Yet for the first time ever, a small part of me hesitated. It whispered one word, quiet and wistful.
Brett.
I swallowed the constriction in my throat. “Can you tell me more?”
He grinned. “I can tell you everything.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kelly
Charly gazed at me, her eyes wide in her face. “Oh my God, Kelly. Really?”
I nodded.
“You look shell-shocked.”
“It doesn’t seem real. I mean, it’s my dream job. Or at least, it could be. They want me to do this first assignment, and if they’re pleased, I could be under contract with them.”
“But you’re hesitating.”
“Everything would change, Charly. I would have to give up the paper here since I would be traveling. They would work out my schedule with Toronto Now, so I would still be doing some work there.”
“Would you move to Toronto?”
“Garner asked me that. With having to get to the airport more often, it makes sense, but I told him I wasn’t sure.”
“Something holding you back?” she asked with a knowing grin.
I sighed. “This is just happening so fast. I haven’t had time to digest it all.”
“It’s awesome, though. It’s your dream.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Garner showed me the schedule. Mexico. Alaska. Greenland. Places I’ve always wanted to go.”
“Where do you want to go, Shutterbug?” Brett asked, walking in. He’d been out when I got back, and I hadn’t had a chance to tell him anything. I’d had to talk to someone, and of course, Charly was always happy to listen and offer an opinion.
“Kelly’s boss offered her a promotion!” Charly exclaimed.
Brett grinned. “Wow. That was fast. Told you that you were spectacular. What would you be doing?”
“It is with another one of their publications. The travel magazine. They’re looking for a new photographer, and they offered me the chance to go and do the first shoot. If they’re happy, I’d be one of their team.”
A strange look passed over Brett’s face. “So, when does this occur?”
“In two weeks. I’d only be gone for about a week.”
“Where to?”
“Mexico.”
“I told her it’s only the start,” Charly insisted.
“Of course it is,” Brett agreed easily, but his tone was off.
“I would be under contract with them. I would have to give up the paper here.”
He nodded. “You’d be gone a lot.”
“Yes.” I tried to meet his eyes, but he seemed to be looking anywhere but at me. “But I’ll still be around.”
“It would only make sense to move closer to town. Since your life will revolve around Toronto, you might as well be there,” he said.
“I—”
He cut me off. “I’m not surprised.” He squeezed my shoulder, a vacant look on his face. “Congratulations, Kelly. It’s what you wanted. Out of this small town and on to bigger and better things.” He smiled, although it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know it’ll be great. I’m happy for you.” He turned and walked out, leaving me gaping after him.
Charly frowned. “That was weird.”
I stood. “Yeah, it was. Can you cover?”
She chuckled. “Yep. Go get him.”
I followed Brett to the barn. He wasn’t even aware I was behind him. He was leaning on the workbench, his head hanging down.
“Brett.”
He whirled around, startled. I stepped closer, shocked at the glimmer of tears I could see in his eyes.
“What is it?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
He laughed, the sound brittle. “I told myself, I convinced myself, this time was different. Things had changed. You had changed.” He shook his head. “Nothing has fucking changed. I’m right back to square one.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your new job, Kelly. You’re gone again.”
“But I’ll be back.”
“For how long? Until the next time? Until you move to Toronto, and the time I get to see you becomes even less? I already know how it will go. Longer spans between time together. Then we’ll start calling instead, then texting, then silence.”
“You have that little faith in me?” I asked.
He shook his head. “That little faith in us.”
I gasped at the sudden onslaught of pain his words caused.
“I was so stupid,” he snarled, pacing. “Planning, hoping, thinking you had settled. That taking pictures here and in Toronto was enough. That you’d be happy.” He yanked on his hair. “I know you. You need to roam. Nothing is going to change that. I’m not going to change that.”
“You said as long as I came back…”
He shook his head. “I saw your face as you were talking about this, Kelly. You were alive. Excited. In a way I can never match. You want that more than you want me. More than you want anything.”
I felt my anger build. “I never said that. Stop putting words in my mouth. You haven’t let me tell you—”
“But I’m right,” he interrupted.
“This has been my dream for as long as I can remember,” I admitted, frustrated. “And this time, I can do it on my own merit. No Carl. Not behind the scenes. Because my photos have proven I am good at what I do. I deserve this chance. This time, I’m enough.”