48. Violet

Chapter 48

Violet

Sawyer and I spend all night in my bed, alternating between having sex and talking. Neither of us wants to go to sleep or even risk closing our eyes for too long, as if we’re afraid we’ll wake up and this will all turn out to have been some beautiful, bittersweet dream.

But eventually, I’m too exhausted from it all to keep my eyes open anymore.

I don’t remember falling asleep, but I stir early the next morning in Sawyer’s arms with the sun streaming in through my bedroom window. I wake gently, feeling better than I have in a long time.

I think I only slept a few hours, but it was definitely the best sleep I’ve gotten since I moved . That’s not a coincidence.

My back is against Sawyer’s chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me, and I can tell from the deep, easy pace of his breathing that he’s still out cold. The last thing I want to do is get out of bed and wake him up in the process, but I can see the alarm clock on the bedside table and it’s almost half past seven. I have to get up and get moving to get to work on time, and Sawyer has a plane to catch.

I gently climb out of his grip, and he comes to life as I’m sitting. He blinks at me slowly. As soon as his vision unblurs and he makes me out, his face lights up. “You’re the perfect thing to wake up to, you know that?” he asks, his voice croaky. Smiling, I lean over to kiss him.

“Sorry to wake you, but I have to get ready for work.”

“Shit. What time is it?”

“About seven-thirty. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss your flight,” I say, since I know he booked an early return to Denver.

He steals another kiss from me. “That’s not what I was worried about. I just didn’t want to miss a second with you, heartbreaker.”

“I know. Me neither.”

I give him a shaky smile, trying to hide the way my heart feels like it’s tearing itself in two. I remember everything he said last night as if the words have been burned into my memory, but in the stark light of day, it all feels even harder and more complicated than it did last night.

I don’t want our time together to end on a sad note, so I give him one more kiss and then escape into the bathroom, showering quickly and pulling my unruly hair into a ponytail. I still haven’t mastered buns, which is too bad because they’d be a nice look for the office.

When I step out of the bathroom, I find Sawyer fully dressed and ready to head to the airport.

The sight makes me feel like someone put my heart in a vise.

He holds his arms out to me, so I hurry to him and press my lips against his. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close, then lets me go to stare down into my eyes. The golden sun glints in his gray irises, making me think of lightning flashing through storm clouds.

“This isn’t over,” he tells me quietly and rests his forehead against mine. “I promise.”

I nod and kiss him again, unable to fight back the desperation I’m feeling. I don’t doubt him, and I know he’ll keep his word somehow, but it’s hard not to worry that it might not work out.

“Bye for now. I’ll see you again soon,” Sawyer says and kisses me one last time before he lets me go and heads for the door. He pauses to stare back at me for a moment, beaming, before he steps out and closes the door behind him. My heart jumps in my chest like it wants to reach out for him, to stop him from leaving, but I take a deep breath.

This isn’t the end. He promised.

I finish getting ready for work and grab a quick bite to eat before I head for the office. I’m running a little later than normal, but I’m still on time. Michelle and most of the others are already there when I pull in, and Michelle greets me with a warm smile and “good morning” on my way through the door.

I make my way to my desk and sit down to sign into my computer. It takes a while to get up and running, but even when it’s ready, I can’t focus. All I can think about is Sawyer. Even though we spent all night together and my body is still aching sweetly from the incredible sex we had, some part of me still feels like all of last night was some wild fever dream.

But what’s hardest to believe is Sawyer offering to leave the Aces for me, to work out a trade with the team here in LA. I know he meant it, but that’s exactly what makes it so hard to believe. So much of his identity is tied up with the Aces and the relationships he’s built with the rest of the guys on the team that it’s hard to imagine what life would even look like for him without it. But he was dead serious about leaving all that and the city he loves behind—for me. My heart squeezes in my chest just thinking about it.

And then there’s Jake. I know Sawyer is right, and that he would love LA and all of its sunshine and outdoor activities. But still, I’m sure he’d miss Denver. And he’d miss the Aces as much as Sawyer would. Those men are like family to him, a bunch of surrogate uncles who love him to pieces. Can I really separate him from all of that?

There’s really only one way out of this, and as soon as I realize it, a feeling of certainty washes over me—and a deep sense of calm follows.

I know what I have to do.

I push back from my desk and stand to take a deep breath, steadying myself for what I’m about to do, then walk around to the opposite side of the office where Michelle’s office sits. Her door is open and she’s clicking away at the keyboard on her laptop, so I pause and knock gently on the open door. She looks up and smiles, her fingers pausing on the keyboard.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Can I talk to you about something?”

“Sure, come on in.” She closes her laptop so I close the door and sit down across from her. Her expression is neutral, but there’s a tiny line between her eyebrows that tells me she knows something is up. My heart rate is picking up a bit with nerves, so I take another deep breath and smooth my hands over my legs.

“There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it. I need to give you my resignation notice, effective immediately.”

Michelle’s brows shoot up her forehead. “Whoa. What’s going on? Are you unhappy?”

“No, no. Not at all. I love this company and love working here.”

Her brows stitch back together, and she leans forward slightly in her seat. “Then what’s the problem?”

There’s no point in lying or beating around the bush. Anything I could make up probably wouldn’t convince her anyway, especially not after what I just told her about loving working here. So I smile at her and let it all come out.

“Honestly, I unexpectedly fell in love with a guy back in Denver while I was living there. It wasn’t supposed to happen, and we kept telling each other it was just going to be temporary, but I guess I didn’t realize just how attached I’d gotten to him until I moved here. It’s been really difficult being apart. I want to be closer to him, so I’m moving back to Denver.”

Michelle nods, pursing her lips. “I see. Well, obviously I’m disappointed to lose you, but I understand. Are you sure this is what you want to do though? I could see you having a great career at Creative Reach, with a lot of opportunities for growth.”

“Maybe it sounds crazy, but I’m more sure of this than anything else I’ve ever done,” I tell her, and her serious expression softens into a smile.

“Alright, then. I’ll talk to HR and make sure everything gets processed. But I hope you know the door is always open here for you if you change your mind or find yourself on the job market again.”

“Thanks, Michelle. That means a lot. I really appreciate you taking a chance on me, and I don’t want you to think I’m anything other than grateful. I’ve loved working here.”

“It’s been a pleasure. Whoever snaps you up next is damn lucky.”

“Thanks,” I say, fighting the blush that’s rising up my cheeks. Michelle stands, so I follow her lead and she steps around the desk to give me a hug.

“Good luck with everything. I’m happy for you. Let me know if you ever need a reference or anything, I’d be happy to help.”

“Thanks. I don’t know what else to say.”

Michelle waves me away. “There’s nothing else to say. Do you want to finish out the rest of the day, or do you need the time to start planning? Your choice.”

“This all happened pretty quickly, so I think I need the time.”

“Fine by me. Take your time gathering up your stuff. Just leave your keys on the desk when you’re ready. And make sure you stop to say goodbye on your way out.”

“I will, I promise.”

Michelle smiles at me again, then retakes her seat at her desk. I see myself out and go back to my office to pack up my things. I haven’t been working here for very long so there isn’t much to gather. My hands are a little shaky with nerves about what I just did, but my heart knows it was the right move. I’m sure I can find work in Denver, especially if I lean into Reese’s connections. He’s going to be as excited as a little kid when he finds out I’m coming back for good, and I’m pretty excited about the idea too.

With all my things ready to go, I put my office keys on the desk like Michelle asked and step out of the office one last time. Michelle’s already in the lobby waiting for me by the receptionist’s desk, probably because she knew I wouldn’t take long. She smiles bittersweetly at me when I approach. We say our final goodbyes and I leave the office feeling just as bittersweet as her smile.

I drive back to my apartment in a bit of a daze. With every mile I drive closer to the apartment, the more real everything feels.

I just quit my job. Holy shit.

The thought repeats in my head like a song I can’t shake, but it’s not because I regret it. I’m more surprised with myself than anything. I’ve never really been the type of person to do something on a whim like this, but I wasn’t lying when I told Michelle I was more sure of the decision than anything else I’ve ever done. I can’t stomach the idea of tearing Sawyer and Jake away from their home any more than I can stomach the idea of being apart from the two of them, so this is the only option.

I pull into the parking lot for the apartment complex and drive around to my unit, smiling and feeling at peace—until I spot Sawyer sitting on the stoop by my door. Confused, I park in a hurry and rush over to him. He looks just as confused as I feel, and he stands to meet me. We hug and he squeezes me before I pull back.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have practice? Did you miss your flight?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to leave. I can’t let you go again, not until I’m sure I won’t lose you,” he says, and my heart clenches.

“You don’t have to. I just quit my job.”

Sawyer’s jaw drops and he stares at me for a second with his hands gripping my elbows as he processes what I said. Finally, he shakes his head. “No. No, no, no. I never meant for you to do that.”

“I know you didn’t, but I made the choice. There’s no other way for this to work. I can’t stand the idea of taking you and Jake away from Denver and the lives you have there?—”

“Heartbreaker.” Sawyer’s voice is low and soft. “Get in the car.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I’m taking you back to the office so you can undo this.”

“Sawyer, I can’t ‘unquit’ an hour after I just gave my resignation.”

“Yes, you can. And I’m sure your boss will be thrilled to hear it.”

“Maybe she would, but?—”

“Come on. Let’s go.”

He takes my hand, pulling me toward my car. There’s a determined set to his jaw as he opens the driver’s side door for me and gives me a pointed look. Biting my lip, I slide inside, and he walks around the car and gets into the passenger seat.

“Sawyer, what are we doing?” I ask, my chest tight.

“We’re gonna get you your job back,” he says firmly.

When I don’t put the key in the ignition, he turns to me and takes my hands in both of his. His thumbs brush over my knuckles, and the love that shines through in his expression makes my breath catch.

“I meant it when I said we’re not done,” he tells me. “We’ll find a way to make it work, Violet. I won’t give up on us. But I can’t let you give up on your dreams either. I know how badly you wanted this job, and I can’t just let you walk away from that. Not for me. Not for anything.”

I swallow hard, drawing in a shaky breath. Then I nod. He lets out a breath too, giving my hands a squeeze and then letting them go so that I can start the car and pull away from the curb.

He keeps a hand on my knee the entire drive back to the Creative Reach office, and I let that small point of contact ground me—a reminder that no matter what happens, we’re in this together.

When we reach the office, my stomach gives a nervous little swoop.

Are we seriously going to do this? Is Sawyer just going to march in there and ask Michelle to give me my job back?

As it turns out, yes.

He leads me confidently through the Creative Reach offices, and I give a weak smile to a few of my new—ex?—coworkers as they glance over at us curiously. Michelle’s door is still open like it was earlier, and she looks up as we make a beeline toward her corner office.

“Violet,” she says as Sawyer and I enter, sounding surprised. “What brings you back here? Is everything alright?”

“Um…”

I flounder a bit, unsure how exactly to answer that, and Sawyer takes the opportunity to step forward, nodding to Michelle in greeting.

“Hi, I’m Sawyer Townsend,” he tells her. “Everything is fine. Or it will be, if you’re willing to take Violet back. I know she’s loved working with Creative Reach, and I don’t think you should let her go.”

Michelle’s eyebrows shoot up toward her hairline. Her mouth falls open slightly, and she glances from Sawyer to me and back.

“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t want to let her go,” she says after a brief pause. “She’s been a wonderful addition to our company so far, and I think she has a lot to offer. But she told me she needed to leave for personal reasons.” One corner of her mouth twitches upward into a small half-smile as she shifts her focus back to me. “I’m guessing this is the personal reason?”

She gestures to Sawyer as she speaks, and my cheeks heat with a blush, but I nod. I already told her I was quitting because I’d fallen in love with someone, and now I’ve shown back up in the office with a man who’s determined to make sure I don’t give up on a job I adore—so I shouldn’t be surprised that she’s put two and two together so quickly.

“Yeah, he’s the one,” I say, and Sawyer shoots me a warm look.

“I see.” Michelle chuckles softly, looking both touched and amused as she takes in the two of us. “So, let me see if I’ve got this straight.” She points to me. “You wanted to quit so that you could move to Denver to be with him. And you”—she points to Sawyer—“don’t want her to give up her job. Is that right?”

“Yes.” Sawyer nods seriously. “And I’m sorry to just barge in here like this and interrupt your day, but it’s very important to me. Violet is…” He swallows. “She’s amazing. I couldn’t live with myself if I clipped her wings.”

Michelle’s expression softens, something warm flickering in her eyes. She rests her elbows on her desk, lacing her fingers together, then sighs, meeting my gaze. “I can see why you love him. You’ve got one of the good ones right there. And believe me, those are rare.”

“I know,” I whisper, my heart pounding.

Michelle taps her fingers together, looking down at her desk as she appears to think something over. Then she shakes her head and looks up.

“I’m not going to give you back your job here,” she says.

My stomach flips over, an indecipherable combination of emotions rushing through me as disappointment mixes with relief. But Sawyer looks stricken.

“That’s okay.” I nod quickly. “I underst?—”

“However,” Michelle continues, holding up a hand to stop me, “I think that I still may have a position for you.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

She laughs, shaking her head ruefully. “I mean , your boss is an old softie, and you two are giving my jaded heart a much-needed boost.” Her tone shifts, becoming more business-like as she leans forward a little, steepling her fingers. “I’ve been toying with the idea of expanding the company for the last several months, and Denver is one of the areas I’ve been considering. I didn’t even think of it when you told me you needed to quit earlier, but this could be a great opportunity. If Creative Reach were to open a satellite office in Denver, how would you feel about being a part of that team?”

I gape at her, hope blooming in my chest. “Are you serious?”

She leans back, lifting a brow. “As serious as that man of yours seems to be. So what do you say? Would you be interested?”

“Yes!” The word comes out so fast it’s almost unintelligible, so I repeat it, just in case. “Yes. Definitely!”

“Good.” She nods, looking satisfied. “I can’t promise it will happen, but I’ve already got a lot of the groundwork laid for an expansion, so I’d say the odds are very good.”

“That’s… that’s great,” I say, my voice trembling. I almost can’t believe this is real. I must be dreaming.

I’m tempted to pinch myself to make sure I’m really awake, but then Sawyer’s hand slips into mine, warm and solid and very real. He gives my fingers a squeeze, and I look over to see him beaming at me.

“Well, then.” Michelle raps her knuckles lightly on her desk. “I’ll need to make some calls to work out more of the details and really get the ball rolling, but I can touch base with you in a few days when I have more information. How does that sound?”

“It sounds perfect.” I nod fervently. “Thank you so much.”

“I should be thanking you .” She smiles, glancing at Sawyer. “And you. This expansion has been a long time coming, and this is just the fire I needed under my ass to make it happen.”

We talk for another minute or two, and after promising to wait by the phone for word from Michelle once she’s made a definitive call about the satellite office, Sawyer and I say goodbye and leave. I feel dazed as we walk through the large open-floor-plan office space, barely focusing on where we’re going.

I can’t believe it. This is really happening .

Sawyer rests a hand on my lower back as we step out of the Creative Reach offices into the bright LA sunshine. And as soon as we’re outside, he turns to me, sweeping me up in his arms and whirling me around. I yelp in surprise, laughing as I cling to him.

When he finally sets me down, he keeps his arms banded around me, his gray eyes glinting with happiness as our gazes meet.

“Thank you,” I whisper. “For believing in me. For doing that for me.”

“I’ll always believe in you, heartbreaker.” He rests his forehead against mine. “But that in there? That was all you. She wouldn’t have done any of that if she didn’t recognize what an asset you are to Creative Reach. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

I bite my lip as he leans back, my heart swelling at his praise. With my heart pounding hard against my ribs, I ask, “And… are you really okay with me moving to Denver to be with you?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I am!” His grin is brighter than all of the sunshine around us, and my stomach comes alive with flutters.

“Holy shit. Are we really doing this?”

“Hell, yes.” Conviction echoes in his voice as he pulls me in for one of the deepest kisses he’s ever given me, then sets me back down on my feet. I stay on my tiptoes, keeping my arms on his shoulders and my hands linked behind his head.

“So does this mean I’m officially your girlfriend now?” I ask, and he kisses me again.

“Damn straight, heartbreaker.”

I smile against his lips. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me too.” Sawyer grins down at me. “It’ll do for now, anyway.”

I tilt my head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“The only thing better than calling you my girlfriend will be calling you my wife one day.”

He cups my face in both of his hands to kiss me again, and for the first time since I left Denver, I let myself get totally lost in it—because I know he’s mine.