Page 33 of Worth the Wait

"It's complicated, El."

"Complicated how? You work together. So what? Half the couples I know met at work."

"We're competing for the same promotion," I explain, keeping my voice low. "And there's history, obviously, and it's been eight years, and?—"

"And you're still wearing the necklace he gave you," she interrupts, pointing to the daisy pendant. "The one you've never taken off, not even for dates with other guys."

I touch the pendant self-consciously. "It goes with everything."

She snorts. "Right. And I'm secretly the Queen of England." She leans back, studying me. "So, what's he like now? Still gorgeous?"

Against my will, an image of Jackson from this morning flashes through my mind—the way his tailored suit accentuates his broad shoulders, how his forearms look when he rolls up his sleeves, the blue of his eyes that still reminds me of summer skies over Maple Ridge.

"He's… fine," I manage, ignoring Ellie's knowing smirk. "Professional. We're working on a project together."

"Uh-huh." She's not buying it for a second. "And that explains why you look like you've been electrocuted every time I mention his name."

Before I can formulate a suitably dismissive response, my assistant pokes her head in. "Ms. Wells? The Westfield team isgathering in Conference Room B. Mr. Hayes asked specifically if you could bring the subsidiary disclosure agreements."

"Thank you, Jenny. I'll be right there."

Ellie arches an eyebrow as Jenny disappears. "Mr. Hayes, huh? Asking specifically for you?"

"It's work-related," I insist, gathering the requested documents. "Look, I have to go to this meeting. Can we do dinner tonight? My treat."

"Absolutely." She stands, gathering her purse. "You're not getting out of this conversation that easily. I want all the details."

I roll my eyes but can't help smiling. For all her teasing, Ellie's presence feels like a life raft in the stormy waters of my current situation. "Fine. I'll text you when I'm done."

She hugs me again before leaving, whispering, "For what it's worth, I always liked him. Even after everything."

"So let me get this straight,"Ellie says, twirling pasta around her fork at the little Italian place near my apartment. "Jackson Hayes—the boy you loved so much you carved your initials into every tree in Maple Ridge—shows up at your firm, looking like"—she gestures expansively—"whatever godlike evolution of himself you've been trying not to describe all evening, and you're fighting it because you might lose a promotion?"

Put that way, it does sound ridiculous. I take a sip of wine, buying time. "It's more complicated than that."

"Isn't it always with you?" She sighs, setting down her fork. "Look, Tar, I get that your career is important. I do. But is it worth sacrificing everything else?"

"I'm not sacrificing everything. I date."

"You go through the motions," she corrects gently. "You haven't let anyone get close since Jackson."

I stare into my wineglass, watching the burgundy liquid catch the candlelight. "That's not true."

"Name one guy you've dated in the last eight years who knew your middle name."

I open my mouth, then close it again. Point to Ellie.

"It's not just about the promotion," I admit finally. "It's about… what if we try again and it falls apart? We can't escape each other at work. And honestly, I'm not sure I could survive losing him a second time."

Ellie's expression softens. "Did you know he defended you? After you left?" At my confused look, she continues. "Back in Maple Ridge. When people started saying you were cold for leaving him behind, that you chose your career over love—he shut them down. Every time."

"He did?" Something warm unfurls in my chest at the thought of Jackson defending me even as I was pulling away.

She nods. "Mom ran into him at the grocery store about a year after you left. She said he asked about you, wanted to know if you were happy at Northwestern. When she mentioned she was worried you were working too hard, he told her, 'That's just Tarryn. She puts her whole heart into everything she believes in. It's what makes her special.'"

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "He said that? After how things ended?"

"He did." Ellie reaches across the table, squeezing my hand. "Look, I don't know what happened between you two. You've never really talked about it. But whatever it was… he never stopped believing in you."

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