I tried to distract myself, went to the gym, cleaned my apartment, called my sister, and pretended everything was fine. The whole time, my phone stayed quiet. By Sunday night, I’d accepted it. She was taking the Seattle job. She was choosing her career. I couldn’t blame her for that, even if it felt like my chest had been carved out with a spoon.
I went to bed early, dreading Monday morning, dreading having to see her at work and pretend nothing had happened. Pretend I hadn’t kissed her and told her she was worth risking everything for Monday morning. I dragged myself into the office at 8:30. My stomach was in knots. I grabbed coffee from the break room and headed to my desk.
eyes down, just trying to get through the day. Carter. I looked up. Sloan was standing outside her office, wearing that charcoal blazer I’d always liked. Hair pulled back every inch the professional boss she’d always been. My heart sank. Can I see you in my office, please? Her voice was formal, distant. This was it.
She was going to tell me she was leaving and we were going to have an awkward conversation about maintaining professionalism and then I’d have to watch her pack up her desk. I followed her inside. She closed the door behind us and turned to face me. For a moment, we just looked at each other. “I turned down the job,” she said quietly.
I blinked. “What?” I called them Saturday afternoon and turned it down. She crossed her arms, but it looked more like she was holding herself together than anything else. I’ve been thinking about what you said, about what I want. And you were right. I’ve spent 15 years building a career and climbing ladders and checking boxes.
I’ve been so focused on the next promotion, the next achievement, that I forgot to actually build a life. She took a breath, her eyes meeting mine. I don’t want to wake up in 5 years as a regional director in Seattle, sitting alone in some fancy apartment, wondering what would have happened if I’d been brave enough to choose something just because it made me happy.
I don’t want to regret you, Carter. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely hear anything else. Are you sure? That job was everything you wanted. No, she said firmly. It was everything I thought I should want. There’s a difference. She stepped closer. But here’s the thing. I’m not doing this halfway. If we’re going to try this, we do it right.
No hiding. No sneaking around. Which means I went to HR this morning and submitted my resignation. You what? I’m giving 4 weeks notice. I’ll help transition my projects and find my replacement, but then I’m leaving the company. She smiled. Uh, and it was the first real smile I’d seen from her in days.
I already have three interviews lined up at other firms. Turns out my reputation is pretty solid in Denver. I’ll find something else. But I can’t be your boss and your girlfriend. That’s not fair to you or to anyone else on the team. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Sloan, you don’t have to quit. We can figure something out.
I want to, she interrupted. I want to start fresh, build something new, and I want to do it with you if you still want that. I closed the distance between us in two steps, cupping her face in my hands. Are you kidding me? I haven’t stopped thinking about you for 2 seconds since Friday night. She laughed and it sounded lighter than I’d ever heard it.
So, we’re really doing this? We’re making the impulsive uh probably crazy decision. Yeah, I said grinning. We really are. HR said we need to keep things professional for the next 4 weeks while I’m still technically employed here. That’s going to be torture. I know. She bit her lip, eyes dancing, but after that, you’re taking me to dinner.
Real dinner. And then I want you to kiss me the way you did Friday night and not stop. I can definitely make that happen. She reached up and straightened my collar, fingers lingering against my neck. I’m terrified, you know. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve never taken a risk like this. Me neither, I admitted.
But I think that’s kind of the point. We figure it out together. Together, she repeated like she was testing out the word. Then she smiled. I like the sound of that. Someone knocked on the door and we stepped apart quickly. Sloan cleared her throat and called out, “Come in.” It was Sarah from accounting with a question about budget reports.
Professional Sloan snapped back into place instantly, handling the question with her usual efficiency. But as Sarah left and closed the door behind her, Sloan glanced at me and winked. 4 weeks suddenly felt like an eternity, but I could wait for her. I could wait. That night, she texted me, “23 days until I’m officially unemployed, and we can do this for real.
But who’s counting?” I texted back, “Me? I’m definitely counting.” 3 months later, Sloan started as marketing director at a competitor firm with better hours and better pay. We’d been officially dating for 2 months and she’d already met my family. Yeah, I’d never been happier in my life. 6 months after that, she moved into my apartment because she was spending every night there anyway. A year later, I proposed.
She said yes before I even finished asking. People thought we were crazy, moving too fast, taking too many risks. Maybe we were. But sometimes the best things in life are the ones you don’t plan for. The ones that scare you into being brave. Sloan taught me that. The night she showed up at midnight and whispered she wanted me, she changed everything.
And I’d make that same choice every single time. Some risks are just worth taking.
