almost done with the deal.” He left the thought hanging in the air. Maritess nodded her head. She understood why he was concerned. Cassandra had a few options since she was going to make a killing in bonuses, but she hadn’t been very clear about any decision she was leaning toward. Maritess leaned across her desk to Markus and took his hand.
“We can lift the ‘no love talk’ policy. Are you worried that she might leave?” Maritess asked him. Markus was worried about Cassandra leaving. He worried about her staying, too. He also worried about the possibility that she may ask him to go with her. Maritess listened as he voiced his concerns. She was heartsick about the possibility of Cassandra leaving, but didn’t realize that Markus was having such trouble with it. “Well, Markus,” she said, “What do you want out of all that?”
Like a tapped well, Markus spilled all the thoughts he’d been tossing around in his mind. Cassandra was perfect for him in every way. He told Maritess that they had fallen in love, and he felt very happy with her. “But I don’t want to move to Seattle, and she doesn’t want to really move here. What got me nervous is that she might move here anyway, and then one day decide she made a mistake. Then what?” he asked. His face was awash in turmoil. Maritess couldn’t stop the words that came out of her mouth next.
“Do you think she’s the one , Markus?” she asked. In the months since he’d been with Cassandra, Maritess hadn’t heard him mention the original quest that brought him to her gym in the first place. Markus stared at her, trying to pick up any hint that she might be messing with him. Sure enough, Maritess' look was that of pure concern.
“I don’t know,” he said, “I don’t know if I really buy that too much anymore.” Maritess stared at him, but she didn’t feel surprised. Instead, she ushered him to continue his explanation. “Cassandra is perfect for me,” he said, “Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our fights, but she’s very easy to be with. We get along great, but that spark I thought would, you know, tell me that she was some divine choice… Well, it’s just not there. But, I don’t think that means she’s not worth it. I’m willing to be with her, but I don’t think I want to move to Seattle. I’ve been with my firm for a long time.” Markus shook his head as he worried some more. “The thing is, though,” he continued, “we haven’t even talked about it yet. I have no idea what she wants to do.”
“Well,” Maritess answered, “I think that’s where you need to start.” Markus nodded in agreement.
…
CHAPTER 19
Over the next couple of weeks, Markus had small conversations with Cassandra about her plans. With less than a month to go, Cassandra’s work would be completed by the middle of January. She expressed her ambition to start one of the new projects her company was lining up for her, but she also expressed her ambition to include Markus in her life. He had started spending most of his nights wrapped around Cassandra. The thought of her not being there pained him. When he voiced a concern about finding a new law practice after having invested over a decade with his current firm, Cassandra hinted that her bonus from her deal would be enough for her to live off of for a while in town. She just didn’t know what she would do in their small city.
Markus took advantage of the extra time he had to spare during the lull in his caseload. The mission he started at the gym had taken him to a great place in his life. He looked at his toned physique in the mirror as he got dressed in the morning. Cassandra was still asleep most days when he went to work. He kissed her on the forehead before he left her apartment. He pushed some documents around on his desk, and tried
“We can lift the ‘no love talk’ policy. Are you worried that she might leave?” Maritess asked him. Markus was worried about Cassandra leaving. He worried about her staying, too. He also worried about the possibility that she may ask him to go with her. Maritess listened as he voiced his concerns. She was heartsick about the possibility of Cassandra leaving, but didn’t realize that Markus was having such trouble with it. “Well, Markus,” she said, “What do you want out of all that?”
Like a tapped well, Markus spilled all the thoughts he’d been tossing around in his mind. Cassandra was perfect for him in every way. He told Maritess that they had fallen in love, and he felt very happy with her. “But I don’t want to move to Seattle, and she doesn’t want to really move here. What got me nervous is that she might move here anyway, and then one day decide she made a mistake. Then what?” he asked. His face was awash in turmoil. Maritess couldn’t stop the words that came out of her mouth next.
“Do you think she’s the one , Markus?” she asked. In the months since he’d been with Cassandra, Maritess hadn’t heard him mention the original quest that brought him to her gym in the first place. Markus stared at her, trying to pick up any hint that she might be messing with him. Sure enough, Maritess' look was that of pure concern.
“I don’t know,” he said, “I don’t know if I really buy that too much anymore.” Maritess stared at him, but she didn’t feel surprised. Instead, she ushered him to continue his explanation. “Cassandra is perfect for me,” he said, “Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our fights, but she’s very easy to be with. We get along great, but that spark I thought would, you know, tell me that she was some divine choice… Well, it’s just not there. But, I don’t think that means she’s not worth it. I’m willing to be with her, but I don’t think I want to move to Seattle. I’ve been with my firm for a long time.” Markus shook his head as he worried some more. “The thing is, though,” he continued, “we haven’t even talked about it yet. I have no idea what she wants to do.”
“Well,” Maritess answered, “I think that’s where you need to start.” Markus nodded in agreement.
…
CHAPTER 19
Over the next couple of weeks, Markus had small conversations with Cassandra about her plans. With less than a month to go, Cassandra’s work would be completed by the middle of January. She expressed her ambition to start one of the new projects her company was lining up for her, but she also expressed her ambition to include Markus in her life. He had started spending most of his nights wrapped around Cassandra. The thought of her not being there pained him. When he voiced a concern about finding a new law practice after having invested over a decade with his current firm, Cassandra hinted that her bonus from her deal would be enough for her to live off of for a while in town. She just didn’t know what she would do in their small city.
Markus took advantage of the extra time he had to spare during the lull in his caseload. The mission he started at the gym had taken him to a great place in his life. He looked at his toned physique in the mirror as he got dressed in the morning. Cassandra was still asleep most days when he went to work. He kissed her on the forehead before he left her apartment. He pushed some documents around on his desk, and tried
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