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He did have a point. My leadership and vision were instrumental in both starting the company and getting it to take flight, but that was the past. We were at a different stage, and I knew I would burn out eventually if I continued to sacrifice my personal happiness for business success.
"I hear you, and I'm not saying I'm going to abandon the company or the team, but you have to listen to me. I've found something here in Blue Harbor that I didn't even know I was looking for. It wasn't on my Bingo card."
Neil paused for a moment. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? Are you seriously planning to stay there?"
I took a deep breath. I knew my next words would infuriate him and set a different course for my future. "Yes, that is what I'm saying. I've met someone who makes me feel fully alive, and I can't ignore that. I'm not willing to give him up, even for the company."
Neil scoffed. "Wake up, Ronan. You can't be serious. You're going to throw away everything for a Midwestern small-town fling?"
Anger flared inside me at his dismissive words. "It's not a fling. I should stop talking to you right now for that. It's real, and it's important to me. Maybe you'd be a little less bitter if you opened your eyes and did a little looking yourself."
He sighed again, and I knew that he realized he was starting to lose the argument. "You're the CEO. You can't just step back and expect things to run smoothly."
"It's not about my expectations. It's about me considering alternatives to how I was operating. Maybe a buyout would satisfy everyone, or we can talk about figuring out a way for me to run things remotely."
Neil laughed humorlessly. "A buyout? Remote work? Now, you sound like you think this is some mom-and-pop operation. We're a multinational tech firm with a net worth over a billion dollars and hundreds of employees that depend on having a company here waiting for them every morning when they head to work. You can't just phone in the operations from some beachside bungalow."
I closed my eyes, and I understood how hard it was for Neil to accept my choices, but we weren't making progress either. It was time to end the conversation and plan to come back to it later.
"Look, I'm not saying this will be easy, but I'm asking you, as a friend and a colleague, to trust me. Support me as I figure out the next chapter of my life."
The next silence lasted so long, I thought perhaps Neil gave up on the call. Finally, he spoke, and I heard resignation in his voice. "Ronan, you know I respect the hell out of you. You're a brilliant businessman and a visionary leader, but it's so hard to support this. I feel abandoned."
"At this point, I don't think we're getting anywhere by continuing to rehash this. I hope when you think it all through, you'll be on my side one more time."
I pictured Neil running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know. This is a lot to process. I need some time to think and wrap my head around what this means for the company."
"I understand. Take the time you need. Meanwhile, I'm staying put for at least the next several days."
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted our conversation. I glanced at the clock and realized it was Tyler, arriving to pick me up for our planned breakfast.
"Neil, I have to go," I said, feeling a rush of excitement at the thought of seeing Tyler. "But let's talk again soon, okay? I want to work through this together and find a solution that works for everyone."
"Fine, but don't expect miracles. It's an uphill battle whatever way you look at it."
I ended the call and dropped my phone onto the desk. Taking a deep breath and running my fingers through my hair, I walked to the door and opened it. Tyler was standing there.
"Good morning," he said, his eyes twinkling. "You ready for some breakfast?"
I didn't answer in words. Instead, I pulled Tyler into the hotel room and locked the door behind him, A wild surge of emotion coursed through my veins. The man I had come to care for so deeply, the one who had shown me a new path in life, was in my arms, his body warm and solid against mine.
"Tyler, I have something to tell you."
He pulled back slightly, his blue eyes searching mine with a mix of curiosity and concern. "What is it? Is everything okay?"
I took a deep breath. "More than okay, I think. I've made a big life decision. I'm staying here in Blue Harbor, with you, if you'll have me."
Tyler froze. He stared at me with his mouth slightly open. A few seconds later, a grin began to spread across his face, and his eyes sparkled, little specks of gold reflecting the hotel room's ceiling light. "Staying? Don't play with me. Are you serious?"
"Absolutely. I talked with my big sister, Siobhan, this morning, and she thinks it's a great idea, too. I can't imagine being anywhere else in the world when the best thing for me is here with you."
Tyler let out a whoop of joy, and he tightened his grip around me, lifting me off the ground and spinning around in a circle. I laughed and gasped for breath when he let me down.
As my feet touched the ground, Tyler captured my lips in a searing kiss, and he pulled me closer with his hands splayed out against my back. I melted into his embrace, my right hand holding the back of his head, deepening the kiss.
We stumbled backwards, our legs hitting the edge of the bed. Tyler's hands slid under my shirt, his fingers tracing patterns on my skin, leaving trails of fire in their wake. I gasped, arching into his touch, craving more.
"Ronan," Tyler murmured, "this is the best news I've heard in a long long time, but we'll talk about it later, Right now, I want you."
