by Cara Addison
She looked at him, trying to decide if he was serious or not.
He continued, “You love marketing. Clearly you’re doing a great job of that with the book. You could attend more of those romance conventions. You could travel and write.” He kissed her again. He held her gaze and raised one eyebrow. “You should really write about us.” He paused. “As long as you write me with a really big dick.”
She blinked her eyelashes a few times. “You do have a really big cock. Why wouldn’t I write that into a novel?”
He smiled widely and set his head back against the deck chair and closed his eyes. “I’m serious, Austin. I think you should talk to your employer this week and see what they say. If they don’t want to lose you, they’ll bend over backward to accommodate you.”
She took a sip of her coffee and scrolled through the analytics on her book sales. Maybe he was right. She loved marketing, but she could stretch that side of her brain by marketing her novels.
“Speaking of bending over backward.” He stood up and held out his hand to her. “Let’s go upstairs. I want to fuck you one more time on Canadian soil before I head back to New York tonight.”
She didn’t hesitate. She was on her feet, following him up to the master bedroom, eager to be with him, reluctant to admit that it would be days before she would see him again.
By midafternoon, they were loading into vehicles. Roger and David rode in Jess’s car, moving Devin and Melissa into Sarah and Joe’s car. Austin and Brett were snuggled into the third row of seats. Traffic was heavier on the southbound 400. They talked through the entire trip.
“Why is Jess driving?” Brett asked.
She leaned over and quietly explained. “David got a DUI last year in the boat. Jack was furious. David’s not allowed to drive any of Jack’s vehicles, and he’s not allowed to drive when Jess is in the car.”
“Ouch. Jack doesn’t seem to like him much.”
“No. Not really.”
“Well, I’ll agree with Jack on that one. David’s a bit of a dipshit.”
They sat quietly for a few minutes before Brett asked, “You’re twenty-nine?”
She nodded. “I am.”
“Your parents died five years ago?”
“Yes,” she answered quietly, resting her head on his shoulder.
He kissed her. He thought back to a conversation they had in San Diego, when she had revealed that she had been briefly married. “When…when did your husband die?”
She took a deep breath. “The same year.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She looked up at his eyes. “I’m not sure what there is to say. My parents died the week after I finished my MBA. Chad died two months later. That summer is just a blur.”
He hugged her gently. “This explains so much.”
“It does?” she asked as she leaned back into his shoulder.
“I’m guessing you had to grow up. Fast. It explains why you’re so independent, and driven, and responsible. It’s why people like Jack trust you completely.”
“You cracked the code,” she responded.
“I’m just glad it didn’t rob you of your zest for your life.”
“That was a choice, Brett. A year later, I was sitting at home alone. My friends had stopped calling to ask me out. I didn’t want to be lonely and I was done being sad. I took stock of life, and from that moment, I haven’t looked back. I’d rather go full throttle than waste away in neutral.”
He kissed her. “I’m so glad. You’re way too much fun to be sitting at home alone.”
They sat quiet together, holding hands as they listened to the radio.
He kissed her hair. “Don’t freak out, but I’d like you to meet my mother the next time you’re in New York.”
It was the first time he had mentioned either parent. “Why would I freak out? I’d love to meet your mother.”
He kissed her again. “She’ll love you.”
“Where does she live?”
“Connecticut. Old Greenwich. It’s a beautiful old house. You’ll love it.”
She paused, unsure if she should bring up the subject of his dad. “Gregory told me about your father and Trish.” She paused. “I thought you should know that he told me.”
He pulled back his hand and fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. “Gregory told you?” he asked incredulously. “He had no business telling you about her.”
“It wasn’t gossip, Brett.”
“How much did he tell you?”
“Just the facts, Brett. That Trish cheated on you with your father. He told me about the affair, the divorce, and that they’ve married.”
“You asked Gregory instead of asking me?” he asked angrily.
She took a deep breath. “It came about innocently, Brett. I was asking about your glasses and why you’re so uncomfortable wearing them. The conversation organically shifted to your father and then to Trish.”
“Fuck,” he whispered under his breath. “In the future, this topic is not to be discussed with Gregory or with anyone else. It’s off limits.”
“I wasn’t trying to pry, Brett.”
“I’m sure you weren’t.” He slumped back into his seat and sighed heavily. “Don’t take this personally, but I’m just not ready to talk about them.”
“I know,” she acknowledged, cautiously taking his hand in hers. “When you’re ready to talk, I’m here. I know how tragedy feels. I know how overwhelming the hurt can be. Talking does help, even if it doesn’t feel like it at first.”
“I’m not talking about it. Not now.” He said emphatically.
Austin sat silently, reluctant to push the issue. She knew it would be better to bring up the topic another time. She kept her eye on her watch. It was going to be close if Brett was going to make his flight. “Do you have your passport with you?”
He nodded. “I do.”
“Maybe we should drop you off at the airport. I’m not sure we have time to go to my place first.”
“That’s fine.”
She thought about it for a moment. “Is your suit still at my condo?”
He nodded. “I left it hanging in your closet.”
“We should stop and get it.”
“Don’t bother. Just bring it with you next weekend.”
She looked at him. “We’re going to keep doing this?”
He gave her a long kiss. “We are. We definitely are.”
“We’re going to keep flying back and forth?” she asked as uncertainty crept into her voice.
“You don’t want to come to New York?” he asked hesitantly.
“Of course I do. I just know how complicated this is. We both have busy schedules. We’re rushing around. Packing and unpacking. We can’t go back and forth forever, can we?” She instantly regretted the question, fearful that she had seeded the idea that their relationship might not be feasible.
“When we left San Diego, I didn’t think this would work either. This is working for now. Let’s take this one week at a time. Deal?”
She smiled softly. “Deal.”
They arrived at the airport just forty minutes before his flight. They hopped out of the SUV as Callie promised to take care of her bags. They crossed the channel to the airport and checked in for his flight. Austin walked him to the security gate, dreading the inevitable good-bye. His flight status changed to boarding on the monitor. She knew that it was a short walk to his gate once he was through security. There were no lines. There rarely were at this airport.
“Come here,” he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. “I have something I need to say.” She kissed him. “When I met you in San Diego, I thought you were going to be a fun one-night stand. I didn’t expect it to last all week, and I certainly didn’t expect it to get personal.” He paused, thinking about what he needed to say. “I feel like I’ve crammed months and months of dating into the past few weeks.” He leaned in and kissed her. “And I want you to know that I’m falli
ng in love with you.”
She was completely caught off guard. She took a deep breath. “Wow.” She kissed him. She took a deep breath. “I tried not to let myself think too much about where this is going.” She heard the announcement for his flight. “I’m in,” she stated, with a big grin.
“You’re in?” he confirmed.
“I’m in. All in.” She planted a soft kiss on his lips. “I love you.” They stood there in the noisy terminal as travelers rushed by on their way to the security checkpoint. Blocking out the noise and the distractions, they stood staring into each other’s eyes. “I’ll see you in New York,” she whispered before letting him go.
He turned and waved to her before disappearing behind the frosted glass.
Chapter 11
On Thursday, September 5, Austin Campbell was packing up her overnight bag, preparing for her weekend jaunt to New York City to see Brett. She looked down at her laptop when the catchy Skype ringtone sounded, signaling that Brett was calling her. She tossed a pair of capris into the bag and picked up the laptop. She settled onto the mattress and connected the call.
“Hey there, kitten,” he greeted her with a wide grin.
“You got a haircut!” she exclaimed. “Let me see.”
He gave her a quick view of each side, showing off his cropped, wavy blond hair. “I like it!”
“It was time,” he added, running his fingers through the tiny curls at his temple. “Summer’s over and the client meetings will be ramping back up. Time to look like a banker again.”
She melted at the sight. “I loved those curls, but there’s still more than enough for me to run my fingers through,” she added with a wicked grin.
“Have you packed for this weekend?”
“I was just looking at the weather forecast and deciding what to bring,” she responded.
“It’s supposed to be a great weekend,” he added. “Throw in a pair of jeans, but it looks like it could even be warm enough for shorts.” He took a drink of wine from a glass that had been on the table beside him. “Dale offered us his Yankees ticket. Would you like to go to the game on Saturday?”
She knew that Brett and Dale had season tickets, and that they were often trading tickets back and forth when they couldn’t go to the game together. “Who are they playing?”
“The Braves.”
“For sure. Sounds like a great game. I’ve never been to Yankee Stadium,” she added.
He smiled. “That will be an experience all on its own.”
“How was your day today?”
“Good,” he sighed. “We have a few deals in the hopper. It should be an interesting fourth quarter.” He took another drink. “You?”
“Well,” she said cryptically, “I had a very interesting conversation with my boss today.”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “What about?”
“I took your suggestion.” She paused, waiting for him to catch on. “And I asked about the possibility of a sabbatical.”
He leaned into the screen with wide eyes. “What did they say?”
“Well, he was a little surprised, but he called in the HR Manager, and it turns out that my company does offer sabbaticals.”
“I knew it!”
She was pleased that he was still so enthusiastic about the idea. A sabbatical meant that she could join him in New York, and spend more time writing erotic romance novels, a hobby that had become wildly successful in the past few months. “I asked for a six-month leave.” She took a drink from her water glass. “There’s more,” she added.
“What did they say?” he asked, impatiently.
“They don’t just offer sabbaticals. They offer paid sabbaticals.” She paused, letting that information sink in.
“They’ll pay you to take six months off and pursue your writing?” he asked incredulously.
She nodded, a wide grin spreading across her face. “There are a few conditions, but yes. They will.”
“Did you accept the offer?”
“I told them I’d take the weekend to think about it, and give them my decision on Monday. I figured this impacts you, and we should discuss it.”
“What’s to discuss? Take the offer.”
She smiled, so thrilled that he was encouraging her to take this next step. “Really? Do you think so?”
“Absolutely. Take the sabbatical, pack your bags, and move here to New York for six months. You can hammer out a few books, focus on marketing the novels you’ve already released…” He paused and sat back against the headboard of his bed. He looked down at the mattress beside him. “Best of all, I’ll have you here in my bed instead of five hundred miles away.”
“You really want me to move to New York?”
He leaned forward again and looked into the camera. “Let me be perfectly clear,” he began, his face turning more serious. “Austin Campbell. I would very much like it, if you would accept a six-month sabbatical from your marketing job.” He continued, his expression gradually shifting. “I would very much like it, if you would move here to New York.” A smile was creeping into his expression. “And, I would very, very much like it if you would move into my apartment, and crawl into bed with me…every…single…night for the next six months.” He took a long pause, watching her expression. “Are you in?”
Her smile was too much to contain. “I’m in,” she replied enthusiastically. “I am definitely in.”
“Good.” He sat back and took another drink. She could see an eager sparkle in his eyes. “You know what? Start packing this weekend. Bring a suitcase of clothes along, and leave them here. We’ll start moving you in.”
She laughed out loud. “You do realize what that means, my little fashion whore? I can barely find a hanger or two when I come to visit for the weekend. Where on earth am I going to store a suitcase full of clothes?”
He laughed, knowing that his closets were full to overflowing. “I’ll make room. Just pack a suitcase.”
She took a deep breath. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“I know. Me too.” He looked up at the clock and then back at the screen. “I’d really like to fuck you,” he paused, “but apparently I have a closet to clean out.” They connected via Skype every night that they were separated, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to virtually fuck each other. “Can we wait until tomorrow night?”
She nodded reluctantly. “I’m confident you’ll make it up to me,” she added sexily.
“Mmmm. I will.”
She blew him a kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“I’ll meet you at Penn Station. Same time and place, okay?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”
“Love you, kitten.”
She smiled back at the camera. “I love you, too.”
The call was disconnected. She sat back and reviewed the conversation that would change her life. She was moving to New York. She got up and finished packing her overnight bag, and then started making piles of clothes to take on her first move. It was late when she finally crawled into bed, falling asleep with the thought of her new life with Brett in the city that never sleeps.
* * * *
On Friday morning, she sat down in the human resource office and gave her formal notice to accept a six-month sabbatical from her position as the director of marketing. She reviewed the paperwork, which contained a number of caveats and conditions, including the requirement to successfully complete a minimum of two post-graduate academic courses at the accredited institution of her choice. She made a mental note to look up the online NYU course syllabus over the weekend. She was required to provide two weeks of transition employment, allowing the company to identify an interim director and transfer her workload. Austin wasn’t concerned. She had been cross-training a number of managers to handle her job responsibilities, and she knew that having recently launched a new piece of software, the company wouldn’t be initiating any major marketing campaigns in the near future.
By the end of the day, she was exhausted. Sh
e made her way to the airport and boarded her flight to New York. She fell asleep before they were off the ground, waking suddenly as they touched down at the Newark airport. As she had done before, she caught the train from the airport, destined for Penn Station where Brett would be waiting for her. She awkwardly navigated the crowds, the extra suitcase slowing her down in the narrow and crowded concourse. The tedium melted away when she caught a glimpse of Brett waiting for her. He was leaning against a pillar at the end of the crowded hallway. At six foot three, he was visible above the crowds.
He was dressed in a navy suit. He watched her approach, stepping out of the flow of traffic to greet her. “Hey, beautiful,” he whispered, wrapping his long arms around her waist. He leaned in and delivered a long, sensual kiss. She draped her arms around his neck, pulling him in close.
She smiled giddily. “Two more weeks, and we won’t have to do this weekend commute anymore.”
“You gave your notice?”
“I did.”
He smiled widely. “That is so fucking awesome.”
She kissed him again. “I know.”
He took a deep breath and surveyed the crowds. “Let’s get out of here.” He glanced at her before gripping the handle of her suitcase. “Dale has invited us to join him for dinner. He has a new girlfriend that he wants me to meet.”
“Dale has a girlfriend?” she asked hesitantly. “Just one?”
Brett chuckled. “I shouldn’t have told you about his past dating preferences. Please don’t say anything. I shouldn’t have told you.”
“I won’t,” she promised, and she took his hand as they navigated the crowds. “Where are we meeting them?”
“The Ainsworth. On West Twenty-Sixth Street.” He looked down at her shoes. “It’s about five blocks. Do you want to walk?”
She pointed to the suitcase. “You don’t mind?”
They walked down the wide sidewalk of Seventh Avenue, turning onto Twenty-Sixth Street. It was just another moment before they stepped into the restaurant. Austin looked around the crowded room. “I am shocked that Dale would pick a sports bar,” she said sarcastically.
