came, he started talking about my job and how he thought he could find ways to streamline my process through the use of mathematical modeling.”
“What does that have to do with him leaving St. Nacho’s?” asked Cam.
I picked at my food. “He made certain assumptions about me and my work that—”
“He thought you’d continue your relationship?” asked Dan.
“Apparently.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Cam waved to the waitress for another beer.
“Nothing. It’s just impossible is all. It could never work between us. Especially not with his parents—who by the way are only a couple years my senior—breathing down our necks.”
“You don’t know that for certain.” Between the two of them, Cam was the true romantic. Blunt as a fire ax, handsome, kind, and caring, Cam Rooney probably invented fairy tales. He was made of heroic stuff.
“He wanted me to go with him to talk to his parents.” I pushed my uneaten food away. “And I couldn’t do it.”
“Why not?”
“What was I going to say? Yeah, I’ve been banging your twenty-three-year-old son all weekend, and I think he should come work for my company in Canada where I live?”
“Is that why he wanted you there? To make some kind of declaration about your intentions?”
I shook my head. “He said he wanted me to make the case that he could use his skills outside the financial sector. He thought StolenLives could benefit from someone with his skill set.”
“So why didn’t you go?” asked Dan. “That sounds very plausible.”
I moved my chips around without picking one up. “It’s a good idea actually.”
“So why didn’t you back him up?” Cam asked.
“Because I thought they’d accuse me of putting ideas in his head.”
Cam scoffed. “Epic has tons of ideas of his own.”
“No kidding.”
“Admit it. You punked out over the parental thing.”
“I did.” I covered my face with both hands. “Oh my God, I did. You have no idea what his mother was like. She’d seen the pictures from his Instagram and had me pegged as some chicken hawk. I have never been so—”
“Guilty as charged?”
I poked at a spot on the table. “Look. I might have asked Epic to the wedding because he’s young and beautiful—that’s the type of guy you take to an ex’s wedding—but you have no idea how utterly perfect he is in every other way that matters. He’s an intelligent, generous, loving man. Compared to him, I’m a one-trick pony.”
“You’re not, though. And you can fix this.” Cam put his hand over mine.
“How? I don’t even know where he’s gone. Plus, he wants to live here. Everything I have is up north.”
“Does it have to be?”
I opened my mouth to say yes, but it felt like a lie. Certainly, my work was there. And my work was my life, wasn’t it? It was the best part of me—the part I was most proud of.
How could I walk away and still be worthy of a person like Epic?
“I don’t know the answer to that anymore.”
“Then maybe you need to figure it out.” Cam patted my hand and went back to eating. The waitress brought his beer, and I ordered another bourbon and a draft beer to chase it.
Dan didn’t say anything. Cam wasn’t as laissez-faire. He eyed my empty glass.
“I hope you didn’t drive.”
“I’ll walk,” I said with more confidence than I felt. “I could use the fresh air.”
“Dan will drive you. You might never find your place otherwise.”
My eyelids felt heavy. “I’m at one of Ken Ashton’s rentals. I kind of wish I lived in a place like that. I wish—”
“We know.” Dan and Cam exchanged glances while I picked at my food. “Ken’s my business partner. He’s got a real estate license. He could probably find you a place here.”
“I wish I could be two people.” I bit into a chip. “One for work, another for home and dating and maybe someday, a family. But time isn’t in infinite supply, and I believe the work I do with StolenLives is important enough to make certain sacrifices.”
“That’s bullshit,” Dan said angrily. “Luis made you believe you had to sacrifice one for the other, but you could make it work. You could find balance if you wanted to.”
“I can’t see how.” The waiter arrived with my drinks. “This hurts more than losing Luis. I feel like I’ve lost part of myself.”
“Aw, bro.” Cam patted my back. “St. Nacho’s has a weird way of making things work out when you least expect it.”
I snorted. “Everyone talks like this is some magical Christmas movie locale.”
“It’s not