Dirty Sexy Alphas (Twenty Book Box Set) - Hannah Ford Page 0,102

a headache.

Or maybe it was the lack of sleep no amount of coffee could overcome. I sighed, sitting back in my chair and setting my mug down.

“You look tired,” Ben called, from his spot at the door.

I glanced up at him and smirked. “Just what every girl wants to hear.”

“Friends get to be honest with each other,” he said, grinning. “And you look exhausted. Something wrong?”

“Landon flew back home last night.”

Concern etched his features. “I thought he was hanging around for the duration of your stay. You guys have a falling out?”

I rubbed a hand across my face. “No, his mom’s in the hospital. A stroke, though they’re not yet sure how severe.”

“Ah, that’s rough.”

I sighed. “Yeah. So you could say I’m a bit distracted.”

“Want to go for a walk, clear your head?”

I stared down at the work, feeling no urge to dig back into it. None of the lab work had been what I was expecting when I’d accepted the internship, and I couldn’t seem to ignite any desire or enthusiasm for this work. “Yes. A walk sounds perfect.”

I grabbed my badge off the desk, slipping it into my back pocket as we walked out the door, and into the muggy Dallas heat.

“Wow, it warmed up out here,” I said, pushing the sleeves up on my blouse.

We headed over to the sidewalk that skirted the building, and eventually led out to a river walkway. We walked in companionable silence for a while, until I finally spoke. “I think I’m going to go home. For good this time.”

Ben’s surprise registered on his face. “Why?”

“I don’t think this is the right internship for me. I see the others—I see you—and you guys are so focused. So excited by the work, and I’m just not. My heart is somewhere else.”

“I thought this was what you wanted?”

I stared at the path in front of us unable to meet his eyes. Unable to confirm I disappointed yet another person in my life. “I wanted it because it seemed unattainable. A goal I had to push myself for. But I don’t even want to do chemical engineering. I think I want to focus on biochemistry.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “I’ve tried to keep acting like this internship… this major is what I want, but the second Landon left, I knew I wanted to go with him. If my heart isn’t even in this, I should there for him.”

“Are you sure this isn’t about— “

“No, it’s not about missing him, or wanting to follow him home. It’s about realizing that my priorities are wrong. I don’t have the heart for this internship when it’s not even what I want to do with my life. I need to go with him.”

“Sounds like there’s no talking you out of this.”

“No. I’m sorry. I know the team needs me.”

He waved a hand. “If you hadn’t accepted the last minute opportunity, we would’ve gone the whole six weeks a man short. At least you helped out while you were here.”

I looked up at him, relieved at his reaction. “Promise you don’t hate me?”

He smiled. “You’re too nice to hate. Your boyfriend, on the other hand…”

“Hey!” I said, shoving his arm. “He’s a good guy, I swear.”

“I know, I was teasing. I saw that last night. The way you guys look at each other…” he hesitated. “I get why you and I didn’t work out. We didn’t have that.”

“Thank you. For being so kind,” I said, as our path looped back to the doors at the lab. We stood outside them, toe to toe.

“I’ll miss you, you know,” he said.

I smiled. “I’ll miss you, too. Don’t lose my number, okay?”

“Deal.”

We hugged, and then I was walking away, knowing it was the right choice.

Ready to get back to Landon.

Outside the lab, I sat in Landon’s rental car, my phone in my lap. I had to call professor Valdez, but I was dreading his reaction. He’d been so supportive of me over the years. He was the reason I had finally started thinking about my career again. I didn’t want to disappoint him.

But this internship wasn’t right for me anymore. My priorities shifted, and I wanted to be with Landon. I wanted to be there for Landon. I couldn’t do that from Texas.

I was willing to work for my dreams, but this dream didn’t work for me anymore.

Reluctantly, I pulled up his number in my directory and hit the green button before I could overthink it.

Professor Valdez answered on the second ring, his voice like a