Page 131 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 2

Not only do I not want partner anymore but stepping away was the right thing to do. Rogers is coming off a two-billion-dollar settlement deal against a large pharmaceutical company. He wants to work long hours, all weekends, and every holiday. Good for him. He deserves the promotion and will make a great partner.

I didn’t elaborate on the new direction my life is taking or the life I’m building with my gorgeous girlfriend. Tealey’s shown me that living to work isn’t living at all. I think she saved me just in time to fix the errors of my way.

Anyway, my winning streak in court is still intact, so I’m good.

Better than good these days because I got the girl instead.

I arrive home with arms of groceries and a present or two tucked in my bags. I was able to put everything away and get a workout in before Tealey walked in the door.

“You’re home early,” she says, hanging her keys on the hook and setting her bag on the floor.

She gets more beautiful every day. I come to greet her with a kiss but find myself hanging on to her a little longer. “Light day.”

“I didn’t know attorneys had light days.” She wriggles away after another quick kiss. I’m sweaty but was hoping to take a shower with her.

Returning to the kitchen, I reply, “Normally, no, but the partners thought I might want to leave on time today.”

“Why?” Seeing the bowl of cherry tomatoes on the counter, she plucks one and pops it in her mouth. Everything she does is so fucking sexy.

I lean against the counter like I’m not about to drop a huge bomb in her lap. Grinning, I say, “I’m not going to be a partner.”

Her mouth opens to ask the question I see forming in her eyes, but then she looks up at me. “I’m sorry. I know how much that meant to you.”

“I’m not upset.” I kiss that soft spot behind her ear, sending a thrill of goose bumps over her skin. “I wanted it before I had anything else. That doesn’t hold true for me anymore.” Rubbing her back, I smile, looking at my bright-eyed girl. “I have you, and I’m pretty damn invested in our future. So tonight, we’re celebrating a different kind of victory—a big thing called getting a life. I got one because of my partnership with you, and that is worth more than a promotion at work.”

“So I’m the trade-off? A life with me or a successful career?” There’s no bitterness in her tone despite the words. She knows what she means to me because I don’t just tell her. I show her. But I don’t want her to feel guilty like she’s taking something away from me.

“There’s no competition. You’ll win every time.” I look into those baby blues, and say, “I took myself out of the running because I’ve been considering a change of careers for a while now.” Her lips twitch.

“The best divorce attorney in the city doesn’t want to divorce people?”

It’s a struggle not to grin, so I cock my brow. “Do I detect a note of sarcasm?”

She shrugs and then rests her hand on the side of my neck. The caress of her thumb causes my eyelids to dip briefly, savoring her touch and the comfort between us.

Reciprocating, I touch her cheek with the same care. “I’ve been thinking about your dream.”

“Which dream is that?” she asks with her thoughts elsewhere.

Before this conversation moves to the bedroom, I reply, “The dream to help kids. What do you think about setting up a foundation?”

She leans back, her eyes wide.The dots have connected.“To help kids find homes and provide meals?—”

“And the training and after-school programs. I’ve been talking to my mom, and it’s something she could help us set up. She has experience working with charities. Add in your trained skill set and I think it would work. You could develop it from the ground up, getting the right people in place to help it grow.”

Slipping away, Tealey walks through the living room to the window. She rests against the sill, still facing me, her thoughts pinching her brows together. “I don’t understand, Rad. You’re giving up your career to help me?”

“I still might work, just not as much. I like my career. I just hate the hours. But it became even more apparent when Misty’s paperwork came through a couple of days ago that I really liked that. I liked helping her, protecting her. I’d like to do more of that sort of thing with my time.”

I come closer, wedging between her legs and rubbing her shoulders. “You could stop commuting to Poughkeepsie three days a week and follow a different dream.”

Her expression softens. “Misty’s studying to be a social worker in Philly.”

“Because you inspire people.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence, but setting up a nonprofit takes money, Rad. A lot of money. If you aren’t working?—”

“I’ll be working, but you’ve always known that I come from money. I have trust funds.”

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