Until There Was Us

by Samantha Chase

  “Really?” she squeaked, unable to hide her glee at the praise.

  “Really,” Joseph said. “I’m not going to lie to you, I wasn’t so sure you were up to the task when we first talked about offering you the position. The company you were working for in Albany is tiny in comparison to Montgomerys.”

  “It was, but computers are something I’m good with, Dad. And once I had everything set up, it was just a matter of training the staff properly. We had a great system in place to work with everyone in smaller and more diverse groups, and Zach was pretty emphatic about our time management, so all in all, it was the perfect combination.”

  “I’m proud of you, Megan,” he said. “I know I don’t say that to you nearly as often as I should, but it’s true. I’m seriously impressed with all you’ve accomplished.”

  She wanted to put the phone down and do a little victory dance right there next to her desk, but she knew she’d have to wait at least a little while to do that.

  “Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me.”

  “I was in a meeting with your Uncle William and Uncle Robert, and we want to extend a position to you.”

  Her eyes went a little wide. “Oh?”

  “I know we talked about it when you were first hired, but after seeing the kind of results you’ve achieved, we want you to keep going with it throughout the company.”

  Megan’s heart began to race. This was it! This was what she’d been waiting for! “O-kay—”

  “We’re going to need you to hit our San Diego office and work with Christian and his staff, then come to North Carolina to work in Charlotte with Uncle William’s people, and then Chapel Hill for Robert’s people. Then you’ll come to New York and work with my staff. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds like I’ll be living out of a suitcase for a while,” she said with a nervous laugh. Thinking about having the position was one thing; planning it and seeing how time-consuming it was going to be was quite another.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not all going to happen at once—although we are all looking forward to making the transition sooner rather than later. And you won’t be working alone, so it’s not like you’ll have to stay in any one place for an extended period of time. You’ll have a team of people working under you who can handle most of the grunt work. You’re going to be the executive IT director, Megan. That means you can delegate responsibilities. What we most want from you is to make sure things happen in the same timely manner as they have in Zach’s office.”

  She breathed a little easier. “Oh. Okay. I can do that.”

  “I know you can,” her father said confidently. “William is on the phone with Zach now discussing when he feels will be a good time for you to step away and meet with Christian first. No one wants Zach to be left shorthanded, so the two of you will have to work out who will cover your responsibilities while you’re gone or if Zach will have to hire someone to take over the position.”

  “But…I enjoy working here,” Megan said defensively. “I’d like Portland to be my base office, Dad.”

  “And it can be, but Zach is still going to need someone there to handle any problems while you’re gone. That’s common sense.”

  “I get that, but—” Then she stopped herself. “I’ll talk to Zach about it.”

  “Very good. Once you get a timeline in place with him, we’ll have a conference call to get things going and put your travel plans in place.”

  “How come I’m starting with Christian? I would have thought I’d start with either you or Uncle William.”

  “Christian’s got a smaller staff, and the process should go faster. Plus I’d like for you to check on him.”

  “Check on him? Why?”

  “I’m hoping that having you work there will force him to interact with his staff a little more. We’ve had several complaints about his disinterest in working with just about anyone. Which is a complete change from how he was with our London office. So naturally, we’re concerned.”

  “Dad, this isn’t new information. Everyone’s been going on about this for years. Obviously this is who he is now. If people are so upset by it, why not send him back to London?”

  “Because he doesn’t want that either,” Joseph said sadly. “I don’t know what to do with him.”

  Thinking about the conversation she and Alex had had a while back, she said, “It’s a lot of pressure for him, don’t you think?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well…Christian was—for a while—the only one of the three of us to work for Montgomerys. I’m sure he felt a lot of pressure to make you proud and do things in a way that would meet with your approval.”

  Her father didn’t make a sound, and she questioned whether to go on but ultimately did.

  “We all want our parents’ approval, Dad. That’s natural. But…what if this corporate life isn’t what he wants anymore and he doesn’t know how to get out of it?”

  “I guess I didn’t want to consider that,” he said in a low voice. “It wasn’t an issue with any of your cousins—they all willingly went into the business. Part of me was a little embarrassed at how my own kids didn’t want to follow suit.”

  “I did,” Megan said, her voice equally low.

  “I didn’t want that life for you. I wanted to see you with someone who would take care of you. This world—this corporate world—there are times when it leaves little time for a life. It’s not what I wanted for you, Megan.”

  “It wasn’t your choice to make,” she said, her heart hammering in her chest at how brutally honest she was being. “I’m not saying this is the perfect life, but I enjoy what I do. I worked so hard for so long for you to notice me and not pass me over as some sort of…I don’t know…trophy child or something.”

  “Megan, you see how much I worked when you kids were growing up, you’re seeing how miserable Christian is now—can you honestly say you want that for yourself?”

  Suddenly she wasn’t so sure.

  “But that’s not the case for everyone. Summer’s found a balance between work and motherhood, Zach has cut back on his hours—”

  “Zach fell off of a mountain. He didn’t have a choice but to reevaluate his life.”

  “Okay, maybe Zach’s not the best example. But Mac and Jason and Ryder and Lucas…they’re all making it work,” she argued, but she wasn’t sure why.

  “But it was a rocky road for them. Remember that.” He paused. “No matter what you do, Megan—whether it’s working for Montgomerys or not—I’m proud of you and want you to be happy.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “And I’m sure you have work to do and want to talk to Zach about scheduling, so—” He stopped and sighed. “Just know you can talk to me. It doesn’t have to be about work. I enjoy hearing about your life. I should say that a little more, huh?”

  Unable to help herself, she smiled even as she felt the sting of tears at his heartfelt words. “I could say it too.”

  “We’ll both have to remember to try a little harder, right?”

  “Absolutely.”

  They talked about how she was enjoying Portland and about some of the places Alex had shown her and how much she was doing in her spare time.

  And then he specifically asked about Alex.

  “And he treats you well?” he asked, sounding very much like a disapproving parent.

  “He treats me better than I ever imagined a man could treat a woman,” she replied. “He’s kind and considerate, and he makes me laugh, and he challenges me to try new things,” she explained, and then paused and thought. “But more than anything, Dad, he accepts me for who I am. I’ve never dated someone who did that.”

  “Everyone tells me how wonderful he is,” Joseph said begrudgingly, “but in my mind no man is ever going to be good enough for you.”

  And her smile grew. “Al
ex is. Trust me. He’s just…he’s everything.”

  Joseph said, “Then I guess I’ll have to approve. I don’t want to. You’re my baby girl, after all.”

  “Aww, Dad…”

  Then he cleared his throat, and she knew this sentimental time was over. Her father didn’t do sentimental for more than a few minutes at a time, if at all. And she was glad she’d had those few precious moments to experience it.

  “So I guess we’ll talk soon,” he said, his voice getting businesslike again.

  “As soon as I talk to Zach, we’ll set up a conference call.”

  “Okay, then. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

  “Me too.”

  “Good.”

  “Okay,” she said and was about to say goodbye when she felt a little choked up with emotion. “Thank you, Dad. For believing in me.”

  “I always have, baby girl.”

  And when she hung up the phone, Megan spun in her chair, and rather than jump up and do her victory dance, she wiped away those few tears she couldn’t hold back and let herself relish those last few words.

  They never talked about it, and she realized how she had missed the signs—mainly because they weren’t the same ones he was showing to her brothers.

  There were ones that were especially for her.

  If she hadn’t been so busy looking at how Christian and Carter were being treated, maybe she wouldn’t have felt forced to work so hard to be successful. To be seen.

  Another pothole to working hard that she walked right into.

  Another missed opportunity because she had been so focused on her own goals or what she thought was expected of her.

  This was who she’d been—who she was—for so long that she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be from this point on. More than anything, she wanted to talk to Alex and share her good news. He was always a good sounding board for her, and right then and there she knew that as soon as she got home, they’d talk, and he’d help her make sense of everything.

  He’d make everything all right.

  * * *

  “Stop. Please.”

  Alex looked up and gave a weak smile. “This is very important. You know this. We’ve gone over it so many times. We need to keep your muscles moving so—”

  “Alex,” Danny said, his voice weak and breathless, “please. I need you…to stop and listen…to me.”

  The fact that his friend’s voice sounded labored bothered him. It was happening more and more lately. And it wasn’t surprising to him; in fact, he knew it was only a matter of time until things like this started to happen.

  He just wasn’t ready for it.

  Stepping away from Danny’s bed, he sat down. “Okay. I’m listening.”

  Danny stared at him for a long moment, and for the first time in a long time, Alex saw how different he looked. For the most part, he always saw the face of the boy he had grown up with, but this time he was seeing him as the man he currently was.

  He was tired.

  He was broken.

  “You’re the only one, you know?” Danny said, and when Alex looked at him oddly, he explained, “You’re the only one…who still comes to see me.” He paused and caught his breath. “After the first year…they all stopped.”

  Alex knew exactly who he was referring to and it ticked him off. They were all there that day—everyone had played a hand in what had happened, and it simply infuriated him how they could all go on with their lives without taking any time to help with the life they all destroyed.

  “I’m always going to be here,” Alex said, swallowing the lump of emotion in his throat. “You and me? We’ve been friends forever.”

  Danny smiled, but it was small. “Tell me how things are going…with Megan.”

  Every week since Megan had moved to Portland, Alex had talked about her during his sessions with Danny. It was their thing—Danny would agree to the therapy as long as Alex talked and told him about all the things he was doing. At first he felt guilty about doing it—about talking about all of the great things going on for him when Danny would never again get to experience any of them—but it seemed to make his friend feel better. So he would talk and Danny would listen, and they’d get through the exercises.

  “I found out she has a secret hobby.”

  Danny’s eyes went wide with curiosity.

  “She crochets.”

  And then Danny’s expression turned to confusion. “Really?”

  Nodding, Alex explained. “She makes things for babies—blankets and sweaters and stuff—and then donates them to the hospital and shelters.” He smiled as he remembered how excited the nursing staff had been the day he had gone with her. “She’s incredibly talented, and it’s such a contrast to how she normally presents herself, and it’s just…I’m seriously impressed.”

  “She sounds more amazing…every time you talk about her.” With a pause to catch his breath, Danny added, “So things are good?”

  “Things are going really great,” he said, relaxing in the chair. “We had a long talk Saturday night about her not being just a temporary houseguest.”

  “And?” Danny asked, his voice a little wheezy.

  “And we both agreed it’s what we want.” Alex raked a hand through his hair and grinned. “I feel like…man, it’s so weird, but…I feel like I’ve been waiting for her for, like…ever. The day she moved in—even though I thought it was temporary—the minute she started to unpack, it was like, ‘Okay, this is what I’ve been missing.’ It’s strange, and I can’t even describe it, but…she’s the one. I know she’s the one.”

  “You deserve to be happy, Alex.” Danny paused and took a few moments to focus on his breathing. So much so that Alex almost called for a nurse. “You…more than…any person…I know…deserve happiness.”

  “Danny…”

  “It’s…true…”

  Alex stood when Danny began to cough violently. He looked around, and fortunately, a nurse came in. It took a few minutes to get Danny to calm down and for his breathing to return to normal, and for the first time in years, Alex began to fear his friend wasn’t going to get better.

  “Remember to talk slowly,” the nurse reminded Danny and then looked at Alex. “He’s getting tired, so maybe you should do more of the talking.”

  Alex nodded and waited until she was out of the room. “She’s right. I don’t want to cause you any more pain. So…why don’t we wait and talk more next week?”

  He stood closer to the bed, and something in Danny’s eyes held him there. “Just…one…more…thing—”

  “Danny, you need to rest. It’s important.”

  “You’ve…blamed…yourself…” He started to cough again but not as badly as he had moments earlier.

  “Stop,” Alex begged. “Just…this time you need to stop.”

  “It…wasn’t…your…fault,” Danny rasped. “Never.”

  And then it was Alex who couldn’t breathe. In all the years since the accident, they’d never talked about it. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of his friend, and yet he knew he couldn’t stop the tears from starting.

  “I should have stopped you,” he said, his voice cracking. “If I had tried harder, you wouldn’t have jumped. You wouldn’t be here like this right now!”

  “You…couldn’t…stop…me. Never could,” he added and gave him a weak smile. “My fault. Not…yours.”

  But Alex shook his head. “I knew you had been drinking, and I knew that stunt wasn’t safe. I should have spoken up and taken the razzing from everyone about being the buzzkill of the group!”

  “It would…have made…me…want to…jump…more.”

  Alex hated to admit that Danny was right. Their whole lives he could never talk his friend out of anything he had set his mind to.

  But it didn’t change how Alex felt. The
guilt. The anger.

  “It’s okay…to be…mad,” Danny said, and that’s when Alex realized how his face must look at the moment. “You…can…yell. It’s okay.”

  But he couldn’t.

  He wouldn’t.

  What good would it do either of them?

  Instead, he squeezed Danny’s shoulder. “Rest. I’ll see you next week, okay?”

  And there was that look in his eyes again, and it nearly gutted Alex.

  He was about to say goodbye—that had been his plan—but something else entirely came out. “I’m sorry,” Alex said, his voice breaking. “I’m so damn sorry.”

  “I’m…the one…who’s sorry,” Danny rasped. “My fault. Stop…blaming…yourself.”

  Alex shook his head, and tears began to fall.

  “Forgive…me.”

  Shaking his head again, Alex said, “There’s nothing to forgive. I need you to forgive me!”

  The slight shake of Danny’s head was the only response.

  “Dammit, Danny!”

  “Forgive…me,” he repeated, and when Alex was about to respond, the nurse returned and told him he needed to leave.

  With one last look at his friend, Alex said, “We’ll talk next week.” Walking around the room, he collected his things, and as he was about to leave, he heard Danny repeat the phrase one more time.

  When he got out to his truck, he sat for a long time behind the wheel and cried. He cried for the loss of his friend’s ability to move and for his role in it.

  But mostly, he cried because he felt like a failure and a fraud.

  * * *

  Champagne was chilling.

  Candles were lit.

  Her little black dress was showing off her curves.

  And Megan played with her hair to give it a bit of a sexy look as she waited for Alex to walk in the door.

  She couldn’t wait to share her good news with him—praise from her father and the position she’d been hoping for? It was probably one of the best days ever for her. Of course…it meant she’d have to spend time away from Alex, and then there was the chance that things might not go as smoothly as they had in Zach’s office and…