“Billy,” she repeated, with an instant sense of regret. “I’ll have to let him know, and Peggy, too.”
As soon as her suitcase was packed and loaded into the car, Lindy returned and hugged her mother good-bye. “Tell Dad and Chad, Ashley, and Peter good-bye for me. Tell them I’m sorry I had to leave in such a rush.”
“They’ll understand,” her mother assured her.
“Lindy,” her mother said, as she stood in the middle of the kitchen. Both hands reached for Lindy’s shoulders and her eyes grew dark and serious. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
Her response was hesitant. “Yes. I think so,” she said. “This is big for me. Really big. It is exactly what I’ve been waiting for all along.”
Dropping her hands to her sides, her mother nodded, smiled, and hugged her once more before Lindy left the house. Her mother’s question followed her. This was exactly what she wanted, she reminded herself.
On her way to the Wine Press, she phoned Peggy and told her the news.
Peggy congratulated her and then said, “I guess that means my idea is off the table?” She made it a question, as if somehow Lindy might change her mind.
“For now it does, but that doesn’t mean I won’t reconsider later.” Lindy hadn’t given up on the idea, but the timing was all wrong for her to make that leap of faith now. She was in too deep with Media Blast.
“I’m going to miss you. I honestly hate to see you go.”
“I know. I hate it, too. I’ll keep in touch,” Lindy promised, and hoped they would be able to maintain their friendship. Like anything else, friendship was an investment in time. Lindy couldn’t help wondering how much spare time she’d have once she sank herself into this assignment.
“I’m holding you to that,” Peggy said.
Telling Peggy she was heading back to Seattle was hard enough. She didn’t know how she would manage leaving Billy.
Leaving her family.
Leaving Billy and Peggy.
Rolling into the parking lot at the Wine Press, she stood outside her vehicle while dread filled her. She should be over-the-moon excited, and in a way she was. She wavered between excitement and dread.
It was almost as if Billy had been waiting for her. He came out of the restaurant and met her outside.
Lindy couldn’t see any need to delay the inevitable. “I’m heading back to Seattle.”
“Today? Now?”
Lindy nodded, and felt the strongest urge to cry, which was ridiculous. She should be jumping up and down, cheering, jubilantly tossing her fists into the air.
Billy’s face fell. “What? Why? I thought you had another week left of your vacation?”
“I do.” She explained the phone call that had come in earlier that day. “It’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for my entire career,” she said, as if she needed to remind herself. “I can’t say no, Billy. Media Blast made an investment in me, and I can’t let them down now. I’m sorry.”
He nodded. “I understand.” Then, without emotion, he added, “Go.”
“This doesn’t mean I won’t be back,” she hurried to tell him.
“Lindy, it’s okay. Go. Like you said, this is what you’ve wanted your entire career. I understand. Yes, I’m disappointed, and yes, I hate that you’re leaving, but I don’t begrudge you your dreams.”
Of all the things she expected him to say, this wasn’t it. Deep down she’d thought…she’d hoped he’d plead with her to stay, to do whatever was necessary to have her come back so they could make a go of this relationship.
With her heart solidly lodged in her throat, Lindy turned to leave before Billy grabbed her and hugged her close for several long moments. He knew as well as she did that this was the end.
“It was fun while it lasted.”
The finality of his words hit her hard. Was he really saying it was completely over? That what they shared was forever gone? Billy didn’t really mean for them to make a clean break, did he? Lindy was convinced, as strong as their feelings were for each other, even in this short amount of time, that they’d find a way to remain in touch. Where there was a will there was a way, right?
The drive over the pass went without a problem, and she arrived in Seattle in record time. Once at the apartment complex, she unloaded her suitcase from the car and unlocked her door.
As she stepped into her home, it felt cold and empty. Standing in the middle of her living area, she looked around at the life she had built in Seattle. The contrast between the big city and Wenatchee, with those she loved most, couldn’t have been more striking.