“Of course. I’ll make it clear you were shocked and disappointed by my decision. I don’t want to damage your relationship with Trainor Electronics.”
“I know you don’t. You’re too nice for this whole mess. And I’ll keep working to get you placed, so don’t worry about that.”
Chloe thanked Judith and hung up. She felt a curious sense of lightness. Guilt about the way she’d gotten the job had been weighing on her.
She marched out of the stall to touch up her makeup before taking the elevator to the HR floor. Once Roberta got over her astonishment, she was surprisingly sympathetic, saying she understood the issues of having elderly relatives. Chloe wished she didn’t have to leave a company where the employees were treated so well. It proved that corporations weren’t all heartless.
Chloe walked out of the HR office and headed back to the elevator. She reached for the “Down” button and then drew her hand back.
She wanted to see Nathan one more time. To tell him she’d been wrong to take the job. She didn’t expect him to want her back, but she hoped he would think better of her. If he ever thought of her again. The contempt in his eyes on Saturday indicated he might dismiss her from his mind as not worth the trouble.
She stretched her hand out again, hesitated a moment, and pushed the “Up” button.
Chloe stood in front of the desk where it had all started. It seemed incredible that in just two weeks she’d experienced so many highs and lows.
As she waited to find out if Nathan would see her, she remembered the first time they’d made love, and Nathan’s words as he’d walked away from her in the hospital. Maybe this was a bad idea.
“Mr. Trainor is available now,” Janice said. She was a pleasant-looking fortyish woman, with short brown hair and a slight midwestern twang. She gave Chloe a smile. “I hear you did a great job when I was sick.”
“Thanks.” Chloe couldn’t manage any more conversation because flutters of nerves were tightening her throat. She shifted her grip on her handbag and strode past Janice to pull open the big door into Nathan’s office, bracing herself for whatever he might sling at her.
His desk was unoccupied, so she turned toward the windows. He was standing with his back to them. She could see the breadth of his shoulders, the length of his legs, and the way he had his hands thrust into his trousers pockets, but his face was in shadow. Not helpful.
She closed the door, walked halfway across the carpeted floor, and stopped, holding her bag in front of her body with both hands.
“How’s your first day of work going?” Nathan asked.
His mundane question threw her off balance. “I, um—it’s not.”
He moved forward a step and waved to a chair. “Tell me about it.”
She ignored the invitation to sit. “I came to tell you that I’ve resigned.”
“Is Phil that hard to work for?”
“No, of course not.” What was going on here? “I resigned because what I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have accepted the job, knowing that we were . . . involved. My only excuse is that I feel responsible for Grandmillie.”
“I understand that.”
Chloe flung her arms out. “Why are you being so polite? You hated me on Saturday. And I deserved it.”
His shoulders lifted and fell on an expelled breath. “Not hated, but you struck a serious blow.”
“I don’t blame you for anything you said. I acted like the worst kind of opportunist.”
He took another step forward. “Look, neither one of us behaved well. I engineered the job here for my own convenience. If my motives had been as altruistic as I claimed, I would have found you a position at another company. So let’s say we both could have done better and leave it at that.”
“Oh. All right.” She’d expected—maybe even wanted—more emotion from him. This calm, rational conversation was depressing. Their relationship hadn’t been deep enough for her presence to bother him a mere forty-eight hours after it ended. Well, that proved what everyone had told her all along, and it made her want to curl up in a ball and weep. “Fine. I just wanted you to know.” She half turned.
“Chloe.” She pivoted back, a stupid little flame of hope coming to life in her heart. “My father came to see me yesterday. He brought back the sword.”
The flame flickered out. “I thought you told him to keep it.”
“I did.” Nathan took another step in her direction. “You were right about the wedding invitation. He wanted a second chance.”
“Are you giving it to him?” Chloe held her breath for his answer.
He didn’t answer her directly. “He told me pride is a wall that separates you from the people you love. He said that he was willing to make the first move and the second move and as many more moves as it took until I agreed to give him that chance.” He kept walking toward her as he spoke.
Her heart turned a somersault in her chest. “How many moves did it take?”