Chapter 156

Eventually, at some point in the night, we do manage to make it to the bed. Miles’s penchant for marathon sex has not ebbed in the slightest. That, combined with my passion at our reunion keeps us well and truly occupied until the early morning hours.

When our desires are finally sated – for the moment, at least – Miles and I cuddle in the twisted sheets. I’m thrown over his chest, my face pressed into his shoulders. One of his arms is wrapped loosely around me. The other, he combs through my hair.

The overhead fan is on, sending a gentle current through the air. It flutters the closed curtains, occasionally showing a flash of the starlight in the sky, far far beyond.

The moment is peaceful and kind, everything I’ve been wanting from Miles since the beginning.

Our problems aren’t solved, not by a long shot. But in this moment, we are free to be together. No Selena. No Hugo.

Everything else we can work out in time.

In the quiet of the night, my curiosities rise and my inhibitions lower.

“What happened with you and Selena?” I ask.

“I wanted to break up,” Miles says. “My original plan to protect you had served its purpose. As for the other collateral damage, I wasn’t willing to lose you.”

“The news says Selena broke up with you…”

“We decided it would be better that way,” Miles says. “It makes me look better in the press, while giving her the chance to have a platform again, to push her charities.”

“She did get the chance,” I tell him. “She was very impressive, actually.”

“She’s a force to be reckoned with, for sure,” Miles says. “I’m glad she’s on my side.”

A touch of jealousy curls inside of me, silly as it is. I try to push it away.

“She’s not you, though,” Miles says. “She’s a great many things, including a good friend. But she’s never been more than that, nor have either of us ever wanted her to be.”

That does bring me a little more comfort. I sigh. “I don’t need you to tell me that…”

“Maybe,” he says. “But I’m happy to relieve any worries in that way. You are the one I want, Esther. You are the only one I want.”

I have no idea how I ever got so lucky as to catch Miles’s eye that night at the club. But I am incredibly grateful.

“Esther,” Miles says. “Will you be my campaign manager?”

I’ve been waiting for this question to come up again. I hadn’t expected it quite so soon, but now that it’s here, I already know the answer.

“I would love to, Miles.”

“Really?” he asks, excitement in his voice.

“Really,” I reply, laughing a little.

He kisses the top of my head and I close my eyes, letting his warmth and comfort wash over me, lulling me to sleep.

The problem with accepting this new job was that I now had to put my notice in at my other job. Maybe everyone would expect it – at least Kimberly, Sabrina, and Hugo. But quitting anything still doesn’t feel right, especially after working so hard to even get this job.

Miles gives me a pep talk before he leaves. “This was only ever one step on your journey, and they were lucky to have you while they did. They squandered you, letting Sabrina take credit for your work. It’s time to move on, Esther. You don’t owe them anything.”

Nodding, I try to take the words inside of myself. “I want to give them two weeks’ notice.”

“We need you as soon as possible,” Miles says. “But if two weeks is as soon as possible for you, then two weeks it is. We will manage.”

“Thank you,” I say, and kiss him.

He smiles against my lips. “I could get used to this.”

“Kissing?”

“Kissing every morning,” he says.

Too soon, his own work duties call him away. Not long after that, it’s time for me to go to work as well.

Once I’m in the building, I place down my things at my cubicle and head into Kimberly’s office.

“Can we talk?” I ask her.

“Shut the door,” she says.

Quietly, I close the door and then take a seat.

He looks up from her computer, right at me, and says, “You want to quit.”

I have no idea how she knew. Maybe because she too is an investigative journalist at heart. Although, perhaps it wasn’t all that difficult to truly figure out, given everything that’s happened with Sabrina, and then Sabrina earning the accolades based on my work.

“I’m giving my two weeks’ notice,” I say.

“That’s generous,” Kimberly says. “I expected you to quit outright.”

“I’m a professional,” I tell her. “I may not have joined this company with the best references, but I’ve always been a professional at heart. Even as a housewife, I had my honors and codes. I don’t just quit.”

I don’t want to admit too much. Even though Kimberly is something like a friend, she doesn’t need to hear my entire thought process. Our talk here has to be professional. Perhaps later, when I am free from this place, we can meet as friends and talk about what really happened.

“You have a better work ethic than most people in this place,” Kimberly says. “We’ll be sad to lose you.” She sighs. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t defend you against Sabrina.”

“It was my fault –”

“It wasn’t,” Kimberly says. “Despite what Kimberly says, that is not the way things are done around here. If it is, it’s only because Sabrina is trying to cultivate it. If you really want to leave, don’t let it be because Sabrina is a bully.”

I give her a kind smile as I lightly shake my head. “It’s not because of Sabrina. It’s for many, many other reasons. The primary of which is that I have already been offered an opportunity that would push my potential career forward quite a few notches.”

“Oh?” Kimberly says. “You don’t have to tell me…”

“I’m going to be campaign advisor for Miles Hamilton’s campaign.”

Kimberly’s eyes go wide. “Woah.”

“I know!” I say excitedly.

Then Kimberly starts to smile. “I can see why you aren’t too hard pressed to stay at this job.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

Kimberly nods. “Well, I’m happy for you. And I also appreciate all that you’ve done for us here. Even if you didn’t always get the credit, you’ve provided good work that’s help advance the entire company.”

“Thank you, Kimberly,” I say.

“Well,” she says. “Now that you aren’t going to be my employee anymore. Call me Kim.”

“Thank you, Kim,” I say.

“You are welcome.” She pauses for a moment, her gaze going to the door a moment. Then she looks back at me. “When are you going to tell Hugo?”

The question sits in the pit of my stomach like a lead weight.

He’s expecting me to leave. We aren’t together anymore, so that won’t be an issue. But even so, talking to him about this, telling him that I’m going to go work for Miles instead…

It feels like it might be too much.

He’s going to find out eventually, but…

“Not yet,” I say. And again, “Not yet.”