Nash Brothers Box Set - Carrie Aarons Page 0,312

her coders anymore, and I’ve been too chicken to have that conversation.

Clicking the little green phone icon bouncing on my screen, I pick up. “Hey, Geralyn!”

“Ryan, where the hell have you been?” she starts right in, her tone a new level of pissed off.

I cringe. “I’ve been busy here—”

I’m about to explain myself, but she cuts me off. “In bumblefuck Georgia?”

My eyebrows knot in confusion. “I’m in Pennsylvania …”

“Whatever, who cares. What does matter is that I have a job for you. Big system setup in Denmark, private security firm that needs an impenetrable system. I told them you’d be there in two days.”

“Sorry, Ger, I’m still out of the game.” I shrug as if she can see me on the other end of the phone.

Her voice rings through in harsh, cutting tones. “Cut the crap, Ry. I want you on the next plane to Copenhagen. I need my best person on this, and that’s you. Now, I’ve given you as much time as I can spare, but I need you to do this job.”

My heart stutters, and it takes me a moment to suck in a breath. “Ger, I … I really appreciate how much you’ve worked with my schedule the past couple of months. But I can’t just pick up and go to Denmark.”

“Why not? That’s what you do, Ryan!” She sounds exasperated.

No, that’s what I did. That’s what I want to tell her. And even though I’ve contemplated in my head where I’ve ended up in the past few months, and tried to convince myself Fawn Hill was not that place … I find that when faced with a choice, I don’t want to leave.

Copenhagen is beautiful, I’ve been there twice. And at any other time of my life, I wouldn’t hesitate. But somehow, this place, this small town in Pennsylvania, has gotten a hold on my heart. The sense of community among the people here, my group of Nash ladies and their men …

Fletcher.

That’s the number one reason, right there. I can’t leave … because I’m in love.

We might be having a rough time of it, but I’ve never wanted anything more than I want Fletcher. I know that now. Yanis and my past boyfriends could break my heart in a million different ways combined, and none of it would come close to equaling the devastating fallout that leaving Fletcher would cause.

If I tell her that, she’ll scoff in my face. Because she’s heard it before; Geralyn has known me long enough to know that I fall in and out of love as quickly as the seasons change.

But this time is different. When faced with my job and traveling the world, or staying here and being with Fletcher …

I’d pick him. I can honestly say that’s never been my choice before.

“I’m sorry, Ger, I can’t go. I can try to do the work remotely—”

She cuts me off. “Ryan, they want you there in person. I’ve already sold them on the idea of a badass female coder. So pack your bags, pull up your big girl panties, and get flying. If you don’t, I’ll have to fire you and sue for breach of contract. Love ya!”

The dial tone hits me in the ear with a rude wail, and I pull the receiver away, my mouth still hanging open.

And as if timing wasn’t already kicking me in the ass, Fletcher decides to walk in the door right at this moment.

He catches sight of my expression, probably one of horrified shock, and quickly sets his things down and shrugs out of his coat.

“What’s wrong? Was it … was it your mom?” It’s the first time he’s brought her up since I told him about my childhood.

“No …” I rub my jaw, trying to wake myself from the daze Geralyn left in her demanding wake. “That was Geralyn, my boss. She wants me on a job.”

“Oh.” Fletcher sits down on the couch next to me, leaning back in surprise. “That’s not what I thought you were going to say.”

“Yeah .. I, uh, kind of blanked my job out the past couple of months. But she’s insisting. Says she’ll sue me if I don’t show up.”

“Well, then, you have to go, right?” Fletcher’s voice gets scratchy. “Where is the job?”

“Denmark.” My eyes flick to his, and I think we’re both mirroring the same look of worry.

His gaze averts first, shifting to the side. “Damn … that’s not … close. I thought you’d say New York or something.”

I feel it, the slip.