Page 81 of Love in the Lab
He answers with a thumbs-up as I shed my shoes and collapse on top of the bed. My head’s spinning. Almay gave me a lot to think about and a lot I need to talk to Jonathan about.
I’m excited about the potential big changes for me and my career, less so about what it could mean for my relationship with Jonathan. Of course, we figured things would change for our careers with this project. It thrust us into the spotlight, especially me as the originator of the idea and the first author on the paper.
I just didn’t think things would change this much this quickly.
There’s a knock on my hotel room door. I sit up, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. Has it been an hour already? I get to my feet and peek out the peephole once I reach the door. It’s Jonathan, of course.
I take a deep breath and open the door to Jonathan’s grinning face. He sweeps into the room, pulling me into his arms as he moves.
“You were so great at the presentation! You are amazing. Man, it’s like four hours later, and I’m still amped up.” He kisses my forehead and spins me around. “Dr. Gantt had to leave right away for the airport. She said her niece has some sort of thing this weekend? Anyway, she’s heading home, but she told me to tell you what an excellent job you did.”
“Jonathan.”
“What did the lady from the Hollings Lab want to talk to you about? I watched her during the presentation, and she looked super impressed.” He laughs. “I wanted to take you out for lunch myself to celebrate, but a celebration dinner is even better. Anywhere you want.”
“She offered me a job,” I blurt.
Jonathan freezes and, leaving his hands on my shoulders, backs up enough to see my face. His is pure enthusiasm. “Carrots, that’s awesome! Congratulations.”
“Yeah.” I bite my lip, unsure.
“What kind of job?”
“It’s a PI position in their harmful algal bloom mitigation division. A new team that I’d be heading up, securing funding, everything.”
He cocks his head, watching me with a neutral expression. “Is that a position you’d want?”
I nod slowly. “Yes. It’s an opportunity to create my own research project and bring in a team to help me with it. I could frame the lab around what I’m interested in, rather than just working toward someone else’s vision.”
His face relaxes into a pleased smile. “Good. I think you’d be amazing at that.” He pauses, studying me. “Why are you hesitating?”
“Uhh, because it’s far away! I’d have to move to South Carolina. What about us?” I wring my hands in front of me until Jonathan steps forward and takes them between his hands.
He shrugs, maintaining eye contact. “I would come with you.”
“And give up your work at NOSU? What about the job Dr. Perron offered you? Your own PI opportunity.”
Jonathan sits on the edge of the bed and pulls me down next to him. “I’m not even sure I want to head up a lab, to be honest. I would miss fieldwork too much. And if I stay in Louisiana, I’d missyoutoo much. If you’re moving to Charleston, I want to go with you.”
He sounds so sure, so certain, very unlike the uncertainty banging around in my head.
“We’ve only been dating a couple of months. I can’t ask you to move your whole life for me.”
“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”
“I don’t know…”
“What if we were married? Would you feel better about me moving with you, then?”
“What?” I’m sure I heard him wrong, but at the same time, my heart lifts, and I feel like it’s floating inside my chest. What if I heard him right?
He repeats himself in a steady, quiet voice. “You could ask me to move with you if we were married. It’s totally normal for married couples to move together for a job.”
“We’re not married.”
“But we could be.” He grins, and I’m not sure how to take his statement.
“How?”
