Victoria's eyes filled with tears. "I'm scared I'm going to lose you again. And this time it'll be because I wasn't enough, not because of circumstances or our parents or anything external, just because I failed." "You're not failing." "Aren't I?
I missed our call because I lost track of time in a meeting. I prioritize conference calls over you. I keep choosing my company." "Because that's what you've trained yourself to do for 7 years. It's muscle memory.
But you can build new habits. We both can." Victoria wiped her eyes. "I want this to work so badly, but I don't know how to be what you need." "What I need is you, not some perfect version, just you.
Messy, complicated, workaholic you." She laughed through her tears. "That's a low bar." "It's the only bar that matters." They held each other for a long time.
When they finally pulled apart, something had shifted. The fight had cracked them open, but instead of breaking, they'd found a way through. "I'm going to do better," Victoria said. "I'm going to set boundaries at work, make time, be present. And I'm going to stop expecting you to be available every second, give you space to be who you are.
We're going to screw this up again," Victoria said, "multiple times, probably." "Yeah, but we'll figure it out. That's what people do. She kissed him. Soft and slow and full of promise.
I love you. She whispered. Lucas's breath caught. She'd never said it. Not since they got back together.
He'd been waiting, hoping, but giving her space to get there on her own time. I love you, too. He said. I never stopped. The weeks that followed were better.
Not perfect, but better. They talked more honestly, fought less destructively, learned each other's rhythms and boundaries. Victoria started blocking out time on her calendar specifically for calls with Lucas. Lucas started being more flexible when her schedule changed unexpectedly. They were building something, slowly, carefully.
But the distance was still killing them. I hate this, Victoria said one night during their call. I hate that I can't just drive over and see you, that every visit requires plane tickets and planning and coordination. I know. Something has to change, Lucas.
This isn't sustainable long-term. What are you saying? Victoria was quiet for a moment, then I'm saying one of us needs to move. And I think it should be me. Lucas sat up straight.
What? I've been thinking about it for weeks. My company has offices in Denver. Smaller than San Francisco, but functional. I could relocate.
Work remotely more. Build a life there. Victoria, you can't just uproot your entire life. Why not? What's keeping me in San Francisco?
An empty apartment? A job that makes me miserable? I have money, Lucas. More than I could ever spend. I don't need to work 80 hours a week.
I choose to because I didn't have anything else. And now you do? Yeah, I have you and Mia and the possibility of something real. Lucas's heart was pounding. This is huge.
You can't make this decision lightly. I'm not. I've been thinking about it constantly, talking to my board, my team. I can make it work. I want to make it work.
What about your mother? She'll be fine. She's happy with your father. They'll visit. We'll visit them.
It's not like I'm moving to another planet. Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing. When would this happen? I need a few months to transition, get the Denver office up to speed, but by summer, I could be there permanently. Permanently, Lucas echoed.
If you want me to be. Did he want that? Did he want Victoria Hale moving to Denver, inserting herself into his daily life, becoming a constant presence instead of a weekend visitor? Yes. The answer was yes with every fiber of his being.
I want that, he said, more than anything. Victoria's smile was audible through the phone. Then it's happening. I'm coming home. Lucas told Mia the next day.
Sat her down after breakfast and explained as simply as he could. Victoria's going to move to Denver. She's going to be around a lot more. Mia looked up from her cereal. Like live here?
Not in this apartment. She'll get her own place. But yes, she'll be in Denver. Is that okay with you? Mia thought about it seriously.
Will she come to my soccer games? Probably. If you want her to. And will she still read me stories? I think she'd like that.
Then it's okay. Mia went back to her cereal like they'd just discussed what to have for lunch, not a major life change. Lucas laughed. That's it? Just okay?
Yeah. Victoria's nice and you're happy when she's around, so it's good. Sometimes kids made things so simple. The next 3 months were a whirlwind. Victoria flew back and forth between San Francisco and Denver constantly.
Lucas watched her navigate boardrooms via video call from his kitchen table, watched her slowly extricate herself from the day-to-day operations of her company without abandoning it entirely. She found an apartment 10 minutes from Lucas's place. Modern, but not ostentatious. Big enough for her to work from home, but small enough to feel intimate. "I'm downsizing," she explained while showing him photos.
"I don't need 3,000 square feet and a view of the bay. I need a home." In early June, she moved. Richard and Margaret helped along with Eleanor. It was strange seeing their parents work together to carry boxes and assemble furniture.
Strange, but good. "I can't believe this is happening," Eleanor said to Lucas while they were unpacking kitchen stuff. "My daughter, the billionaire CEO, moving to Denver for a man. She's not moving for me. She's moving for herself."
"Don't be modest. She's doing this because she loves you." "And I love her." Eleanor smiled. "I know.
I see it. You're good for each other." She paused. "I'm sorry I doubted you. Back at the cabin, I was trying to protect her."