at each other for a long moment, his dark eyes roaming my face with soft adoration. I leaned over and kissed him on the lips. And when I pulled away, he had a look of pure awe on his face. “Don’t leave me,” he pleaded.
I wanted to tell him I’d stay. I really did.
But instead, I opened my mouth and something completely lame fell out. “We should get up before someone runs over us.”
I hated the flash of disappointment on his face, but I wasn’t ready yet. I couldn’t tell him I was staying. Something still held me back, and I was determined to sort it out. I wanted to decide with zero regrets.
Chapter 6
“So, do you have an answer for me yet?” Mary asked. I’d been avoiding her call for two days. I’d looked over her offer, and honestly, it was too good to pass up. It was nearly double what I was making now. I’d have more freedom, better benefits, and all the facts Adam kept spouting off about San Francisco made me want to at least visit and see if it was someplace I could see myself living.
“I think I want to visit,” I explained. “I want to tour your building, look at some apartments, and see if it’s really somewhere I could see myself living,” I explained.
“Great. I’ll have my assistant book you a flight. Tomorrow good?” Mary asked with a chuckle.
I stared at Adam, who was pulling out all the ingredients for cookies in my kitchen and organizing the measuring cups by size and color. “I can’t. Adam has every day planned for Christmas activities. I can’t leave him.”
“Bring him with you!” Mary exclaimed. “My treat.”
I arched my brow. A last-minute trip with Adam? No. I once brought him to Minnesota to meet my parents, and he spent hours researching the plane we were on, things to do around my house, hotel reviews (because he didn’t want to stay at my childhood home and intrude). He would need more time.
“I don’t think that would work for us,” I replied, aware that Adam didn’t like me sharing his quirks with outsiders. “But maybe after the holidays?”
Mary let out a long sigh. “Do you really want this, Sena?”
I blanched. “Of course, I do. I just need time. I want to make the right choice.” And it wasn’t just me who this decision affected.
“Okay. Call me after the holidays, and we can plan a trip for you out here. I really think you’d be a good fit. If we need to negotiate your offer, I’m open to that too.”
“Thanks, Mary. I’ll call as soon as the holidays are over,” I promised. We both hung up, and Adam pulled out his binder of recipes.
“I thought we could start with a traditional sugar cookie. I’ve compared three recipes, and the consistency of this one bakes evenly, but the taste of this one was voted superior in a baking contest.”
I let out an exhale. “I vote the one that tastes better,” I replied.
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” Adam replied before carefully pulling out a laminated sleeve from the binder and setting it on the counter. I grabbed my apron and put it on, prepared for a day of very meticulous baking, when my doorbell rang.
“Who is that?” Adam chirped while measuring flour.
“Not sure,” I replied with a shrug before going to the front door to answer it.
Standing in the hallway was probably my favorite version of Vaughn. He was wearing casual jeans and a corded black sweater, and two coffees from my favorite café down the street were clutched in his fists.
“Vaughn? What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I hadn’t heard from you since our date. Figured I’d stop by and see if you’d like to grab lunch,” he explained with a sheepish shrug. I was about to tell him that Adam and I were baking when my best friend called for me.
“Sena! I need you to crack the eggs. You know I hate the texture, and the thought of salmonella makes me anxious.”
“I’ll be right there!” I called over my shoulder.
“Adam?” Vaughn asked with a smile. They had met a couple of times, but they hadn’t spent too much time together.
“We’re baking cookies,” I explained with a smile.
“Great. I love cookies,” Vaughn said before pushing past me and walking inside. Well, okay then. I followed after Vaughn, catching up with him just in time to see Adam eyeing an egg with his lip curled in disgust. Vaughn cleared