Page 48 of The Best Worst Mistake (Off-Limits #2)

Abby

Dax walks into the kitchen with me. We’re heading outside, but he pauses when he sees the cake sitting on the counter. He stares down at the frosting letters that spell out Partner .

“I feel like the worst person in the world,” he says.

“I was going to just cut the Partner part off and congratulate myself anyway,” I tell him.

He looks at me, confused.

“Maybe this will be a good thing in the long run?” I suggest, shrugging.

I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience for even thinking this way, a far cry from how I’d have felt about this massive blow to my career a couple weeks ago.

“What happened to working in your office eighty hours a week, sleeping on your futon, and having a panic attack at the mere thought of spending a weekend away from the office?” he asks, looking at me as if I’ve been replaced by someone else entirely.

“You and I both know that type of life was burning me out,” I say.

“I think I’ve also come to the conclusion that the only reason I wanted to work with Brett was because he kind of became this weird, toxic father figure to me.

Always scolding me and keeping me in line.

Which is an entire can of worms I’m probably going to have to open at some point in counseling, but I’m going to table it for now. ”

He studies me closely.

“Daddy issues with Brett?” he repeats, cocking a brow.

“Yeah.” I smile. “Liv suggested that years ago, but I brushed her off. After the last few weeks, I’m starting to see that she might have had a point.”

He frowns.

“You’re not upset about Silas opening his mouth about our relationship?” he asks, taking a small step toward me. “I came here expecting to grovel for a second chance. I already let Silas have it for blowing up your career in there.”

“You yelled at him?” I ask, feeling a bit of guilt seep in.

“He had no right to say any of that in front of your boss.”

“No, you’re right. But, like you said right after, I really don’t think he did it on purpose.

He truly looked like he was happy for us, and wanted to take us out to celebrate.

” I laugh, thinking back to the way Silas was beaming at all three of us after letting our relationship status slip in front of Brett.

Dax looks like I’ve knocked the wind out of him. “I literally spent the entire car ride over here yelling at him about it,” he says, cringing.

I wince.

“There’s only one thing Silas said that upset me,” I say, taking a step toward him.

“Only one?” he asks. “I can’t imagine picking out just one thing.”

I laugh.

“What was it?”

“It was the part about me being your girlfriend,” I tell him.

He closes his eyes, defeat settling over his face.

“That’s just Silas being Silas,” he says, shaking his head. “Don’t be mad about it. I swear he was just being an idiot regarding everything that came out of his mouth today.”

“No, that’s not why I’m mad about it,” I say, closing the gap between us.

“Then why?” he asks.

“How come I had to find out that I’m your girlfriend from your friend, instead of you?” I ask, grinning widely and then kissing his lips.

Dax finally smiles, letting a long breath out, and I think it might be my most favorite grin I’ve ever seen on his face. Even better than the ones that tell me something extra fun is about to happen between us. This one looks utterly joy-filled and free.

“You want to be my girlfriend?” he asks, his grin suddenly lopsided.

“Are you officially asking?” I tilt my chin up for another kiss, loving the feeling of his arms sliding around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

He kisses me, his lips warm and wanting, telling me the answer without saying a word.

“Yes, Dax, I will be your girlfriend,” I tell him, nearly kissing his teeth, he’s smiling so wide.

I pull the cake closer and grab the knife Starry got out before leaving. Then I slice the word Partner out and toss the piece into the bin under the sink.

Dax laughs.

“I think Congratulations Abby is a better use of this cake compared to anything that has to do with Brett, or my job back in New York right now,” I tell him. “And these will go perfectly with it.” I pick up a little bowl of strawberries from the counter and hold one up for him to try.

He takes a bite, leaving only the stem pinched between my fingers.

I wait for a review while he chews. This is actually really important to me.

“That doesn’t even taste like a strawberry from the store.” He looks impressed, kissing me again at the end. “It’s so much better.”

“I grew it.” I beam.

He looks surprised.

“You? Not your urban gardener?” he teases.

“Well, I had help from Charlie,” I tell him.

“I’m planning to take over from the gardener when I get back to New York.

There’ll probably be some trial and error, learning by myself, but Charlie promised to walk me through it.

We’re going to have a standing FaceTime call every Sunday until I get the hang of it myself. ”

His eyes shift away when I mention New York.

“I haven’t been officially let go yet,” I gently remind him. “I’m guessing I’ll go through a formal review process regarding our relationship with the managing board, and who knows, maybe they’ll keep me on? Or maybe I’ll resign before they can put the black mark on my job history.”

“You’ve worked your tail off for years over there. You deserve that partnership offer, regardless of what came out of Silas’ mouth today. You earned it. No one can question that.”

“We’ll see if they think I’ve earned it or not. If they decide to let me go over us having a relationship, they’d be within their rights. I can admit that.”

“If it does go south, what about a job here at my firm? I saw you in all the negotiations. You were the most talented attorney in there.”

I swallow, imagining leaving everything behind in New York.

“I don’t know if working together would be the best thing for us,” I admit, pressing pause on the panic rising up in my chest. But this time, the racing heart doesn’t stem from the idea of working with Dax or living in L.A.

It comes from the idea of continuing to work the hours that were killing me back home.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it but . . .” I try to find the right words.

“I get that,” he says, nodding. I can see he understands, and probably even agrees.

“I want us to be together,” I tell him firmly. “But we have time to figure something out. Maybe I’ll switch things up for myself, professionally. Follow a new path, something that fulfills me more than the heady life of an M & A associate with impossible hours.”

We smile at each other, and I know he gets it. Neither one of us is going anywhere when it comes to what we want from each other. Even if that means taking some time to try long distance.

He kisses me, deeply. Then pulls back to ask, “Say that first part again? Out loud?”

“The heady life of an M & A associate?” I say, smirking.

He throws his head back to laugh. “No, the other part.”

“I want us to be together,” I whisper into his smile, kissing him again.

“Okay, now continue,” he says, opening his eyes back up, like I’ve just shone a light on his whole world.

“Is it too much, to try a new career path doing something that might fit me better? I’ve always had this idea of trying the social work side of the law.

Maybe look into starting an adoption firm, or something geared more toward the kids having a positive experience during the process since I know firsthand how scary it can be.

I don’t know. Does all this sound too far out of the realm of possibilities? ”

He tucks my hair back behind my ears.

“It actually sounds brilliant,” he says, cradling my face with his hands. “You are brilliant. And don’t let this scare you but . . .” He pauses and I wait to hear whatever is not supposed to scare me. “I’m falling in love with you, Abby Torres.”

I wait for that familiar feeling of fight or flight to pull at my gut when the words come out of his mouth, bracing myself for the onslaught.

Sweaty hands. Racing pulse. The way my feet get itchy, wanting to walk away from the depth of emotion barreling my way.

But none of that happens.

Instead, I only feel . . . excited.

“I think—” I start to say.

“Shhh,” he says, holding a finger up my parted lips. “Don’t ruin this by scaring yourself any more than what I’ve just done.”

I laugh, and he joins in.

“No, I want to say that I think you can finally stop chasing your tail,” I tell him, holding up another strawberry for him to bite from my fingers.

He bites, but looks me square in the eyes.

“That’s a start,” he says, kissing me after.

My heart pounds in my chest.

I grab his hand to start leading him out of the kitchen and down the long hallway that leads back to my room.