Tempting Brooke (Big Sky 2.5)

“Are you assuming that I’m never coming back?”

“No, you have a building here, so I guess you’ll be back now and then.”

“I’m coming back,” he insists and pulls me to him, lowering his mouth to mine in one of his Olympic-style kisses. “I can’t give you a timeline, but I am coming back.”

“Okay.”

“You don’t believe me.”

I sigh. “It’s not that I don’t believe you. I think you want to come back. But you have a job, and a life, and so do I. So, I just think it’s going to be hard.”

“I don’t just have a job, I own the firm.”

“You do?”

“Yes. So, I have some things to get in order, but it’s not impossible.”

“Owning the firm only complicates things,” I argue, shaking my head.

“It’s not forever,” he promises, then checks his phone. “And I’d better go. I have to pack my things at the hotel and turn in my car before my flight in just over two hours.”

I stare at him, and I want to beg him to extend his trip one more day. One more week.

But I can’t do that. He’s already done so much for me by staying this past week.

“I didn’t realize you were leaving so early in the day.”

Do not get needy, Brooke. No one likes that.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He kisses me once more, and I know this kiss is goodbye.

Whether it’s goodbye for now, or goodbye for good, only time will tell.

“Be safe.”

He smiles and frames my face. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

One more forehead kiss, and Brody is out the door. I don’t watch as he pulls out of my driveway and away from my house.

Watching him go just seems like torture.

Last week, when I asked him to stay so I could prove a point, I had no idea that I’d be standing here, feeling like my whole world was about to implode. That I’d fall in love so completely and deeply, that for the first time in my life I would actually consider begging him to stay.

I’m not a begger.

And he’s not here.

Chapter Nine

~Brody~

I haven’t heard her voice in days. There just hasn’t been time. I’m getting real tired of texts.

When I arrived in San Francisco, I came immediately to the office, and I haven’t left since I got here. I’ve been working night and day to try to wrap this up and get back to Montana.

But as I stare at my team around the conference table, I’m beginning to lose hope that going to Montana will become a reality any time soon.

“Why didn’t anyone contact me and fill me in on this while I was gone?” I demand. We lost a multi-million dollar client five days ago.

Five days.

“You weren’t here,” Brian Masters says with a shrug. “They were going to pull the plug with or without you.”

“But probably less so if I’d had a fucking heads up so I could make some goddamn phone calls,” I reply, and there’s absolute stillness in the room.

I never lose my cool. Ever. It’s my trademark.

Yet, here I am. Losing my cool.

“Brody—”

“I’m Mr. Chabot today,” I interrupt. “Apparently you all need to be reminded who signs your goddamn paychecks. This is my company, and I don’t care if I’m in Montana or Thailand, I can be back here in hours. I can be reached in seconds. Always. That hasn’t changed.”

I glare at every single one of them, even those who had no idea about Brian’s fuck-up.

“Mr. Chabot,” Brian says, his voice hard and his eyes full of resentment, “you were away on vacation, and this was a business decision that was easily dealt with without needing to consult you.”

I stare at him for a long moment, rubbing my fingers over my lips. Brian’s been at my firm since the beginning, but he’s not a partner. He’s a senior employee.

However, he’s always enjoyed throwing his weight around.

“You’re fired,” I decide on the spot.

“What the fuck!” He stands, his hands in fists, outraged. “You can’t fire me.”

“Yes, I can,” I reply.

“This company would be nothing without me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, and your biggest mistake. You actually believe that bullshit. You’ve brought a lot to this company over the past eight years, Brian, and I’m not excited to fire you, but you crossed a dangerous line, throwing away a lot of money with your ego. You’re done here. Go pack up your office and leave quietly, or I’ll call building security.”

He glares, shoves his chair, and leaves the room without a word.

“He’ll sue for wrongful termination,” Jay, another of my senior employees, says.

“Let him try,” I mutter and take a deep breath. “Now, we’re going to get that client back, today. Jay, I want you on this one. You should have been from the beginning. Building this bridge in Tokyo is a big fucking deal, even if Brian would disagree.”