“I’ll be right in.”
I knock on Dexter’s office door. The shades facing the hallway are drawn, like always, and his door is ajar. So I push my way inside to find him sitting behind his desk tapping away at his keyboard, lighting dim save for the natural light coming through the window at his back.
He doesn’t look up from his computer, and this time I don’t make a grand entrance. I just let the door click shut behind me and move quietly to my seat on the other side of his desk.
It’s been so weird to be back at Urgency, but it’s especially strange to sit here again. The attraction I once felt for my boss feels so foreign to me now. But I understand fully why I fell for Dexter. Other than the fact that he’s a gorgeous man, powerful, and persistent in getting what he wants, I think what attracted me the most was how opposite he is to Anderson. He was safe, as long as we kept it casual.
Looking back, guilt starts to gnaw away at me. While I didn’t understand it before, I know now that I used Dexter. And he has every right to be upset at me for that. While he was wanting more, I was pulling away. I just never completely understood why until I saw Anderson again.
Even then, I tried to fight my attraction for the man who broke me, but I couldn’t. Not when he was wrapped up in a package that felt like home. Camp Bexley is where I belong—with Anderson, with the staff, among nature, and all the beautiful things that come with a familiar place. Now the only thing holding me back is the noncompete Dexter threatened me with.
A minute later, Dexter’s fingers slow on the keyboard, and he looks up, as if begrudgingly. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if you’d stick it out this week.”
“Did I have another choice?”
He quirks a brow. “You have many. Probably none that you love as much as this one.”
“I do love my job.”
He breathes in deeply while he nods then turns his head to face the window. “Do you love him?”
For some strange reason, I did not expect to talk about Anderson in our meeting today. I figured, if anything, that Dexter would want to move straight back into business without discussing old wounds.
“Yes, and I am sorry for any hurt that I caused you. It was never my intention.”
“I had high hopes for you, Miss Davies. For us.”
“I know.” I tip my chin up, holding on to my strength even when weakness wants to creep in and take hold. “When I first came to Urgency, my heart was broken.”
“And Bexley is the one who broke it?”
I nod. “I didn’t think I could forgive him. I didn’t want to forgive him.”
“But you did.”
Another nod. “I’m so sorry, Dexter.”
“Well, then.” He clears his throat, his eyes settling back on me. “You’ve earned your promotion and your raise. HR has already been notified, and you’ll start to see your increase reflected in your next paycheck. Congratulations, Miss. Davies. You may leave.” He pushes away from his desk and stands, facing the window with his hands shoved into his pockets.
I start to walk to the door when I hear a faint, “Hope.”
My hand pauses on the doorknob. “Yes?”
“He broke your heart once. He could do it again.”
I look back at him, filling my lungs with air. “That won’t happen.”
He tips his chin up. “How can you be so sure?”
“It’s simple.” I search Dexter’s gaze while my chest warms at my own certainty. “If he breaks my heart, he breaks his own. They beat together now.”
“That’s bullshit,” Dexter spits out. He steps around his desk, making it halfway across the room before stopping again. “You’re back in my world now. I’m not planning to make this easy on you.”
My entire body tenses as his meaning settles in. He isn’t talking about my job. He’s talking about us. “I’d like to ask that you respect my relationship.”
His glowering eyes meet mine. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to do that.”
It’s in that moment that everything becomes clear because it doesn’t matter what type of job I hold—or where. None of it means anything without Anderson in my life, and any threat to that needs to go.
“Then I quit.” I squeeze the door handle while I watch the surprise in his eyes. “I was going to wait until I secured another job first, because I know what you’re capable of, but I think I’d rather take my chances.”
His eyes create narrower slits. “Are you forgetting about your noncompete already?”
I tilt my head, meeting his challenging stare. “No, I’ve just had time to read the fine print. The noncompete states I can’t work in a competing role within one hundred miles of here.” I smile. “Camp Bexley is over one hundred miles away. Not to say that’s where I’ll wind up, but at least I can keep my options open.”
His teeth are gritted. “And what about the education I’ve been paying for?”
I shrug. “I’ll pay for it myself.”
He’s practically steaming with anger. “You walk out that door, and you’ll never find a job like this one again,” he hisses. “I’ll make sure of it.”
I let out a laugh. “Don’t start doing me any favors.” I wink and swing the door open, refusing to honor him with another glance. “Goodbye, Dexter. Thanks for everything.” And then I walk away, straight to the exit, but not before catching Mallory’s eye, grinning, and flipping her the bird.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
ANDERSON
The steady beeping of the monitor keeps me awake while Cayson remains in an unconscious state. It’s been five days since the accident that almost took my brother’s life, and the hours just feel like they’re getting longer. Jami, my mom, and I are still taking shifts watching over Cayson while we do what work we can in between. It’s easier for Jami with his laptop setup, but for me, it’s one phone call after the other coordinating with vendors and staff to make sure operations continue to run smoothly.
Until the first miracle of the day happens.
“Dude, you need to stop checking in. We’re fine here.” Timmy, our head camp counselor, finally lays in on me. “We’ve got it covered. Go spend this time with your brother.”
I smile into the phone, my appreciation unmatched. “Oh, yeah? Then who’s going to keep you in line, Timmy?”
He snorts. “Your sister.”
At first, I think he’s just spitting me a variation of a your mama joke and then I realize he might actually be serious. “Is Silver there?”
Timmy chuckles. “She’s been here since Sunday. Said she didn’t want you to know because she knew you’d tell her it’s not her responsibility or some shit.”
“That’s an accurate assumption.”
I hang up and immediately call Silver. She answers the phone with a sigh. “Good news sure travels fast here.”
Rolling my eyes, I clutch the phone tighter and smile. “You really didn’t have to step in like that…” My chest begins to swell with emotion. “But thank you for doing it.”