Falling For Us Again

14. THE OFFER

Chapter 14

THE OFFER

Dylan

I shove open the café door, the familiar creak of the hinges announcing my arrival. I don’t need to look at the clock to know that I’m late again. Maggie’s not going to be happy with be but being able to be there for Jenna was worth it.

The regulars are already in the cafe. Old Jake squints his eyes as he reads Hartlow Daily, his cup of coffee on the table. I exchange pleasantries with some of the customers before making my way across the room.

Maggie is behind the counter, but she doesn’t look up at me. Instead, she’s focused on the espresso machine, as she grinds the fresh roasted beans.

“Morning!” I say in an excessively cheerful tone as if that would compensate for my lateness.

She glances at me, then looks away without saying a word.

“Hey.” I say again.

Still no answer.

My eyebrows form a crease. “Oh oh...This is worse than you yelling at me.”

No response.

"Is it safe to enter?" I say, feigning a horrified expression. "No lecture? No eye roll? You’re just letting me slide?"

She snorts, tossing a dish towel onto the counter. "I’m saving it for later. Besides, I’ve got bigger fish to fry this morning."

I make my way behind the counter to grab an apron. "Oh? Like what? You finally decided to give up and let me take over as the responsible one around here?"

“In your dreams.”

Maggie’s smirk fades into something I can’t put my finger on. "I dropped by your place last night," she says, her voice casual as she lifts the pitcher and pours creamy milk into the cups of dark coffee. "You weren’t home."

I glance up from tying my apron, my fingers momentarily pausing on the knot. "Oh yeah, I spent the night at Jenna’s."

Something flickers in her eyes; her hands are unsteady. “I figured. I sent you a couple of texts, but I didn’t get a response.”

I take the milk pitcher from her. “Are you okay?”

She nods. She clasps and unclasps her hands. “Yeah. I don’t know why my hands are shaky today.”

“Alright, that’s it. You need some rest. You work too hard. I can handle the cafe today.”

“You have to come early to be able to run the cafe.” She snaps.

“Good thing I’m always the first to arrive.”

“Delusional.”

“Seriously though, are you okay?” I place a hand on her forehead.

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

I sigh, pointing at her. “Alright then, but I’m keeping an eye on you.”

Maggie doesn’t say anything, but I can feel her watching me. There’s no escaping her scrutiny, not after all the years we’ve spent running this place together. She knows me too well.

I don’t even have to look at her to know that her mouth is pulled into that slight frown she gets when she’s thinking, the one where her lips purse just enough to let you know she’s about to dig deeper.

"So," she says finally, her tone careful but carrying an edge of curiosity, "how’s Jenna? It looked like she suffered a panic attack last night.”

I keep my focus on pouring the coffee grounds into the filter, pretending I didn’t hear the full question.

“Yeah, she’s better now,” I say, the words feeling inadequate as they leave my mouth. I fumble with the espresso machine, watching the dark liquid stream into the cup, swirling in patterns that distract me from the knot tightening in my chest as I recall how terrified she was last night.

I’m grateful she lets it go. She’s good at knowing when to push and when to pull back, an instinct I’ve always admired in her.

Before I can escape into the relative peace before the lunch rush, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and glance at the screen. Kam Powells. The name alone sends a jolt of anxiety through me. I wasn’t expecting another call this soon.

"One sec," I mutter to Maggie, holding up the phone as I walk toward the back of the café. I press it to my ear, leaning against the wall. "Kam. Hey."

"Dylan, my man," Kam’s voice crackles through the speaker, smooth and full of energy like always. "How’s it going? You had some time to think about the offer?"

I hesitate, staring at the floor as if the tiles might offer me some clarity. Head chef at the Kilton Hotel. It’s the kind of opportunity you don’t pass up, and yet, I left the city for a reason.

There’s so much more on the line now that Jenna’s back, but nothing is resolved. Is there even a chance for us? Maybe it is time to move on. To go back to what I love doing.

"Yeah, I’ve been thinking," I say, choosing my words carefully. "It’s a huge opportunity, Kam. I just... I still need a little more time to figure things out."

Kam sighs on the other end. "I get it. But you’re wasting your skills in that small town. You’re an acclaimed chef; you should be here. You love doing this. I know you do. I can hear it in your voice.”

My jaw clenches at his words. He’s not wrong, and going back sounds enticing, but I have to be sure that I’m fully ready this time.

"Okay, listen, I need you to come out to LA soon. We can sit down and talk it through in person. You’ve got to see the place and get a feel for it. I know once you’re here, you’ll see what I’m talking about."

I swallow, feeling the pressure build in my chest. Maybe this is the sign I’ve been waiting for.

"Yeah, okay," I say, forcing the words out. "I’ll come to LA. We can talk."

"Great," Kam says, his voice full of enthusiasm. "I’ll get things set up. Just let me know when you’re available to come. Talk soon, Dylan."

The line clicks off, and I’m left staring at my phone, the reality of the offer sinking in. LA. Head chef. Everything I’ve ever wanted. So why does it feel like a rock in my gut instead of a victory?

I push the phone back into my pocket and return to the counter. Maggie’s there, her eyebrows raised in that knowing way.

"Who was that?" she asks with her arms crossed loosely over her chest, even though I know she probably already has an idea.

"Kam Powells," I say, leaning against the counter and rubbing the back of my neck. "He wants me to head out to LA soon to talk about the position at the Kilton."

Maggie whistles low, her eyes widening. "Wow. That’s huge, Dylan, he’s really pulling out all the stops to get you to come."

I shrug, "Yeah, I guess. I mean, it’s everything I've always wanted, right?”

“At some point, yes, before you quit for no damn reason.”

“You remind me of this more than my mother.” I say with irritation.

“Somebody has to.”

I rub my face with a palm, sighing heavily. “But... I don’t know. It feels like there’s so much here that I’d be leaving behind."

Maggie’s quiet for a moment, and I can feel her assessing the situation, piecing together the things I haven’t said yet. She’s good at that—always seeing beyond the surface, picking up on the things I try to bury.

"Look," she says, her voice steady. "I’m not going to tell you what to do. But I will say this—whatever you decide, you’ll have my support. I can see the struggle in you. The fact that you mentioned it to me in at all shows how much you want it.”

“You’ve worked your butt off to make this cafe a success, and it is! You should be very proud of that, but if this is what you want, you should go for it.”

Going to L.A. means more than just a job... Jenna lives in L.A. I try not to think about this job in relation to her, but I can’t help it. The thought that we would be living together in the same city…

Don’t be delusional, Dylan.

I rub the back of my neck. Jenna will leave when she sells her family’s property, and I fear I’ll never get to see her again. We are just lovers at this point in our lives, nothing’s been resolved.

But this is a chance to be near her. Could we make it work again? Can I trust her with my heart again? Should I?

It’s a risk, a leap into the unknown, with no guarantee of what I’ll find on the other side.

Maggie gives me a small, reassuring smile, her hand resting briefly on my arm before she pulls away. "You’ve got time," she says softly. "Just... don’t rush it. Figure out what you want."

I nod, though uncertainty still clings to me like a shadow.

The clock is ticking, and sooner or later, I’m going to have to make a choice.