searching for birds with her brand-new binocs.
Things were looking up. If he could just convince her his boxer shorts belonged in her laundry basket, he’d be right on board with her six-month plan.
Wood chips flew into the air as he attacked a short piece of pine. Over the buzz of the saw, the workshop door slammed shut. He looked up to see Ami saunter in to his studio. He turned off the saw and pushed the glasses down around his neck.
“Hey, good looking. How’d it go in town? Did Bill get the wine in yet?”
Ami held up a bottle of Italian wine and nodded. “He sure did. Just in time, too. I have some good news. So we can celebrate with this cab.”
Marcus noticed that she didn’t look too happy. In fact, her expression looked sort of stunned.
He pulled off the goggles and flung them onto the work table. “Hey, you okay?” He grabbed her hand and tugged her into his arms. “I thought you said it was good news.”
Ami released a long breath. “It is. It is. It’s just…complicated, I guess.”
“You wanna tell me about it, sweetheart?” Marcus’s heart was knocking against his ribs. He didn’t like the look on her face. Not one bit.
“The Vermont Children’s Science Museum offered me the job.”
“Then why don’t you look happy?”
“I got a call this morning from Boston. From a private firm in the Back Bay. They are looking for a designer, and they’re interested in my work. They asked me to come down for an interview tomorrow.”
Marcus could barely breathe. “What did you tell them?”
“Of course I have to go check it out, Marcus. I would be foolish to turn down a potential job.”
“You have a job. The Science Museum offered you the job. I know it’s not just for design work, either. They want you to stay on and help with the outdoor educational programs. It’s a great opportunity.”
She nodded. “I know. These are both great opportunities. But I owe it to myself to consider them both. This is what I’ve been waiting for since Dan screwed me over. A chance to start fresh. A chance to work again, do what I love to do.”
She stared at her feet. Marcus tipped her chin up and forced her to look in his eyes. “What if you get job offers at both places? What are you going to do?”
Ami shrugged and licked her lips. “I honestly don’t know. Boston has been my home for a long time. I feel like I belong there.” She frowned. “But there are things I’m starting to really like about Vermont, too.”
“Things? Things ?” Marcus raked his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’ve heard this all before. Kate gave me the same run-around.”
At least Ami had the decency to look jealous. “Kate? Who’s Kate?”
“My ex-girlfriend. She tried to stick it out in the Vermont woods, but after eight grueling months of winter, she couldn’t take it anymore. She left my sorry ass behind and went back to the big city.”
Ami grabbed his hand to stop him from fidgeting. “Is this the girlfriend who told you to wax?”
Marcus laughed half-heartedly. “Yep, that’s the one. She wasn’t too keen on being with a hairy lumberjack.”
Ami’s eyes narrowed. “Well, she’s an idiot. First of all, your hair is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Second of all, if you have eight long months of winter to deal with, you’d better hope your man is a big teddy bear. Otherwise, you’ll freeze to death at night. Third of all…” she paused.
“Third of all?” Marcus couldn’t wait to hear the rest of her tirade.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I lost my train of thought. All I know is that you’re perfect just the way you are. You don’t need to change anything.”
Marcus swallowed. “But am I perfect for you? That’s the question, isn’t it?”
Henry slammed open the door to the studio and ran over to Ami. He sat in front of her and wagged his little tail. She kneeled down and hugged the dog.
“He’s gonna miss you if you go.”
The words hung in the air.
Things were looking up. If he could just convince her his boxer shorts belonged in her laundry basket, he’d be right on board with her six-month plan.
Wood chips flew into the air as he attacked a short piece of pine. Over the buzz of the saw, the workshop door slammed shut. He looked up to see Ami saunter in to his studio. He turned off the saw and pushed the glasses down around his neck.
“Hey, good looking. How’d it go in town? Did Bill get the wine in yet?”
Ami held up a bottle of Italian wine and nodded. “He sure did. Just in time, too. I have some good news. So we can celebrate with this cab.”
Marcus noticed that she didn’t look too happy. In fact, her expression looked sort of stunned.
He pulled off the goggles and flung them onto the work table. “Hey, you okay?” He grabbed her hand and tugged her into his arms. “I thought you said it was good news.”
Ami released a long breath. “It is. It is. It’s just…complicated, I guess.”
“You wanna tell me about it, sweetheart?” Marcus’s heart was knocking against his ribs. He didn’t like the look on her face. Not one bit.
“The Vermont Children’s Science Museum offered me the job.”
“Then why don’t you look happy?”
“I got a call this morning from Boston. From a private firm in the Back Bay. They are looking for a designer, and they’re interested in my work. They asked me to come down for an interview tomorrow.”
Marcus could barely breathe. “What did you tell them?”
“Of course I have to go check it out, Marcus. I would be foolish to turn down a potential job.”
“You have a job. The Science Museum offered you the job. I know it’s not just for design work, either. They want you to stay on and help with the outdoor educational programs. It’s a great opportunity.”
She nodded. “I know. These are both great opportunities. But I owe it to myself to consider them both. This is what I’ve been waiting for since Dan screwed me over. A chance to start fresh. A chance to work again, do what I love to do.”
She stared at her feet. Marcus tipped her chin up and forced her to look in his eyes. “What if you get job offers at both places? What are you going to do?”
Ami shrugged and licked her lips. “I honestly don’t know. Boston has been my home for a long time. I feel like I belong there.” She frowned. “But there are things I’m starting to really like about Vermont, too.”
“Things? Things ?” Marcus raked his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’ve heard this all before. Kate gave me the same run-around.”
At least Ami had the decency to look jealous. “Kate? Who’s Kate?”
“My ex-girlfriend. She tried to stick it out in the Vermont woods, but after eight grueling months of winter, she couldn’t take it anymore. She left my sorry ass behind and went back to the big city.”
Ami grabbed his hand to stop him from fidgeting. “Is this the girlfriend who told you to wax?”
Marcus laughed half-heartedly. “Yep, that’s the one. She wasn’t too keen on being with a hairy lumberjack.”
Ami’s eyes narrowed. “Well, she’s an idiot. First of all, your hair is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Second of all, if you have eight long months of winter to deal with, you’d better hope your man is a big teddy bear. Otherwise, you’ll freeze to death at night. Third of all…” she paused.
“Third of all?” Marcus couldn’t wait to hear the rest of her tirade.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I lost my train of thought. All I know is that you’re perfect just the way you are. You don’t need to change anything.”
Marcus swallowed. “But am I perfect for you? That’s the question, isn’t it?”
Henry slammed open the door to the studio and ran over to Ami. He sat in front of her and wagged his little tail. She kneeled down and hugged the dog.
“He’s gonna miss you if you go.”
The words hung in the air.
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