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I walked into the old Woodvale Times offices at twenty six years old with a dream of making a name for myself. And I was walking away with exactly that—just not in the way I’d imagined.

“You ought to be able to get a tenured position at the university, right?” David questioned.

I sighed. “I actually missed my opportunity for that. I’m not sure there will be another full-time teaching position for a while.”

“Well, opportunities are bound to come your way,” Arthur said with an enthusiastic hand wave. “I’d be happy to write you a letter of recommendation.”

“I would appreciate that.”

My mind drifted to the opening at IndyStar , remembering I had yet to mention it to Xander. But I would. It was only fair.

However, it didn’t mean I couldn’t throw my hat in the ring, too.

My mind barely registered the conversation as it drifted to David’s sunburn and some joke about Jack’s boat taking on water last summer. I’d already checked out, dissociating through the next steps to formalize my resignation before we said our goodbyes.

Arthur closed his laptop and we both stood up, shaking hands. “I’ll forward my official resignation letter by the end of the day,” I said.

“Take care of yourself. And her,” he said, giving my hand a firm squeeze before letting go. And then he slipped out, the door clicking softly behind him.

I stood there for a minute with my fingers in my hair, staring at the empty room before me. And then I turned against the wall, bracing myself with both hands as my new reality began to sink in.

I had nothing but a part-time job, which was barely a safety net. No plan. No stability. And I was in love with a woman who deserved so much better than the mess standing in front of her.

What could I give her?

A hand on my back startled me—I hadn’t even heard the door reopen. But somehow, I knew it was her. I collapsed against her without hesitation, knowing everyone could see us through the glass. I didn’t care.

I melted into her anyway.

It felt like she was holding me up. Like if she let go, I might actually crumble right there in front of her.

I breathed in the scent of her hair, feeling her fingers curl around the back of my neck as she pulled me even closer.

“I just resigned,” I said, my words muffled against the side of her head.

“And I don’t have a plan or even a clue for what comes next. ”

Jill squeezed me a little tighter, her hands trailing down my back. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

I pulled back just enough to see her worried face. “No, don’t apologize,” I said gently. “Let’s set something straight right now. Being with you is the only thing that’s felt right lately. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

She responded with a tearful nod, agreeing.

I wouldn’t mention the other option that had been floated during that meeting. The one where I could’ve kept my job if I’d been willing to deny everything and distance myself from her.

Because to me, that had never really been an option at all—and she’d end up blaming herself for my departure.

But try as I might, I couldn’t completely hide my distress. I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat, breathing in her scent before I said, “I’m terrified I won’t be able to support Olivia and the baby.”

Jill brought her hands to my face, her soft palms resting on my cheeks as she held my gaze. “You’ll figure it out, because that’s what you do. And you won’t be doin’ it alone, either, ‘cause I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

My lips twitched upward into my first genuine smile of the day. Partly because of that sweet drawl slipping through, but mostly because of the words themselves. She was in this. With me.

“What?” she asked, smiling right along with me even though she had no idea what was so amusing at that moment. It didn’t matter. Before long, we were smiling at each other like a couple of idiots while a half a dozen people on the other side of the glass pretended not to watch.

“I love you,” I said, with the kind of certainty I hadn’t felt all day. I didn’t know what the next weeks or months would bring, but I knew, without a doubt, that I loved this woman.

Jill’s expression softened as her eyes scanned mine.

Though she hesitated, I already knew I didn’t need to worry.

Even if she couldn’t say it back, I felt it.

I started to open my mouth, to tell her there was no pressure to reciprocate those words, but she drew in a deep breath before I could speak.

“That’s the first time a man has said that and I truly believed him. And it’s the first time I’ve wanted to say it back.” She held my face in her hands, running her thumbs along my cheekbones. “I love you so much, Graham. And whatever comes next, I want to be by your side. In public, preferably.”

I let out a hearty chuckle. “Yeah, I want that, too.”

“And I want to talk about you during tomorrow’s broadcast,” she said, with an almost alarming level of excitement in her voice. “Just to dispel some rumors. You probably haven’t seen it, but the comments are getting really out of hand.”

I scowled. “I told you not to read the comments.”

“People have been reading them out loud to me,” she said, and I glanced past her at everyone standing around the studio, once again pretending they weren’t watching us. Reading our body language. Trying to guess our fate. “Someone said I’m three-timing it with you, Chase, and Xander.”

“Wow. You’ve been busy.”

A grin slowly spread across her face. “So, is it okay with you if I talk about you on-air tomorrow, to the viewers?”

Of course it was. But it wasn’t exactly up to me.

“Yes, but please, please run this past HR. I don’t need you getting into any more trouble than you already are.”

“Duly noted.”

I leaned forward to kiss her forehead, letting my lips linger there for a moment.

Then, tilting her head back with one hand, I kissed her lips.

Who cared that we had an audience? It didn’t bother me, and it sure as hell didn’t seem to bother her.

She kissed me back like she wanted to give them something to talk about.

After a moment, I pulled away and glanced again toward the studio. “Also, I might not technically be their boss anymore, but if they read aloud one more negative comment to you, I swear I’m gonna wring their necks.”

She grinned again, but it faded as quickly as it came. Her gaze drifted to the glass wall, then back to me. “It’s killing me, not knowing who made that original post. Someone out there wanted to stir this up to humiliate us. And it could be someone we thought supported us.”

She looked into my eyes like she was asking a question, and I knew exactly what it was.

“It’s not Andrea,” I said gently. “Olivia’s mom wouldn’t do that. You have to trust me on that.”

Jill nodded. “Okay. I trust you.”

We pulled apart, and on the other side of the glass, everyone shifted like they knew we were about to emerge with some official announcement. “I have to go write a letter and clean out my desk,” I said, leading the way so I could hold the door open for her.

“You’d better come find me when you’re done,” Jill said. “Let me walk you out.”

“I will.” I nodded, putting my hand on the small of her back as we stepped out of the conference room.

Crossing that threshold felt like stepping into the next chapter of my life.

The uncertainty terrified me, but losing her would have been the greater risk.

And even as I approached Olivia, staring into her wide, worried eyes, I knew everything was going to be okay.