Free All I Need by Karen Stivali Page B

discussing this.”
    “There’s nothing to discuss. I have a job. One that I love and plan to continue enjoying for some time.”
    “So that’s it? You’re seriously telling me you’re going to choose teaching over working at one of New York’s top advertising firms? Do you realize how quickly you would move up in this position? Do you have any idea what your salary would be?”
    The word salary hit Daniel as if he’d been punched. “No, I don’t know what the salary would be, but you do, don’t you?”
    “Of course I do,” Justine blurted.
    He flinched. “I knew it. How long have you known about this offer? Did you ask him to create this position for me? Had you already told him I’d say yes?” Daniel’s stomach knotted and he regretted every part of the meal they’d just had.
    Justine’s lips twitched and he could tell she was debating how to answer.
    “Would you just tell me the bloody truth instead of trying to figure out what I might want to hear? Because I’m fairly certain there’s no good way for you to explain this.” How could she do this?
    “Fine. I knew.”
    Daniel felt his breath huff out but he couldn’t do more than shake his head.
    “What do you expect, Daniel? You know I think it would be a great idea for you to go into advertising. You’re incredibly creative and you’re charming as hell, you’d be perfect.”
    “Perfectly miserable. How many times do we need to have this conversation? It doesn’t interest me. I don’t want to spend my time wearing a suit to stuffy meetings and hobnobbing with clients at cocktail parties. That sounds like a fate worse than death.”
    “There’d be travel and we could get a much bigger apartment.”
    “Is that what this is about? Is it all about money?”
    Justine glanced at the ground for a split second and Daniel knew the answer. His head ached. Why can’t she be happy with all that we already have? She’s at the top of her MBA class and is already interning at one of the top financial firms in Manhattan. When will it be enough? He’d asked these questions before but this time they seemed far more serious. “Justine.”
    She looked up at him, her eyes dark and cautious. “What?” The snotty tone from earlier was replaced with fear and he knew she sensed what he was about to say.
    “I don’t think this is going to work.”
    “Of course it can work. Take the position for a year. Six months even. See if you like it.” Her eyes darted back and forth between his.
    “I’m not talking about the job, I know that won’t work. I meant us. If it means so much to you that I have your definition of a prestigious job then I’m not sure we’re going to work.”
    The panic on her face stabbed at Daniel’s heart. He didn’t want to hurt her, he loved her, but he couldn’t spend his life pretending to be someone he wasn’t. And he certainly didn’t want to be regarded as a disappointment.
    “What are you saying?” Justine’s voice was tight, wavering.
    “Maybe we weren’t meant to be together.” The words stung as he said them. She was part of his life plan and the idea of being without her wasn’t any more appealing than the idea of taking her father’s job offer.
    “Are you saying you want to break up?”
    “I don’t want to break up. I love you. But I think we want totally different things out of life. Things you want so badly you’ve attempted to trick me just to get them. You went behind my back and concocted this whole thing with your father. I can’t be with you if I can’t trust you.”
    “You can trust me. I won’t do it again, I promise.”
    She inched toward him, but he stepped back knowing that if she touched him he’d lose his resolve.
    “I’m happy with what we have together, Justine. But if it’s not enough for you, if you’re not happy too…”
    “I am happy. You make me happy.” She closed the distance between them and ran her hands up his chest.
    Her touch tingled through him. A gusty fall breeze