Page 86 of Protected By My Best Friend's Brother

“I’ve been looking into splitting my time,” he continues quickly, gesturing to the property listings. “Three weeks here, one week in London. The board won’t love it, but with video conferencing and proper scheduling—”

“Stop.” I move to perch on his desk. “We need to talk. Really talk.”

He looks up, tension visible in his shoulders, in the careful way he holds himself. “Emma—”

“No, you’ve had three days of noble silence. My turn.” I reach for his hand. “This isn’t like two years ago. I’m not some analyst who needs to be protected from making choices based on emotions. I’m your partner. In everything. And I need you to be honest with me.”

“I am being honest.” His thumb traces patterns on my palm—an unconscious gesture that makes my heart ache with its familiarity. “I want you to have everything you deserve. The chance to implement your innovations globally, to reshape how continents approach sustainability...”

“While you learn German and live out of a suitcase?”

“If that’s what it takes.” His voice is rough but certain. “Emma, I love you. That doesn’t change whether you’re here or inLondon or running sustainability programs on Mars. I just... I can’t be the reason you turn down something this big.”

The words hold echoes of Sophie’s explanation—that Lucas is afraid of limiting me, of being the reason I miss an opportunity that could define my career. But there’s something unspoken beneath them, something he’s still holding back.

“You can’t be objective about this, can you?”

“No.” He laughs, but it sounds painful. “If I start talking about what I want, about how the thought of you leaving tears me apart, about how every time I imagine walking into the office and not seeing you there—” He stops, running his free hand through his hair. “See? Not exactly CEO-level rationality.”

“I don’t want you to be rational!” I slide off the desk to stand between his knees, forcing him to look at me. “I want you to be real. Tell me what you’re thinking and feeling. Even if it’s messy and complicated and completely un-CEO-like.”

His hands settle on my waist, anchoring us both. For a moment, I see him struggle with himself—the always-in-control CEO battling with the man who wants to be honest about his feelings.

“I think you could revolutionize sustainable technology anywhere you go,” he says finally. “I think Goldman Sachs would be lucky to have you. And I would move heaven and earth to make us work, even with an ocean between us.” His voice drops lower, raw with emotion he’s finally allowing himself to show. “But I also think I’ve never been happier than these past weeks, working beside you, building something meaningful together. And the selfish part of me wants that forever.”

“That’s not selfish,” I whisper, cupping his face. “That’s honest and real.”

“I love you too much to influence this decision.”

“You’re not influencing me. You’re partnering with me. Like always.”

The silence stretches between us, heavy with everything finally being said. I lean forward, resting my forehead against his. His hands tighten on my waist, and I feel the slight tremor in them—the physical evidence of emotions he’s been trying so hard to contain.

“I need to know everything we’re building matters to you, too,” he whispers. “Not just professionally.”

“It matters,” I assure him. “More than corner offices in London or global budgets. But I needed to hear you say it. To know you weren’t just being supportive because you thought that’s what I needed.”

“I thought being neutral was the right thing.”

“Being honest is the right thing.” I press a soft kiss to his lips. “Always.”

***

By day six, I’ve read the Goldman Sachs offer so many times I’ve memorized it. The numbers remain staggering, and the opportunity is incredible. But something else has become clear, too—what I’m building here isn’t just a career. It’s a vision of how sustainable technology should work, with people at its heart.

I’ve spent these days considering what success means to me. Is it global reach and enormous budgets? Or is it creating something meaningful with people who understand my vision, value my approach to innovation, and see the human element in technological advancement?

With every page I turn in the Goldman proposal, I find myself making mental comparisons. Yes, their resources are virtually unlimited, but would they have allowed the Gordon Junior implementation? Would they understand my hybrid approach to the Johnson manufacturing plant? Would they see thevalue in preserving workplace traditions alongside cutting-edge technology?

And then there’s Lucas. Not just as my boyfriend but as my partner in building something revolutionary. The way we challenge each other, support each other, make each other better—that’s not something you find twice in a lifetime.

I wait until evening when I know Lucas will be home. The look on his face when he opens the door tells me he knows what’s coming—his expression is a mixture of hope and resignation, braced for whatever decision I’ve made.

“Come in,” he says softly. “I have wine.”

“I need your laptop first.”

He raises an eyebrow but retrieves it without question, bringing it to the coffee table where I’ve settled. The Goldman folder sits beside me, dog-eared from repeated reading.

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