I slice my eyes to his, my hand itching to throw a fist to his face. “You don’t have to tell me that shit. I fucking love your sister more than anything.”
Fury rolls between us as I wait for his response. If he says something else stupid, I can’t be responsible for my actions. He throws his hands in the air, leaning back in his chair.
Smart choice considering I’d like to jump over his desk.
“Get your head together, think about how to proceed, and try to work your magic. I
’m here if you need me.”
I place the emails back on his desk and leave without another word. I’m not going to need him. I have a week until he approaches her. Seven days of pretending to know nothing and coming up with a way to send her away.
“Run this by me again.” Shaw leans back, crossing one leg over the other and strumming his fingers on his knee. It’s a move I’ve become familiar with over my professional life. It’s his ‘solution seat’. Every word soaks into his brain as he works to find a solution.
I repeat what happened during my meeting with Logan and tell him of my promises to the Monroe men.
“Quite a predicament.”
“No shit.”
“These are the kind of revelations that make me wonder if he truly did go to law school.” Mathis rolls his eyes at me dramatically.
Shaw cocks an eyebrow at him, and I grin, some of the tension in my shoulders easing.
“It’s no secret how I reacted when Bizzy told me she was leaving, taking a job in Charlotte. I lost my mind,” Shaw adds.
“Totally different situation. Bizzy had her reasons. This is completely different,” I argue.
“But I was hurt she didn’t discuss it with me.”
“You were having a baby with her nemesis! You broke her heart. How is that even relatable to this?” I’m beginning to lose my patience and regret asking Shaw and Mathis to meet with me for advice.
His golden eyes flash with annoyance, telling me to reel it in. Shaw loves his son, but the memories before Brayden were born are grim. He almost lost Bizzy twice, and both were because of Sasha. Reminding him of her heartbreak is the best way to set him off. Luckily, Mathis takes the opportunity to speak up.
“What are the chances you can get her to change her mind?”
“Hopefully, a hundred percent.”
“And if she refuses?”
“I’ll have to change her mind some way. This is her dream, a dream she shared with Kayla. She’s loved art for her entire life, and I can’t let it slip through her fingers. It’s only a few months, and that’s why I can’t understand why she didn’t talk to me.”
“Nick, I hate to point out the obvious, but you need to find out why she changed her mind. Don’t assume it’s because of you.”
I scrub my hands over my face and know Mathis is right. I need to talk to her and find out her reasons, but that doesn’t change the fact I have a job to do.
“Let’s dissect both scenarios. What if you succeed, and she goes away? You say it’ll be at least three months. Let’s roll back to the facts.” The lawyer in Shaw is back.
“According to the agenda, the program is anywhere from twelve to fourteen weeks, with the option to extend based on different circumstances. Grace really wants to perfect her glass blowing knowledge, so who knows what her end date will be.”
“And what will you do while she’s gone?”
“Hopefully, get through playoffs and another Super Bowl. Then I’ll go to her.”
“Does she know this?”
“She will once I talk to her. I’ll explain.”
“Worst case scenario, you’ll be apart for six weeks.”