Page 152 of Head Over Heels
Penelope’s blue eyes darkened and she took a slow sip. “We hope that doesn’t happen, but if it’s for his dream job, I’ll be moving to another city.”
Sophie blinked. “Just like that.”
Penelope nodded. “Just like that.”
Her friend was a huge workaholic. She loved her job, thrived on the pressure, the thrill of helping Shane run such a big company. She had a huge job with a matching salary and even bigger bonus. She loved her job.
Sophie shook her head. “You’d give it all up? For Evan?”
Penelope shrugged. “It wouldn’t be giving it all up. It would just have to change. Understand, nobody wants that. Evan has made it clear to the organization he wants a future with them. But Shane and I have already discussed and come up with three or four different options in case that happens. My scope would change, but that’s life.”
“But you love your job.”
“I do. I love Evan more.”
“It sounds like you’re the one making all the changes.”
Penelope smiled, all blissful and happy. “Nope. We agreed the only job we’d move for is a head coaching job for an NFL team. That’s it. His sacrifice is he’ll pass up any other opportunity to stay here, even if it means getting him to his end goal faster. It’s a compromise we can both live with. Besides, having those conversations with Shane was good because it forced me to think about life beyond work.”
“How so?”
“You know Evan and I want a family. We want to be married for at least a year first before we try, but the reality is I can’t work twelve-hour days with a baby and be the kind of mother I want to be. It’s not bad. It’s just that life changes, and no matter who you are or how much money you have, everyone has to make choices. It’s not like I want to be a stay-at-home mom, but I don’t want to be absent either. Having those talks about options with Shane helps me put work into perspective. It’s good for me to think about because it opens up opportunities for my life regardless of whether I’m here or some other place.”
Sophie sipped her wine and thought about Ryder. She looked at the fireplace, dark and abandoned. “He offered to move to Chicago for me.”
Penelope’s expression brightened. “So let him.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because it’s all wrong for him.” She pressed her fist to her stomach. “I feel it deep down. I’d be the only reason, and I can’t ask him that.”
“Maybe he wants to do it.”
“Just because he wants to, and he would, doesn’t make it right. It’s something he’d never choose.”
“He’s getting you in return.”
Sophie’s eyes welled and she looked at her best friend, who’d been here for her since before she could remember. She swallowed hard. “I’m not my parents.”
Penelope’s expression clouded with confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I’m not willing to force him into my life. Growing up, I hated knowing my parents were only living the life they were because of me. Hated listening to them talk about when they could leave and do what they wanted to do when they were no longer stuck with me as a dependent. Sure, they settled down to give me a childhood, but they never let me forget it. I don’t want that for Ryder.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “But more than that, I don’t want that for me. I don’t want to sit with him at dinner in some high-rise apartment he hates instead of the farmhouse he’s planning on building and know he’s only suffering through this because of me. I can’t live like that again. I don’t want to. Is that selfish?”
Expression turning troubled, Penelope lowered her gaze. “I hadn’t looked at it like that.”
“I’m not just being stubborn. I’m not refusing to see the possibility. I don’t see how either of us win with him moving to Chicago.”
Penelope was silent for a few minutes before she said, “Can you see a win if you stay in Revival?”
Sophie drained the rest of her glass. “I don’t know. I can’t pretend I haven’t enjoyed what I’m doing. Or that the idea of starting up the tourism trade isn’t exciting to me. I’ve also been talking to Darcy about other ideas for a blog. But it feels like Chicago is all I’ve ever wanted, and I don’t know if I want to give up the job of my dreams to move to the middle of nowhere.”
“Can I be honest with you?” Penelope’s brow creased.
“Of course.” Sophie needed honest now more than ever. Her future was at stake.
“You didn’t really seem happy to me. You seemed active and busy, but not fulfilled.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ears. “Maddie and I talked about it, but we couldn’t figure it out.”