Heartbeats Away From Disaster

Straightening out my shirt and running my fingers through my hair one last time to make sure I was presentable, I came to a stop in front of Justin's office and then raised my arm, knocking softly. Justin's voice called out a 'come in', and I quickly obliged, interested to see why he had asked me to early today. Just as I walked in, Justin finished printing out some documents, and then he glanced up at me while he gathered the papers together into a neat pile.

"Hey Mitz," he smiled before he nodded to the empty seat across from him, "have a seat."

I did as I was told, and then crossed my legs at my ankles, patiently waiting for him to start the conversation.

"Thank you for coming in early today." He said, setting the papers aside and then leaned back comfortably in his seat, "I wasn't sure whether or not you got my message last night."

"I'm sorry I didn't answer when you called." I apologized, "Craig and I had a barbeque last night and we were outside visiting with our friends; I didn't hear the phone ringing inside."

"Its fine," Justin replied, waving it off with a smile. "But, I asked you to meet with me this morning because I have an offer I'd like to discuss with you." Justin paused slightly as he handed a file over to me. Flipping it open, I saw it to be documents pertaining to the new restaurants Justin was planning to open in Chicago. "As you know," he continued, "I'm expanding the business elsewhere. The grand opening in Chicago is set six weeks from now. I want you there."

"You want me to plan the openings for the three restaurants over there?"

"Yes and no." Justin replied. "I want you there to plan the openings, and I want you to stay there to manage the restaurants. You've been with me since the beginning, Mitzi, and I trust you to oversee business over there."

"You want me to move to Chicago?" I asked quietly, slightly dazed by the offer.

"Business will pay for your apartment in Chicago. I know that you are with Craig, and that everything you know is here in Michigan, which is why I was thinking of the possibility of you staying in Chicago for three or four weeks at a time, with a week off for you to come back here. Again, travel expenses will be paid for by the business." Justin explained.

Silently I sat there, staring at the folder in my hands, staring at what could possibly be my future if I chose it to be. Sensing my hesitation, Justin sighed quietly.

"I know it's hard to think of being so far away from everybody," he said softly, "I'm not asking you to give me a decision right this moment. Just ... consider it please? I've learned through these years that this business is full of cutthroat people, and that there are not too many people you can trust; you're one of the few people that I can trust, Mitzi. I can trust you to take this job and see that everything is done right."

I nodded my head slowly. "I'll think about it Justin." I said quietly. "When would you like my answer by?"

"Well, I'm going to need you in Chicago to finish planning the grand openings regardless of whether or not you decide to stay there." Justin said. "I'm sending you over there to meet with some of my associates next week, and to start with the preparations. Take that time to decide what you want to do, and by the time you get back I'll be expecting an answer."

"And if I decide not to do it?" I asked.

"Then you're fired." Justin replied with a soft smirk. I raised an eyebrow, which caused Justin to laugh before his expression turned thoughtful once again. "If you decide not to do it, then I'm going to have find someone to manage them." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "I just wanted to give you priority because you've been with me since the start."

"Are you going to find another event manager and base them in Chicago if I turn down this offer?" I asked curiously.

Justin shook his head. "I trust that you'll be able to handle both locations." He smiled. "So for now, take your time and think about it. I'm sending you to Chicago next week to start with the plans. Take Craig with you; you two can talk about it and decide what you want to do."

"Alright." I said softly. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Justin."

"Of course." He smiled. "And no pressure, Mitzi. It's completely up to you whether or not you want to take the job. If you don't want to, there're no hard feelings here."

Nodding my head, I gathered the contents of the folder together and then stood up. After Justin and I exchanged our goodbyes, I exited the office and then made my way through the building to the bar. Although it was just 10:30, there were some people about, tending to their own business, preparing for when the restaurant opened in a couple of hours.

The bar was also the place where I chose to set up my laptop for the day, and I saw that it was just as I had left it. Making my way through the room, I took a seat at my 'station' and then set the folder down on top of my other paperwork. I sat there, staring at it for an unknown amount of time, millions of thoughts running through my mind.

The sight of a midori sour being placed beside my laptop brought me back to reality, and I looked up to find Dee standing behind the bar, examining me with her brown eyes. She nodded down to the drink she had made for me before she spoke up.

"You look like you need one of those." She said simply.

I shrugged slightly and then took the glass in my hand, taking a sip of it. "Justin just offered me the job of managing his new restaurants in Chicago." I said. "I guess I'm still a bit dazed about it."

Dee's eyebrows seemed to rise involuntarily. "You're moving to Chicago?" She asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know; I haven't decided yet. He said that I'll probably work and stay there for three weeks at a time, and then I'll have a week off to come back here."

"How do you think Craig will feel about it if you do take the job?"

"I have no idea." I said truthfully. "He knows that I love my job, but I don't know what he'd say if I decided to take the job. He'll either order me to take the job or lock me in my room to keep me from going."

Dee laughed softly and then tilted her head to the side a bit. "Well, if he doesn't lock you in your room, I can image that the rest of the guys would do it instead."

Rolling my eyes slightly, I suppressed a smile and nodded my head all the same. "Of course, they're always insisting I go wherever they go." I said. "Did you know that when they left for their first tour, they got my drunk and took me with them once I feel asleep? By the time I woke up we were in Kansas City and I had to catch a bus back here because I had to work."

Dee stifled a laugh and then shook her head. "Those boys are silly." She said. "Yet interesting."

Raising an eyebrow in a teasing manner, I smiled and asked, "interesting enough to go to dinner and a movie with?"

Dee's cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink. "Matt's a sweetheart." She admitted before she looked across the room to where someone had called her name. "I gotta get back to work, Mitz, I'll talk to you later though."

I bid Dee goodbye and then took another drink of my midori sour. Instead of doing my work, I spent a majority of my time debating on how to bring up the topic of me possibly moving to Chicago to Craig.

-|| FF Two Weeks ||-
"Baby, are you ready yet?" Craig called through the bathroom door.

"Almost." I replied as I adjusted my strapless bra. I opened the bathroom door slightly and then poked my head out, coming face to face with Craig. "Craigery, can you hand me my dress please?"

"Where is it?" He asked.

"It's lying across the couch." I replied.

"Alright," Craig mumbled as he walked away from me, and disappeared into the hallway that led to the living area of our suite.

Craig and I have been in Chicago for one week now, and tonight was our last night here so we decided to go out to dinner. I felt bad that I spent most of my time working on the grand opening, so when Craig asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner with him, I said yes even though I was dead tired.

Craig reappeared before long, packing with him my dark blue strapless dress. I opened the door as he approached and he let his eyes wander over my body, a smile pulling at the corners of his lips before he handed me my dress. Without saying a word, I opened the door, inviting him inside.

He sat up on the counter top, watching me silently as I slipped into my dress. I backed up toward him and waited patiently as he zipped it up for me. After he zipped it up, he turned me around to face him and then wrapped his arms around me, holding me close to him. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly.

"What do you think of Chicago?" He asked.

"I like it." I replied. "What do you think?"

"I like it too." He agreed softly. "I think you should take the job." He said slowly.

"Yeah?"

I watched as he nodded his head. "Take the job, give it a shot. I know you love your job, you seem to like it well enough here in Chicago. Tell Justin that you'll take the job." He said.

"But ... I'll be gone for weeks at a time." I mumbled. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Mitzi, it's no different than when I'm gone for months at a time." He whispered.

"It's hard to leave you, though."

"Now you know how I feel whenever I have to leave you in Michigan." He replied softly. "Give it a shot, Mitzi."

"I don't know, Craigery." I whispered. "I think I'll get too homesick. I'll miss you like crazy. I won't be able to do my job if I’m busy crying around about how much I miss you and the guys."

"Mitzi Lynn," Craig sighed as he reached up and ran a finger across my lips. "Take a chance and see how it goes." He insisted. "I promise you that I'll be there waiting for you to get back; I won't go anywhere."

Staring up at him, I saw the honestly in his bright blue eyes. I bit my lip and thought to myself for an unknown length of time before I finally reached a decision. Slowly, I nodded my head in agreement.

"Alright," I whispered, "I'll give it a shot. If I don't like it, I'll tell Justin that I can't handle it."

Craig smile as he reached down and squeezed my hand tightly. "You're gonna kick ass at it." He assured me.

I tried my best to believe his words, but something told me that these coming weeks were going to be absolute hell.