“Hmm.” He looked as if he were genuinely contemplating the idea. “I didn’t know you were into that, but I’m sure we could work something out.”
Suddenly, she hopped from his lap.
A moment of clarity hit her. “I’m scared,” she said.
“You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t,” he spoke softly.
“No, not about the job. About losing you.” How long would he wait while she was supposedly achieving her dreams?
“Hey, I’ll be here. And maybe at some point I’ll join you. That is, if we can sort out what to do with you know who.”
Macy’s heart jumped to her throat. She’d momentarily forgotten about Harley, she’d feel awful leaving the poor dog behind. They really had become family.
“That’s going to be hard. I don’t think there’s a dog park big enough in the city to contain her.”
“Well, you won’t have to worry about it for a few months. Take the job, and give yourself time to get settled. Once things are in order, then we’ll discuss what happens next for us.”
“You always say you aren’t so great with compromises,” she said as she kissed the stubble on his chin. “And yet, you’re a lot better at them than I am.”
“Only when it comes to you. So, are you going to call Henderson?”
She shrugged. “I will call him, but not tonight. This is our time, yours and mine. His newspaper can wait. In fact, I have until Friday to let Aaron know of my decision and I’m going to take those days. Once I say yes, things will move very fast.”
“We have two whole days?” His eyebrows waggled. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that a lot of those hours would be spent trying to make sure she had the Tranquil Waters paper seen to. She wouldn’t allow it to fail, especially since they’d all worked so hard. Her gut churned. There was so much here that she’d have to leave behind now.
Blake might believe her mind was made up, but she wasn’t so sure. There had to be another answer, she was just too tired and wired to think clearly.
“Yes!” she said and kissed him smack on the lips. “So have your wicked, wicked way with me, Marine.”
“How about those ropes and bedposts you were talking about,” he joked and sent her a naughty grin.
“Oh? What would your mother say?”
“Are you going to tell her?”
She lifted her T-shirt over her head. “Do I look like a girl who would kiss and tell?”
And with that, she was lost in the sweet company of the man she loved.
16
W
HEN
HE
JOINED
the marines any hint of a distracting emotion was driven out of him. The words, “Separate yourself from the situation and get the job done,” had been seared into his brain.
But that concept wasn’t working so well today. While Macy packed, he’d made her eggs, bacon and waffles. He’d taken Harley out for a walk, and added a new playlist to her phone.
He did these things to keep his mind off the fact that in ninety minutes he’d be driving her to the airport, and there was every chance it’d be a month, maybe more, before he could see her again. The gnawing in his gut reminded him of those timely words from the military, even though he was trying to ignore the raw tension.
Whenever his brain began playing the what-if game, he occupied his mind by thinking of other gifts Macy could unwrap when she got to New York. She’d been given a corporate apartment in a fancy building with a doorman, so at least her place would have proper security. And Henderson had insisted she accept the car and driver he provided. He didn’t want her wasting valuable time in the subway tunnels with no internet. The car had been specifically outfitted to be a mobile office for her. In the first few weeks she’s be traveling to New Jersey, Upstate New York, Virginia and D.C., and after her most recent flight home, she wasn’t thrilled about all the travel.
Henderson arranged for the car, and told her when she had to go to the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, she’d have use of the company jet. She had her boss on speakerphone when all of this was discussed, so Blake couldn’t help but listen in. He’d never seen someone’s eyes almost pop out of their head, but hers were close.
“So, Ms. Corporate Executive how does it feel to be traveling in style?” he asked after she hung up.
“Weird. I’m used to being the one in the middle seat in coach between the lady with the snotty two-year-old and the guy who’s decided to be my new best friend on a fourteen-hour flight because the paper didn’t have it in the budget and my reservation was made at the last minute. I’ve been in a jeep with no air-conditioning outside of Iraq when it was nearly a hundred and twenty degrees. There was about two years early in my career, when I didn’t come back to the States. I existed with two pairs of khakis, four T-shirts and one pair of boots. I’d start every day not knowing where the story might take me. I usually had to bum rides and barter for taxi rides.
“So yes, it’s weird.” Then she’d taken his hands in hers. “Everything is changing so fast.”
He’d kissed her fingers and smiled, even though it was forced. “Yes, but we have each other. And we’re good.”
She looked as if she were searching for courage. “I’ve never really had someone I could depend on before. It’s—hard for me to—”
“Trust,” he finished her sentence.
She nodded.
“After what you went through before you came here, it’s understandable. But you have to realize, I come from a mind-set that we are a team. Harley and I are here for you. We’ll video chat and text. And we’ll both be so busy we won’t even notice how long we’ve been apart.”
“Do you genuinely believe that last bit?”
“No. But we can pretend our hearts aren’t breaking while we’re apart.” He’d taken her in his arms. “There’s a lot going on here, as well, but I’ll find a way to come see you.”
As it had done so many times in his life, opportunity was knocking. When he talked to Rafe and Will a few days ago he’d learned about their new idea that involved protection for wireless service in rural areas.
Their strategy was attractive to him, especially after listening to a frustrated Macy grumble about bad connections and loss of online access.
“Promise to never leave Harley on her own?”
He laughed. “Wherever I go, she does. I don’t think I’d have a choice. We’ve seen what she does when she wants something.”
“It’s a big responsibility to dump on someone,” she said guiltily. “I’m the one who adopted her.”
“You did, and she’s grateful. And I have lots of dog sitters if I ever need a break, though I doubt that will happen. We’ve become pretty good friends.”
Macy snuggled into his chest. “Hold me really tight,” she said.
He did.
She kissed him hard. “You are the most thoughtful man. And I saw the songs you added to my phone. I’m going to cry all the way to New York.”
He stroked her back and recognized her sweet scent again. Though he doubted he’d ever forget it.
“I don’t think I can do this,” she choked out.
A lump of emotion sat in his throat. He swallowed hard, it didn’t work. “You can, and you will. When you get scared, call me or focus on the adversity you’ve known in the past and overcome.”
Her exploits seemed legendary to him. He had such respect for her and he knew she felt the same about him.
“Got your bags, ready to go?”
There was a tiny sob against his shirt.
Damn. He was just grateful it wasn’t him doing the crying.
“Hey,” he murmured, and he affectionately tapped her chin.
“I feel like I’m abandoning both of you,” she said, glancing down at the dog. Harley was never more than two feet away from Macy since she’d brought her suitcases out of the closet.
“No. Don’t think of it like that. You’re going on your best adventure yet. You live for that sort of thing. You’ll call us each night and tell us about everything that happened, and we’ll do the same.”
Her phone rang. She handed it to him, too choked up to answer.
“Hello?”
“I’m calling for Ms. Reynolds,” a man stated.
“Yes, she’s indisposed at the moment, can I help you?”
“This is Mr. Henderson’s assistant. He has sent the jet to pick her up so that she doesn’t need to fly commercial. The plane is at a small private airfield about four miles outside of Tranquil Waters. The thing is, it’s there now, waiting for her. So if she wouldn’t mind bumping up her schedule to accommodate—”
The assistant left the rest up to him to decipher.
“We’ll get her there as soon as possible.”
“I’ll text the address,” the assistant said and hung up.
“Macy, there’s good news and bad news,” he told her. “The good news is you don’t have to worry about any plane with crying babies or folks who want to adopt you. The bad news is that Henderson’s jet is waiting for you out at the Jones airstrip. They’d like you to leave right now.”
Her eyes flashed big. “But—but I’m not ready. I wanted to stop by the paper and make sure—”
“The gang has it handled and I’ll be checking in with them often. Come on. I’ll get your cases. We’ll bring Harley with us.”
A half hour later they drove straight up to the plane in his pickup. The sleek jet was luxurious and impressive.
The pilot met them at the door, and the steward took her luggage to stow in the back. The interior had rich leather seats and the walls had dark wood paneling. It reminded Blake of the exclusive club in London where he and Rafe had had Will’s bachelor party. Coincidentally, the club wasn’t far from his soon-to-be-wife’s modeling show. They’d given him a hard time about modeling the jeans in the finale of her show, but he’d said there was nothing he wouldn’t do for his woman.
At the time, Blake hadn’t understood Will, but he did now. He would do anything for the woman he’d followed into that jet. Harley barked at the bottom of the steps. She and Macy had already said their goodbyes. She was probably worried he was leaving, too.
“Wheels up in ten,” the pilot said. “There’s a storm brewing over the Atlantic, and we want to get you there before it hits.”
That was the last thing poor Macy needed to hear.
“Sit here,” he encouraged, and she claimed one of the cushy chairs. Her pink cheeks had gone pale at the mention of the storm. “You’re going to be fine. You’ll get there before the storm, that’s why you have to leave now.”
“It’s going to be okay,” she said as if she were trying to convince herself.
“I love you,” he said as he knelt down on his good knee.
“I love you, too.” She gathered his hands in hers, and he passed the small gift into her palm.
“What’s this?” She opened her hand and revealed a silver chain with four charms on a ring.
“The Great Dane charm is self-explanatory. The saber represents me. The typewriter—I looked for a computer but they didn’t have one—represents you. And then the heart is us.” He turned the heart over so she could read the inscription. “‘You are mine.’” He slipped the necklace over her head.
“This way, we’ll always be with you, no matter where you are.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She threw her arms around him and kissed him.
“This is the nicest, most beautiful gift anyone has ever given me,” she croaked.
The tears were almost his undoing.
“I got you something,” she said and dug into her tote bag. Holding out a small package, she handed it to him. “You’ve been so wonderful. It’s not much, but— Just open it.” She smiled through her tears and put the handkerchief he’d handed her to her nose.
“You didn’t have to do this,” he said as he ripped off the navy-and-red paper. Inside he found a scuba watch. It was the exact one he wanted. He’d been planning on replacing the one he’d broken when he was injured. He just hadn’t gotten around to it.
“Read the inscription on the back.” She grinned.
“‘You are mine,’” he read out loud and then he chuckled.
“Great minds, right?” She laughed, but it sounded weak to his ears. He smiled, anyway.
“You’re amazing. I love you so much,” he said.
“Five minutes,” the captain called to them.
“I better get going. I don’t want Harley to hear the engines.”
She frowned. “Yes, she won’t like that at all. I don’t want you to go.”
He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her lightly. “I don’t want to, either, but it’s okay. Now that we know we have each other.”
He held up the watch. “Call me when you land.”
She nodded, the tears falling faster down her cheeks.
The jaded journalist never cried, so he had a good idea how much this parting hurt her.
“I love you,” she repeated as he headed to the exit.
“Be safe, you’re my heart.” Then he turned quickly so she wouldn’t see the hurt in his eyes. She seemed to read him so well.
Is this what love did to people? Because it was painful.
Took everything he had to walk away from her when she was like that.
Harley whimpered as he hit the last step.
The plane made a high-pitched whining sound.
“Let’s go girl, we have to be a safe distance away.”
The dog didn’t hesitate. She jumped into the cab of his truck. Then her paw pushed the button to close up the passenger-side window.
Backing the truck up first, he then drove out onto the dirt road that lead to the small airstrip.
The ground vibrated as the jet rumbled to life and soon gathered speed down the runway.
Harley barked as the jet was lost in the cloud cover.
“I feel the same way,” he said.
Obviously pouting, the dog rested her jowls on the front dash.
“She’ll be back.” At least he hoped so.
He hadn’t lied; it did feel as if his heart was flying away to New York City. He wasn’t sure how he’d live without it.
17
F
RIDAY
COULD
NOT
come soon enough, although Macy had to work through the weekend, she could do most of it in her apartment. She’d forgotten what a rush a busy newsroom could be, but it was also draining.
Her team had accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. The first two days, she put together a top gang of editors, columnists and reporters. Not one of them had turned down the opportunity when she explained her mission.
Not a single one. Jobs were scarce, but it was clearly more than that.
“This could revitalize the industry,” her friend Jill, had said. They’d worked together to cover stories in Pakistan and Afghanistan. “Everyone will want in.”
Jill was right. If Macy had any doubts about what they were doing, they were gone. By Thursday, she had a long list of everyone she wanted on her team. Most of them had to give two weeks notice, but luckily enough some of them were between jobs and started the day she hired them.
Henderson and Garrison had helped, going out to some of the bigger-name columnists and bringing them in.
Together with the other editors, she’d set up a stylebook and code of ethics. They hired some of the best fact checkers in the business, and nothing made it on the website until it had gone through three editors and at least one of the fact checkers. Every source was vetted.
Closing her laptop, she stuck it in the messenger bag. The lovely leather case had been waiting for her in her apartment when she’d first arrived. A gift from her marine. She’d received one at the apartment each day when she returned home. They had a routine that after dinner, they’d sit down and watch one of Harley’s shows while they video chatted.
That hour each night had been her saving grace. It was almost like meditation, separating her from the stress at work and the time she needed to sleep. Not that she did much of that. After they signed off each night, she’d crash. Then she’d wake up at three in the morning to get to the office for the morning edition. There were a couple of nights when she was still at the office at nine. Still, she’d opened up the chat line and she and Blake had talked for more than an hour.
As she punched the button on the elevator, she realized she’d forgotten the flash drive of the confidential employee reports Henderson had given to her. She grabbed it quickly, she didn’t want to keep her driver waiting downstairs as it was beginning to snow. Everyone had warned her that with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up in two weeks, and the weather, the weekend would likely turn a bustling Manhattan into a mess. The group’s offices were located at Central Park West. She had a small space, but it had a prime view of the park. She didn’t care about the size of her office. She’d expected to be in the middle of the newsroom.
But it was nice to have her privacy. By the time she returned to the elevator, it’d moved on. Being so high up it took a while—especially at the end of the day—to get an elevator.
Pushing the button again, she waited.
This time when the doors opened, Garrison stood there.
“Excellent. The boss wants to see us upstairs.” He reached out and tugged her into the elevator. She landed against his chest.
“Hands off,” she bit out.
“What? Does my intense charm send your senses reeling?” His mocking tone only annoyed her more.
“Uh, no. It definitely does
not.
” She stepped to the other side of the elevator.
“You probably don’t want to hear it from me, but you’ve done an amazing job this week.” He sounded almost sincere.
“I appreciate your help with Appleton and Carter,” she said, mentioning the two popular columnists he’d brought into the fold.
“Didn’t have anything to do with me, it’s this
mission—
there’s no better word for it—that you’re—we’re—on.”
She shrugged. “We’re all fed up with the way things have been going with online journalism the past ten years. I only hope a lot of other online publications follow what we’re doing.”
The elevator doors slid open at the top floor. She and Garrison made their way to the double-etched glass doors that led to Henderson’s sanctuary. That was what he called it. It was part office, part art gallery. The man had a passion for painting and sculpture. He’d insisted the arts get equal coverage as the headline grabbing news, which was fine by her.
“And here she is,” Henderson said as they entered his inner office. He was there with some of the board members and a couple of vice presidents. He oversaw an entertainment conglomerate that had everything from television shows and films, to online video streaming sites, radio stations and a lot more.
He’d told her, that by hiring people like her, he was able to juggle so many things. “Hire the best,” he said. “A hard worker is worth their weight.” He had a soft spot for newspapers, which was why he was so interested in investing in the online industry.
Those assembled clapped as she joined them.
Okay, she should have dressed nicer. She’d run out of skirts and tops, and had worn her dark jeans with a T-shirt and jacket. The people around her were in suits, and the women wore dresses that weren’t off the rack.
“You’ve made a tremendous difference and only a week’s gone by,” Henderson said as he handed her a glass of champagne. “If you folks will excuse us for a minute, I need to speak with our golden girl—pardon me—golden woman,” he corrected when one of the women tsk-tsked.
“Sorry. You’re a powerhouse. I didn’t mean anything derogatory.”
“No problem,” she said as he ushered her into a conference room adjoining his office. It was almost as large as the reception area outside. The room had the same view as her office, although this was much more expansive.
“I have an instinct when it comes to people,” he said as he motioned for her to have a seat at the table. “I was surprised when you left the Boston paper so fast. You were kind last week when I asked you about why. In the end, I found out the truth from one of the other interns who was working there at the time.”
She started to speak, but he held up a hand.
“None of it matters now. But I’ve been doing a little more digging, and before I bring you into this next project, I have to ask you something personal again.”
Great, now what? He was a handsome man, she only prayed he didn’t hit on her.
He smiled as if he’d read her mind. “Don’t worry. It’s not like that. I just need to know if there’s anything coming up in the next year that might pull your focus.”
She frowned. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“The marine? Great guy if the reports are to be believed. He’s keeping an eye on the paper, oh, and your dog, while you’re here, right?”
Chewing on her lip, she thought for a moment. “This is invasive, Aaron, Mr. Henderson. Would you ask a man the same thing?”
He chuckled. “Actually, I would. I have big plans for you, Macy. Your vision and leadership as well as your management skills are outstanding, and we’d like to take them—you—to the next level.”
She blew out a breath.
“Over the next year, the plan is to transition you into a vice president’s position overseeing your own division.”
Wow.
“I’m not really the executive type.” She glanced down at her jeans. “I—”
“
You
are perfect because you care about what’s important, and we have a serious lack of people like you in the world. So then, you’ll understand why I need to know if you’re planning to get married and have children.
“And yes, I’d be asking the same if a man were sitting in your seat. This next year is key if we want to successfully implement a number of changes and do so as fast as possible. A vice presidency will mean a lot of travel for you and long days.”
Marriage? Geez. She’d only known Blake for a month, though they both admitted they couldn’t ever remember not loving each other.
“Some day, maybe,” she said hesitantly. “But not anytime soon.”
“Would it make it easier if we moved him here and offered him a position?”
That made her laugh. “Uh, no. That isn’t a good idea. He has his hands full with a couple of businesses already, one of which he’s responsible for getting off the ground. We’re committed to one another, but that’s all I can say for now. He’s incredibly supportive of my choices. At some point, when I figure out the lay of the land here, I’ll think about finding more permanent digs so at least Harley can join me.”
“That’s the Dane?”
She nodded.
He got out his wallet. “These are mine,” he said, pointing at a photo of a pair of Irish wolfhounds.
“Amazing. They’re bigger than Harley.”
“Not by much, I’m sure. Those two keep me sane, and they go everywhere with me, even overseas.”
She paused, about to speak.
“With enough money, you can make anything happen,” he said, laughing as he pocketed his wallet.
“What I’m trying to say—although I’m not doing a very good job of it—is that we’ll work with you when it comes to the personal business. If you need to fly your marine and Harley in for a visit, or have them travel with you anytime, that won’t be a problem.”
“But this kind of thing just doesn’t happen to me. Ever,” she said. What he was proposing seemed so surreal to her. “I’m the one who gets the rotten assignments, pinches her nose and moves on to the next story. I’m not used to being treated—”
“Special.” He grinned.
“Yes. And besides, I don’t understand it. We’ve recently hired a slew of talented journalists, why me? I asked you that question when you offered me the job, but I really need to know the answer.”
He crossed his arms, and glanced out the window. “Because none of them have your passion for what we’re doing. They want to be involved, but it takes someone like you to get others to take action. Not everyone has that. You do, and you have more potential than anyone I’ve ever hired. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were doing my job some day.”
That made her laugh. “As if.” Then she covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry.”
He smiled warmly. “You have only one flaw. You’re too hard on yourself. You’ve put in the hours, done a good job and now opportunity has come your way. How you handle your new responsibilities is up to you. Just remember, we’re all human. And even the best of us make mistakes.”
She wasn’t sure why the conversation had taken this turn. “Did I do something wrong?”
He chuckled again. “No. But you have some tough decisions to make. I know it’s a lot to take in your first week around here, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of what’s ahead. That way you can plan your strategy. Will you be one of those people who have to decide how to wear many hats? Or will you be married to the job like me? And for the record, there’s no wrong answer. I just want you to go forward fully informed of what’s expected.”
By the time she finished her glass of champagne and snuck out of the reception he’d thrown for her, it was nearly nine. She returned to her office, dealt with a few emails, collected her things and was completely and supremely grateful for the waiting chauffeur when she spotted him.
In the car, she called Blake, but he didn’t answer. He was probably in the shower or out walking Harley. When she walked into her apartment, she smiled. There two dozen red roses with a card.
You made it to Friday. We knew you could do it.
Love B & H
She so appreciated Blake’s thoughtfulness. After a quick shower, she checked her phone. He hadn’t called or texted her back. After ringing the landline at her house and getting no answer, she pulled back her covers and snuggled into bed.
Too much information today. And more than anything she wanted to speak with Blake about it all, especially Henderson’s plans for her. She texted Blake one more time and then put her headphones on. Opening her laptop, she began editing a long column about medical research funding.
By eleven, he still hadn’t contacted her. It was only ten in his time zone, but she worried that something might be wrong. He was usually so good at returning her calls and texts.
She was about to call his mom, when her phone rang.
“Hello, gorgeous woman of mine!”
“Hey, Marine. Thank you for the flowers.”
She could hear a lot of people in the background. Was he at a party?
“You deserve them. I called earlier but your assistant said they were throwing you a reception. I wanted to let you know that I’m at a birthday party for my brother. And don’t worry about Harley. She’s here with me. She’s the belle of the ball. Everyone keeps telling her how beautiful she is. And of course, she treats them like the adoring fans they are. We got a great picture of her wearing a birthday hat. And Jaime made dog cupcakes for Harley and Bruno.
“Dog cupcakes. Can you believe it? What is the world coming to?”
That made her grin. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Sorry I didn’t notice your first couple of texts. It’s so loud. I couldn’t hear my phone. I came outside with Harley, and noticed them. Is everything okay?”
He was out having a good time, and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin his fun with a heavy talk about their future.
“Yes, I just missed you. I want your arms around me.”
“We are like-minded that way,” he said.
“Blakeeeee, it’s your turn,” a woman’s voice called out.
Blakeeee? Her stomach dropped.
“Well, I guess I better get going. I don’t want to hold up the game. Can I call you in the morning? Or maybe we can V-chat?”
“Absolutely,” she replied, forcing herself to sound positive. “Have fun tonight.”
“I love you,” he said, but he hung up before she could say it back.
It was silly for her to be upset. It was his brother’s birthday party.
When had she become a woman who was jealous of someone having a little fun? If she’d really needed him, he would have dropped everything to talk to her. That knowledge should have been enough.
But how long could they do the long-distance relationship? So many times the past week, she’d wished he were there for her to come home to. Selfish, perhaps, but she’d never really been in love. She thought she was in love with Garrison, but now she knew it wasn’t anywhere close to the real thing.