I set my phone on the counter and stare through the window. That's huge. I feel Chrissy’s hand land on my shoulder, but I stay where I am. I don't look at her, not sure what to do.
"What happened?" she asks me. I can feel tears prick the back of my eyes.
"Hey," she says touching my chin with her finger and turning my head towards her. "What is it?"
"I just got a phone call from the mine."
"And?"
"They offered me a job."
Her eyes grow wide as she nods her head.
"What's the job?”
We walk over and sit on the couch, and I tell her everything he told me.
"But I left. I made that decision."
"But Troy, I was ready to be there. You should go."
"I don't want you to leave the people you love."
She grabs my hands in hers.
"But I love you, too."
"Can I tell you something else?"
"Of course."
I scratch the back of my head as nerves take over my body. I can tell her.
"I don't want this to come off wrong, but after you left, I started looking at property."
She turns her head slightly.
"Okay." She nods.
"I found one I thought you would love and put a down payment on it. I have another month to back out."
"Well, that would be silly."
"Not if I stayed here."
"You're not staying here. You need to go. We can make long distance work until I am ready to leave again."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. This time, though, I will have to put a notice in for my apartment and schedule movers. It might be another month, but we have waited this long. What's another month?"
"I fucking love you," I say to her, grabbing her off the couch and bringing her into my lap. "You are the most amazing woman I have ever met."
She flips her hair from her shoulder. "Well, duh." She smiles and laughs.
"Now tell me about this property," she says.
"Well, we would have to build a house and a barn. It's perfect for horses."