“Good.” Sherry’s fingers clenched and released. “I’m glad you emailed me. There’s been a lot of chatter about whether you’ll return.”
“That’s why I wanted this meeting.” She flicked her fingers between them. “I appreciate you agreeing to a video chat. It makes things easier.”
“Of course. Anything for my top executive.”
A groan stuck in her throat. That was the main reason she’d waited so long to talk to Sherry. They kept calling her that, and every time she heard it, her stomach dropped. “I’m afraid I can’t hold that title any longer.”
Sherry’s head tilted, a confused expression pursing her mouth. “What do you mean? Your email hinted that you’d gotten your memory back. I assumed that meant this call was to notify me of your return.”
“I have some of my memory back.” Maybe even most of it. “But I’m still missing key points, mainly about my job.”
“That’s…frustrating.” Sherry was trying to be polite and concerned, but Michelle noted the way her clenched hands released, and she scribbled into a notepad near her elbow. Preparing to call in the next executive banker on the list to take Michelle’s place? A part of her wanted to be incensed, but really all she experienced was relief.
That was more telling than all the internal conversations she’d put herself through.
Sherry drilled her nails into the desk in a series of short raps. “I’ll be honest with you; I have major concerns about you returning without your full memory intact. Your impressive list of clients and the years of work it took to get you where you are today are paramount to your success.”
“Of course.” She agreed wholeheartedly. “Here’s the thing, Sherry.” The words rested on the tip of her tongue. There was no going back once she thrust them out into the conversation. “Even if my memory comes back, I’m not sure I want to leave Blue River.”
Sherry sat back with a suddenness that spoke of shock. “I see.”
Michelle waited. She’d said what she intended to say, and now she left the rest up to her boss.
“I was concerned about your ability to maintain the fullness of your career without your memory.” Sherry enunciated each word with careful precision. Her face slipped into a businesslike mask of disinterest. “But I can see we have a deeper problem, so I’m going to ask this straight out. Are you turning in your resignation?”
“Yes.” It was a bold move, probably the most gut-wrenching business decision of her life, and it gave her a profound sense of relief. All the tightness in her muscles relaxed. Her heart stopped beating so hard it forced bile up her throat. Aunt Sarah always told her to trust God with her decisions, even when her physical reactions made a decision seem easy. This was both.
A car drove past the bed and breakfast, the cough/rattle of the engine drowning out Sherry’s next words.
Michelle shook her head once the car cut down a side street and stopped in front of the mechanic shop at the end of the block. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you.”
A ghost of a smile and the rise of a single eyebrow into a sculpted arch changed Sherry’s entire expression from severe to oddly relaxed. “I said I hope you know what you’re doing, and that I wish you well. You’ve worked hard for the company, but you haven’t been happy for a long time.” She rocked back and forth in her chair, another odd break in the cool demeanor she’d first shown. “You look happier there, more at ease.” The smiledropped. “If you get your memories back, I need you to think long and hard about whether this place makes you happy.”
“I will.”
“I mean it.” Sherry pointed one of those long, manicured nails at the screen. “We might not have ever been friends, but I respect you. I take my job as your boss seriously, but I’d be remiss in begging you to come back to a place where you’re miserable.”
“It isn’t the best image for the company if I have to force a smile every time I walk into a meeting.” She mimicked the pleasant expression that felt oddly out of place but also desperately familiar.
“Exactly.” Sherry relaxed into her seat, her posture slumped and casual.
Michelle chuckled at the sight. It seemed out of place on the uptight woman. Odd, but comforting. “If you ever need to get away from all that, come down and see me sometime.” It was the best she could offer.
Sherry scoffed, but a glint lit her eyes. “I might take you up on that someday, but don’t count on it. I’m a city girl through and through.”
“You’d be surprised how much good a little country can do.” She wiggled her fingers in a goodbye wave. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You’re welcome. Take care of yourself.” She ended the call with a flippant toss of her short hair.
Michelle smiled until her whole face ached, rocking in her wooden chair and enjoying watching life trundle past in the small midwestern town.
“I love Sundays.” Michelle stretched her arms out by her sides and twirled in a small circle. The call with her boss almost a week ago had freed her in more ways than she anticipated. All the angst of her future lingered, but stress over returning to a job she’d started to despise fell away, leaving her light and carefree.
Her days at the ranch were calm if slightly tense as she and Chase worked with each other while continuing to avoid having any more meaningful conversations. They talked about the horses, the ranch, and her newest memories. She dug into their past, asking herself questions until late into the night. It all came back to the same thing.
Her feelings for Chase were stronger than ever.
And she was flat-out tired of ignoring them.
