His Love Is Not Visible Chapter 37
By the time the plane landed in Boise, it was already night.
My coworkers were waiting for me at the exit.
We had an important client meeting the next day. If the project succeeded, it would be my biggest win since the promotion.
Back at the hotel, I showered and saw a message from Garrett.
[Did you land safely?]
I didn’t reply.
The next day’s negotiations went badly.
The client changed their terms at the last minute.
I took the team back to rework the proposal and we stayed up all night.
Before dawn, Dana called.
“Can you handle it?”
I rubbed my aching temples.
“Yes.”
She was silent for two seconds.
“Laura, you’re the one in charge now.”
“You don’t have to prove to anyone how much you can endure.”
“If you need to rest, rest. If something should be delegated, delegate it.”
I froze.
In the past, I always felt I had to do more to deserve every opportunity.
I thought that way in my marriage.
I thought that way at work, too.
I was always afraid that if I stopped, I’d be left behind.
I looked at my coworkers in the conference room, so tired they could barely keep their eyes open.
“Everyone, go back to your rooms and sleep for four hours.”
“This afternoon, we go back in.”
One of them looked worried.
“Will we have enough time?”
I closed my laptop.
“We will.”
That afternoon, we returned to the negotiating table with the new data.
The client sat in silence for a long time, then finally signed the contract.
When the pen lifted from the page, I finally exhaled.
As we walked out of the conference room, my coworkers broke into cheers.
I booked a restaurant and treated everyone to dinner.
During the meal, my phone lit up.
Garrett again.
[Laurie, I won’t bother you anymore.]
[I hope you have a very good life.]
I looked at it for a moment and replied with a single word.
[Okay.]
Then I deleted his contact information.
It wasn’t out of spite, and it wasn’t for revenge.
That relationship had reached its end. We both needed to let it go.