Always You: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (ABCs of Love Collection Books 5-8)

by Brenna Jacobs

  He quickly responded to Zoey’s message. Just landed. I’ll be home by ten. I’d love to see you. He pushed his phone back into his pocket and stood, retrieving his bag from the overhead bin, a burst of sudden energy in his step. After a long day, time with Zoey was exactly what he needed.

  Later, after checking on his sleeping kids and thanking his Mom for basically moving in for the past two days before sending her on her way, he waited anxiously for Zoey to arrive. As soon as her car pulled into the drive, he moved to the front door, opening it when she was only halfway up the walk.

  He hurried out to meet her, wrapping her up in an enormous hug before pressing his lips to hers. “I missed you,” he said, his hands still around her waist.

  She smiled. “I missed you too.”

  “Come on.” He led her inside. “How are you? How have things been?”

  “Your mom is great,” Zoey said. “It was fun hanging out with her a little bit.”

  “Yeah, she loves being with the kids.” They moved into the living room and settled onto the couch. “Do you want anything? Something to drink?”

  Zoey shook her head. “I’m good. Have you ever thought about asking your mom to keep the kids full time?”

  “Thought about it, yes. But she doesn’t have the endurance for it, I don’t think. Plus, Charlotte needs her too. If she were with my kids all the time, she’d have less time to be with Charlotte’s kids.” Harry leaned back onto the couch and extended an arm to Zoey. She nestled in, wrapping an arm around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. “How are you, though?” he asked again. “You never answered my question.”

  She lifted her head, raising a hand to guide his face down to hers. Her kiss felt urgent, almost pleading, and when she took a breath, it caught in her throat, stuttering out like she was close to tears. “Harry, I have to tell you something,” she finally said.

  Harry tensed, but willed his heart to settle. There was no reason to panic yet. “Okay. You know you can tell me anything.”

  She sat up, pulling her hands into her lap and took a deep breath. “I have a job interview on Wednesday. In Chicago.”

  “Okay,” Harry said slowly. “I, um, I didn’t know you were already looking.”

  Zoey shrugged. “But, we did know this was temporary.”

  “We knew you taking care of the kids was temporary. I didn’t think we were.”

  “That’s not what I’m saying either. I don’t want things to end between us. But I feel like I have to do this. A colleague gave me a heads-up weeks ago, right before you and I started seeing each other. I sent over my resume and honestly didn’t give it much thought after that.” She nudged him with her knee. “I was kind of preoccupied with you, and the kids. But then they asked me to come in for an interview, and . . . I can’t say no, Harry.”

  She couldn’t? Or she just didn’t want to? “Will you take it if they offer you the job?”

  She only hesitated a moment. “It’s a good job. My dream job, really. Evening news in one of the biggest media markets in the country? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime offer. Nobody gets these jobs before they’re thirty. Nobody.”

  Harry leaned forward, propping his elbows up on his knees. “What about us?”

  Zoey took a long time to respond. “Like I said. I don’t want things to change between us.”

  And yet, she wanted to move a thousand miles away. Things would change whether she wanted them to or not.

  “Have you thought about looking for a job here in L.A.? I get that this is your decision, but would you even consider it?” He’d posed the question before and she’d dodged around actually providing an answer.

  “Do you know how competitive the industry is in L.A.? There is no city as full of beautiful people hoping to be on television, hoping to make it onto a national broadcast. I could get a job here, for sure, but it probably wouldn’t be more than doing four a.m. traffic updates or something as equally ridiculous. It would be nothing compared to what this job in Chicago would be.”

  “But you have to start somewhere, right? And you’re good at what you do. It wouldn’t take you long.”

  “But I already did start somewhere. In Chicago. It’s my home. People know my name there, and they’re willing to give me this chance. I feel like walking away would be turning my back on everything I’ve worked so hard to build.”

  It’s not that Harry didn’t get what she was saying. He understood what it felt like to work to make a name for yourself, to build a career. But Zoey was acting like there wasn’t any crossover between markets. That news stations in Los Angeles wouldn’t consider the experience she’d gained working in Chicago.

  “I should have told you sooner,” Zoey said. “I’m sorry to leave you hanging with the kids. I know Charlotte isn’t in a position to help out with them right now.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Harry said. “Hannah starts school soon and Oliver will be in preschool. I’ll figure something out until then.”

  “Will you take them to Portland with you?” Zoey asked.

  He’d texted her about the reason for his trip and the possibility of doing an on-location shoot. He almost laughed at her question. To think that he’d hoped they might all go to Portland together. “I think so, yeah. They might have to miss the first week of school, but I don’t want to leave them at home.” He looked up and caught her eye. “I was going to ask you if you wanted to go, too. But I guess that isn’t likely now, huh?”

  Her shoulders fell. “It’s not that easy. I would love to be in Portland with you and the kids. But—” She pushed her face into her hands. “I don’t know how to explain this without sounding like a terrible person.”

  “How about you just say it?” Harry said, an edge to his voice. “I’m a grownup, Zoey. I can take it.”

  “I’ve been living your life, Harry. Working in your house, hanging out with your kids, attending events for your work. And it’s been amazing. But it almost feels like I’ve forgotten who I am. When we went to the zoo last week, everyone knew who you were. I know you said I’d get used to ignoring the fans, and I’m sure I would, but . . . Harry, I didn’t matter. I was faceless. Nameless—”

  “Not to me,” he said, interrupting her. “Is that what this is about? The attention? The fans?”

  “No. That’s not what I’m saying. It just made me realize how much I miss my job. I miss the intensity and the pace and the opportunity to use my voice in a way that matters. I want to be more than just the person that happens to be with you.”

  Harry sensed there was something Zoey wasn’t saying. It was as if her words on the surface made sense, but there was a layer of emotion underneath that was bigger than the words. No matter how hard she tried to keep her voice controlled—and she was trying, he could tell—he could still hear the emotion spilling over, breaking through the cracks.

  “I still don’t understand why you couldn’t find work here. L.A. stations will consider the experience you gained in Chicago. You wouldn’t be starting over. Or what if you started something new? I could easily get you a job on my show. I could even get you a screentest with the network for hosting something. There are always new shows popping up.”

  Zoey froze and Harry immediately realized he’d said the wrong thing. “I’m a journalist, Harry. I don’t want to work on your show. That’s almost as bad as what the other moms at the park suggested. One of them asked why I even needed to keep working at all. I’m the Harrison Beckford’s girlfriend. Shouldn’t that be enough?”

  Harry rolled his eyes. “That’s ridiculous. Who cares what those women think? That’s not what I think.”

  “But you kind of do. You just dismissed my entire career in two sentences, Harry.”

  “That’s not what I meant to do. I just want to be with you. I’m trying to think of ways to make that possible.”

  Zoey stood up and crossed to the window that looked out into the backyard. It was too dark for her to see anything, but she stood there anyway, staring for at lea
st a minute before finally turning around. “I don’t think you realize how easy it was to fall into your life. You’re amazing, you know? Your kids are amazing, and the house is amazing and it’s just all so . . .” She breathed out a sigh. “You’re everything I could ever imagine wanting for myself. Add on the glamour and the money and the red-carpet events and the attention? It’s like a fairy tale, Harry. You’re like a fairy tale.”

  “And yet, you’re still leaving.”

  She crossed the room and sat down beside him, reaching for his hands. “I’m afraid that if I stay, if I don’t go play out this part of my life, that one day, when I’m used to all this,” she motioned to the room around her, “I might resent you for it. That I’ll resent giving up everything in my life to live in yours.”

  Harry pulled his hands away from Zoey’s grasp. The conversation felt all too familiar. It wasn’t all that long ago that his ex-wife had said something similar. It wasn’t the life she would have chosen, and she didn’t want to resent him, or the kids, for forcing her to be something she wasn’t. He scoffed and shook his head. “You sound just like Samantha.”

  “Harry. That’s not fair. That’s not what’s happening here. Your kids aren’t my kids. You aren’t my husband. We’ve only been together a couple of months. It’s not the same thing.”

  Maybe not. But her leaving sure felt the same. “I don’t want you to worry about the kids anymore.” Harry stood up and crossed the room, his back to Zoey. “Even if you come back after the interview. If you’re here at all, I think it’s better that you don’t see them.”

  “What, like, ever? Just like that? I understand that you’ll need to find someone else to be their nanny. But I can’t even see them? I don’t leave until Tuesday morning. At least let me come stay with them on Monday.”

  Harry shook his head. “It’s not a good idea. The more time you spend with them, the more it will hurt when you aren’t here anymore.”

  “Okay. So forget about the job. What about us? Will you even try to make a long-distance relationship work?”

  Harry shook his head. “It isn’t just about me. Don’t you get that? You’re asking to have a long-distance relationship with the entire family. I can’t do that to them. They already have a mom that lives on the other side of the country. Plus, my schedule is so carefully balanced, Zoey. I’ve fought for every evening, every weekend that I can for my kids. I can’t throw in flights to Chicago whenever I want to see you.”

  “You don’t even want to wait and see what happens? I might not get the job. This is my one chance. If it doesn’t work out, there likely won’t be another opportunity like this for a long time. I could come back free and clear. We could still be together.”

  Harry turned to face her. “I don’t want to be a consolation prize, Zoey. And I know how competitive you are. If you don’t get this job, you won’t stop looking for another one. I can’t risk the kids’ hearts on a might.”

  “So that’s it? We’re over?”

  “You tell me!” He put his hands on his hips. “I already know what I want. I want you. I realize I’m asking you to move your life across the country. It sucks that it has to be that way, but it is what it is. I have the kids. I have my show. I can’t move.” He sighed and shook his head. “I guess a part of me hoped I’d be worth the effort. Worth moving for. I hoped I’d be enough. But if it isn’t clear to you, I’m not going to pressure you into it. I already know what it feels like to have someone resent you for giving them a life they didn’t want.” He held his hands up and backed away, moving toward the kitchen. “I won’t do it again.”

  Tears pooled in Zoey’s eyes and flowed down her cheeks, making Harry’s heart lurch. A part of him ached to hold her, to run to her and wrap her up in his arms. But he couldn’t do it. She’d tapped too close to the pain and rejection he’d felt during his divorce. “You know the way out,” he said softly before turning and heading to his room.

  Chapter 15

  Zoey pulled her keys out of her purse and moved toward the door, but then she paused. She stared at the keys in her hand. They weren’t really her keys, were they? Even the car she’d been driving the past couple of months belonged to him.

  Zoey dropped the keys onto the entryway table and slipped out the door.

  It took half an hour to walk back to Nana’s house. She’d thought about calling an Uber a time or two, but the walking seemed to help her process what had just happened, so she’d pushed on.

  Breaking up was not what she had expected when she’d driven to Harry’s. She’d expected him to understand. To support her need to live her own life, to pursue her dreams. Was it his celebrity that made him so selfish? That made him expect her to just fall in with his carefully crafted existence? He’d made himself clear though. She wasn’t worth a flight to Chicago. She worked herself into his life, or they couldn’t be together.

  So fine.

  They wouldn’t be.

  Pain gripped at Zoey’s heart as the realization pounded through her brain.

  They wouldn’t be together. But that didn’t mean she cared about him any less.

  As Zoey approached Nana’s front door, she wiped away her lingering tears and willed her emotions into order. Her mother was right inside; she was the last person Zoey wanted to talk to about Harrison. Sadly, Zoey didn’t much want to talk to Nana about him either. She wouldn’t understand at all and would absolutely try and convince Zoey to give up on Chicago and make a career for herself in L.A.. Nana was very persuasive. A conversation with her wasn’t a risk Zoey could take.

  As much as her heart hurt, as much as she longed for a way to make her relationship with Harry work, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t at least try for the Channel 4 job. She’d worked too hard, put in too many hours to walk away.

  Both women were still up when Zoey let herself into the house, despite the late hour. Nana looked like she was dozing in her chair; Zoey’s mom sat on the couch beside her, her legs curled up under her and her iPad in her lap. Zoey dropped into the chair across from her, grateful for the dim lighting. If she stayed in the shadows her mother might not notice she’d been crying. Still, could she avoid conversation for three more days? Her flight wasn’t supposed to leave until Tuesday morning, but truly, what would she do if she stayed in California? Just sit around and miss Harry, probably.

  “Hi,” her mother said, her voice low. “You okay?”

  Zoey nodded. “Yeah. Just tired.”

  “How’s the boyfriend?” her mother said, her voice all sing-songy and happy.

  “Fine, I guess.”

  “I bet he’s going to miss you when you’re back in Chicago. I was just thinking it’s a good thing he’s got the money to handle all the traveling back and forth. And he’ll obviously pay for your flights too—”

  “Mom.” Zoey kept her voice calm. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have with her mother, but it was better than letting her go on and on about a relationship that didn’t exist anymore.

  “What?” her mother said, her tone impatient.

  “We broke up. He doesn’t want a long-distance relationship. He said it would be too hard on the kids.”

  Her mother’s face fell. “Then why are you leaving?”

  Zoey stood up and moved toward her bedroom. “I’m not going to try and explain it to you, Mom. I know you won’t get it.”

  “Try me,” her mother said, following behind her. “Don’t assume, Zoey. That’s not fair to me.”

  “I want this job, Mom,” Zoey said, spinning around to face her. “What else do you want me to say? I love Harry, but this is what I’ve been working for. I can’t give it up. Even for a man as wonderful as he is.”

  Her mother frowned. “A man like him might not come along again.”

  A man like him would never come along again. And a not-so-tiny part of Zoey worried that she was walking away from something better than anything she’d ever find again. But she bristled at the idea that it had to be all or nothing. And th
at idea was enough to compel her competitive heart right back to Chicago where she’d earn her way on her own merits, and not just because someone who’d already made his way decided to include her in his life.

  “I know, Mom. I know.” Zoey looked back over her mother’s shoulder into the living room. “Can you help Nana get to bed tonight? I’m going to go to bed.”

  Her mother followed her gaze, nodding. “Of course,” she said, though she still followed Zoey into her bedroom. She stood in the doorway, her iPad clutched to her chest.

  Zoey pulled her phone out of her purse, plugging it in on the nightstand before dropping onto the bed.

  “I’ve been watching old news clips,” her mother said. She swallowed, her eyes trained on the floor. “Clips of you.”

  Zoey stilled. “Why?”

  Her mom took a deep breath. “I know you think I don’t care, Zoey. Mom told me you said—” She sniffed and ran her hand across her cheeks.

  Was she crying? A pang of emotion pricked Zoey’s chest.

  “I’m proud of you,” her mom continued. “So proud. I told my friends all the time they had to watch Channel 11 because you would give them the news straight. Of course I want you to get married. I’m not going to lie about that. You’re pushing thirty, Zoey. It’s time to get serious about this.”

  Zoey held up her hands; she really wasn’t up for the pushing thirty narrative.

  “Just let me finish,” Mom said. “Having said that—and I only say it because I love you—I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like your career wasn’t important. I just want you to be happy. Whatever makes you that way, that’s what I want.”

  “But you still think I should stay in California to be with Harry.”

  Her mother stretched her lips into a tight line. “I want you to do whatever is going to make you happy.”

  Zoey would give her mom props for trying, but what she really thought was written all over her face. Too tired to argue, Zoey hugged her mom, promised her that she wasn’t mad and that she’d stop avoiding her phone calls, then settled onto her bed, wishing she could turn off her brain.