Page 49 of Until Now
“Just don’t have amnesia. That move cost you. And not only emotionally. Every connection you had made was lost. You had to start back at step one, building goodwill within the contracting business. Remember how long it took to rebuild? And you were at the beginning of your career. Now your ties are deep.”
“I know.”
“You’re in a great place right now. In fact, that’s why I’m calling. Last night you got an offer to put in a bid for the Genesis Group’s latest project.”
“What?!”
“Yep. You need to get back here. We don’t have an indefinite timeline, you know. They’re going to be looking at other contractors. But we know they’ve already vetted you. As your attorney, I suggest you take off your romance hat and put your hard hat back on. This is big, Maxen. And it’s going to take you through next year at the very least. This could work out to be a steady cash stream. You know how many projects those developers are involved with. Take it seriously. This is no time for your dick to do the thinking.”
Sometimes my brothers can be a pain in the ass.
“Exactly how old do you think I am, John? I don’t need you to point out what I have to consider. This is my business and my life. How I handle myself is my decision.”
“So youareconsidering staying there?”
“No. I didn’t say that. But whatever I decide in the future will be well thought out. I’m forty fucking years old. I have a good grasp on reality, and that’s why I know there’s more to life than money and career.”
“Oh, fuck. You’re thinking of doing it. Shit.”
“Hey, I’m going to call you back. I just got to the post office,” I lie. “We’ll talk later.”
When we disconnect, I pull to the side of the road and park. I have three weeks until I return to California. Taking a swig of water, I lean my head back and close my eyes. Pros and cons. That’s always been my way forward. There needs to be a clear picture of what my choices are.
First of all, am I rushing things? There’s no doubt I love her, and I believe it’s returned. If I take that forward, I see a marriage proposal. Not this year, but probably next. I never thought I’d be here so soon. And if so, one of us has to move. Should it be her or me? There would be negatives for both. Who has the most to lose?
If I pick up my life, I would be losing all my contacts and the goodwill built over fifteen years. I’ve worked hard to reach the level I have with my contracting business, and I would be starting over at forty. Who knows if I’d even be able to recreate my success.
But if Dominique moves, she loses her own hard-won customer base and reputation. And the biggest piece of her story? Bing. I would be changing everything about his life too. It’s one thing to expect an adult to make a huge sacrifice. It’s another to make a choice for a child who has only known this town, these friends, the loving closeness of his extended family.
That’s the one con on my list I can’t find a rebuttal for. I sound like a parent, for God’s sake. It feels like my better self is showing up. I am putting a child before my own considerations. There is no clear choice. No simple solution to our problem.
