Page 47 of Breakaway
“Yeah, sure.” He paused. “Does this mean...?”
“It means that I’m moving to Wilkes Barre! I already had a video interview, and they said the job is mine if I want it.”
“Wow, so you are really moving out here?” She couldn’t tell if the tone of his voice was excitement or him freaking out that she might be moving in with him.
“Yes!” She tamped down her excitement so not to freak him out. “I mean, I’ll get my own place. I already found a few studio apartments for rent. I’ll do some online tours, but I’m sure any of them will be fine.”
“You could move in with me—and save money.”
“Um...” The offer was tempting, and she missed him terribly. She had expected him to maybe offer that, but she still didn’t know how to answer. She wasn’t clingy. And it might give him the wrong idea to move in with him so soon. Did she really want to look like those puck bunnies he talked about? “I think it’s a little premature. Plus, I wouldn’t want to cramp your style. I know how you hockey players are,” she teased with a smirk.
Finally he spoke. “Yeah. You know me...” The uneasiness in his voice made her pause. Had she said something wrong? “How does your uncle feel about your big move?”
“My uncle? Well, I haven’t told him yet. I’ll tell him soon.”
When that would be, she wasn’t exactly sure. Probably after dinner. How mad could someone get with a full belly?
“He isn’t going to like your moving to Wilkes Barre for me.”
“No offense, but it’s not all for you. I mean, yes that’s a bonus, a very big bonus, but there’s a job there for me. I’m doing it for me and to be near you. It’s a win-win for me. And it’s not like I’ve put down roots here yet. I was planning on getting my own place, anyway.”
“I assume Sam doesn’t know about that, either?”
“No. I adore my uncle, but he tends to overreact when it comes to me.”
“Yeah. I pity your niece when she’s old enough to date!” he teased.
“No kidding.” She could only imagine what poor Willow was in for!
“I hate to cut you short, but I have to run. We have a team meeting this afternoon.”
“Okay, that’s fine. I can talk to you later. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.”
She pouted as she hung up the phone. They would have to FaceTime soon, not only because she longed to see him, but because it was difficult to gauge his tone without seeing his face. This long-distance thing was not easy. She missed his touch and his arms wrapped around her. Maybe that was subconsciously the reason she had even looked into the position in the first place. She didn’t want to be a clingy girlfriend, but she just wanted to be in his arms again.
MORGAN SAT AT THE DINNER table. Her heart raced and her stomach flopped. An odd mix of excitement and nervousness—with a pinch of panic—ran through her. Willow mixed her broccoli into her salad with Ranch dressing, and Hank dipped his chicken fingers in his honey mustard and his Ranch dressing.
As hard as it had been adjusting to living with the little kids, she was really going to miss them. Cutting into her steak and taking a bite, she smiled. “Delicious! Great job on the steak, Unc!”
Uncle Sam smiled proudly.
“De-licious!” Willow repeated, as she swiped a piece of steak through her Ranch dressing before eating it.
Morgan’s stomach flopped as she ate. But she finished her dinner before dropping the news. There was no reason to ruin dinner, because she was sure Sam was going to lose it. Maybe he’d storm out, or maybe he’d just forbid her to go. Not that he could really do that.
“Um, well, I have news,” she stated.
“Oh yeah?” Her uncle looked up curiously.
She nodded. “I had a video interview and was offered an intern position in journalism.”
“Oh, wow! That’s really great, kiddo!” Sam said. “I knew Tim would come through for you!”
She had left out some of the key details, like it being part-time. Her uncle would be down on it enough as soon as she disclosed the location.
“Yep. It’s just what I need to get my foot in the door. It’s paid, which is a bonus. And I’ll be using my degree, doing what I love.”