The One That Got Away by C. Kelly Robinson

register at first; questions poured out of her before she could second-guess them. She had friends who’d interviewed for the Rowan COO job, and she knew that despite the boost the school had received from Arthur Champion, the pay wasn’t in the range somebody like Tony would insist on. What the hell was he doing working there, of all places?
    Coolly and crisply, he knocked down each of her questions, even insisting he’d always been intrigued by Cincinnati’s contradictions—a slower-paced town with a few major-city trappings, enlivened by its infamous struggles with race. “There’s problems everywhere, I figure,” he said. “But at least here, I’m free from the real headaches of a big city.”
    Clearly confident about his choice, Tony sounded like a man at ease, seemingly oblivious to the one inconvenient fact about his relocation. Serena couldn’t put her finger on it, but the more he talked, the more nervous she became. Too proud to just hang up but too frazzled by an already stressful afternoon to protect herself, she decided to face the music, get it over with. “Tony, I really don’t have much time to talk. Is this about the wedding, when I called you?” She braced herself for his answer.
    On his end of the phone, standing before his desk at the Whitaker Holdings office tower, Tony sighed. Don’t press her. Not yet. “It’s only about that,” he replied, “when you want it to be.” Against his every ounce of instinct, he shut his mouth and held the phone.
    Serena’s defensive reflexes filled the silence instantly. “I am at work, Tony.” The grinding of her own teeth made her wince in pain.
    â€œWhat I’m calling about,” Tony responded, stifling any sense of embarrassment, “is a career opportunity you can’t afford to pass up.”
    â€œOh, really? Ten years pass and you still know more about my life than I do, is that it?”
    â€œStay cool,” Tony said, grinning to himself. He really hadn’t realized how much he missed the challenge of her—the intellect, the strength, the defiance. If he ever won her heart again, that would make it that much more impressive. “It’s something you might want to consider. Will you just hear me out?”
    Serena shook her head, working her neck to release the tension balling up within. “What is the opportunity?”
    â€œThe Rowan Academy needs a finance director. Between our booming bank accounts—thanks to Champion’s cash, of course—and the rapid expansion we’ve planned, Rowan needs a dedicated financial professional—now. The Whitaker Holdings accountants have their hands full on the corporate side.”
    Serena couldn’t deny the flicker of interest Tony had already ignited, though she worked to conceal it. “That sounds like a step down for me, frankly. I already manage an entire school system’s finances, you know.”
    â€œYes,” Tony replied, “but what do you get for that, besides bragging rights about overseeing a large staff and dozens of crumbling buildings? At Rowan you’ll have the chance to truly make a difference. Face it, Serena. As a finance person, you don’t have much say over how successful the schools actually are, whether you’re here or there. The question is, do you want to steer the finances of a ship that’s sailing over a cliff, or one that’s on smooth waters?”
    â€œMaybe I like the chance to keep a ship from going over the cliff,” she replied, shedding the nerves from the conversation’s first few minutes. “It’s easy to come off like a success in the first few years, Tony. I’d like to see how Rowan’s doing ten years fromnow. In the meantime, the majority of poor Cincinnati kids are relying on my employer, not yours.”
    â€œI’m not going to argue with you,” Tony replied. “Just send