couldn't be more different.
My mind was spinning.
Taylor immediately messaged me.
Taylor: What do you think? A little bird told me it's good news.
I called my friend right away.
"Hey, girl," I said.
"You don't sound very enthusiastic."
"No, I am. An offer is always great news."
"I’m so happy for you!" she screeched.
I held the phone further from my ear, fighting the urge to massage it before putting it back to my ear.
"So, are you going to accept it?"
"We have to schedule a call first."
"That sounds a lot like a no."
"I'm supposed to move to London for this."
"Yes. That's why I recommended you. You said you wanted to start fresh."
I sighed. "I know."
"Uh-oh, what is it?"
"Well, I mean..."
"You still want to start fresh, don't you?"
"But not on another continent."
Taylor groaned. "It's the hot neighbor, isn't it?"
