Page 113 of Bayside Heat
“I know, but please don’t offer me that ever again.” She softened her words with a touch of her hand. “I could lose my shirt and have to start over, and there is no way in hell I’m going to borrow or take money from you, so please stop.”
“But you won’t—”
She pressed her lips to his, silencing his support. “I love you for believing in me, but I have to be smart. I have to make a decision that’s right for me, weigh the risks, second- and third-guess myself. And I need to do that on my own.”
His jaw clenched, bringing out that telltale dimple. She kissed the indentation and then brushed her fingers over it. She was fooling herself if she thought Drake—and even her friends—didn’t play a role in what she wanted. Or that Drake’s happiness and his need to be near his family wasn’t of primary importance to her. He’d never be happy in Boston, that far away from everyone he loved. Those were all things she needed to think long and hard about, and as much as she loved him, she couldn’t think clearly about those things while looking into his supportive eyes. “Please don’t be frustrated with me.”
“I’m not. I just wish I knew what the right answer was. I don’t want you giving up everything you’ve worked so hard for just to be closer to me, and I also don’t want you staying somewhere that makes you unhappy.”
“As much as it hurts to say it, as much as I don’t like feeling like I’m on a hamster wheel running back and forth to the Cape, whatever decision I make won’t be just about you or certain aspects of my job. It’s about me as a woman, a career person, and a friend. If I learned one thing from my mother, it’s that if I’m going to be the type of girlfriend I want to be, I have to first be happy with all the pieces of myself and my life before you can even consider moving to be with me. Big firm? Little firm? Cape? Boston? Those are things I have to pick apart. The only thing I know for sure is that I want you, and thankfully, you’ve made it abundantly clear that you want me, too. I just need to figure out what else I want.”
“WHY DO YOU look like you’re going to kill someone instead of looking well f—” Rick glanced at Hagen and said, “Loved?”
Drake gritted his teeth as Mira joined them. He thought he’d be able to get back to the Cape without having to talk about Serena’s situation. “Because I don’t know up from down right now.”
“What’s wrong?” Mira asked. “Is the distance getting to you guys?”
Drake wished it were that easy. “No. Did you know Justine was selling Shift?”
“What? No. I haven’t heard anything.” Mira turned around, and before Drake thought to stop her, she called to the girls, “Did you guys know Justine was selling Shift?”
“No. She is?” Desiree asked.
Emery ran over. “Can Serena buy it?”
“I don’t know,” Drake answered.
“Why not?” Rick asked. “Then she could be closer to home.”
“Rick, you know Serena’s always wanted the type of job she has now.” Mira put a hand on Drake’s shoulder. “You want her to try to buy it, though, don’t you?”
“Yes!” Emery said. “I want her to, even if you don’t.”
Desiree joined them and said, “She’d be great running her own shop.”
“That’s basically what she did with us, but on a bigger scale,” Dean added. “She set up everything, designed all the cottages, the office, your apartment, the rec center…”
“So that’s why you’re mad?” Mira asked.
“No!” Christ, it was like arguing with a committee. “I’m not mad at Serena. Jesus, Mira, you know me better than that. I stayed away from her for all those years because I didn’t want to stand in her way or make her feel like she had to choose between me and her dreams. Do you really think I want to pull her back now?”
“Hey, calm down.” Matt stepped between Drake and Mira. “She’s only trying to figure out why you’re chewing on nails.”
“Sorry,” Drake ground out. “I don’t know why I’m having a hard time.”
