All Layla Foster wants is to launch her own branch off of her parent's fitness company. But how is she supposed to focus on making her one shot a success when her client's brother makes her feel things she swore off a long time ago?
* * * * *
Layla...
"It's not enough," she mumbled, swallowing over the lump in her throat. God, it would be the smart thing to do. But she'd be back in the city, far away from Red View and everyone in it. Far away from the life she wanted to badly, that somehow seemed so close and yet so impossible.
"There's no good reason for you to leave the business. You're gonna throw away everything you have, and for what? Because you think you're in love with this guy? He could kick you to the curb in a week, for all you know."
She reared back, the words worse than a slap to the face. The fears about business escaped her at once, replaced by all the doubts about their relationship she'd tried so hard to bury. "You don't know anything about us."
And yet he was right, wasn't he? She'd thought of it herself, especially after Marshall's question about what would happen if she and Dawson broke up. Her talk with him outside the café had convinced her she was being irrational. But hearing it from someone else made the idea seem less abstract, less unlikely. It could happen at any time. She was risking everything for something that might end tomorrow.
"Christ," he laughed sourly, "So that really is what this is about. You and I both know you'll be sorry, because this infatuation he's got for you could wear off real fast, Layla—especially once all that city sparkle dulls out. Trying to start a business... you'll run through your savings before you know it, and what then? No more fancy clothes, expensive makeup, city hairstylists. There won't be anything left of you for him to like."
She never knew Colin was so good at twisting the knife right where it hurt. She'd seen him be cold with employees, calculating with business, but had no idea he could be so vicious.
Dawson had told her before that his interest wasn't in her status. He wasn't dating her for her money, or her job. But without those things... Colin was right that some things would have to change in her lifestyle. She wouldn't get to be the carefree Layla who always had security to fall back on. No doubt, this new chapter would morph her, and likely send her scrambling for a while to figure out how to navigate it.
What if Dawson didn't like the person she became? The traces of glamor would be gone for good once she delved into uncharted territory. There would be embarrassments, stress, and a long road of hard work ahead of her. Did he know what he was signing up for, asking to hold her hand down that road?
"Just answer one question for me, total honesty," Colin broke the silence. "And if the answers yes, I'll drop it. I'll go back to New York and tell your parents that you're not coming home."
She knew the question. He was going to ask if she loved him. And she would say yes, because there was no point in lying. She would say yes, even though the idea of Colin walking out that door, leaving her behind to figure out all the consequences of her decision, had her scared senseless.
"Does he love you?"
Her guard was down enough that the words made her flinch. She'd been so prepared to answer, so ready to tell someone the truth. Now she fumbled, stuttered, "I... what?"
Colin offered a small smile, one that was off-puttingly sympathetic, and nodded. "That's answer enough."
The embarrassment that washed over her made her stomach roll. Her feelings weren't what was important here. It would have meant something, even to Colin, if Dawson loved her. It would have meant she had a reason to stay.
"But you love him, or at least you think you do. And you wonder if you stay, if you just give it enough time, maybe he'll love you back. You really want to risk everything over the off chance that he might? And that if he does, it doesn't end after a few months? A year, even two?"
"It isn't just about Dawson," she managed, throat tight.
"Maybe. But I'd bet every cent I have that he's your biggest reason."
And she couldn't deny that, could she? She'd even said it right to Dawson's face; he was the most important pro. And at the end of the day, no matter how many other reasons she could list, he was the main one.
The last time she'd been willing to risk everything for love... if she'd have gone through with it, her life would have fallen apart. Maybe she'd been too blinded, too caught up in love to realize this was the same thing. That she might be about to make the same mistake, about to lose everything to love a man who didn't love her back.
Leave, or risk getting left, she remembered. It seemed like it was finally time to decide.
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