His expression tightened. “That’s not what I’m asking.”

“Then what are you asking?”

“For us to look.”

That stopped me.

“Not move,” he said. “Look. If it doesn’t work for both of us, I turn it down.”

“You’d do that?”

He blinked. “Claire. You’re my wife.”

The answer was so obvious that I felt slightly foolish for needing to hear it.

Still, I pointed at him.

“I’m not putting this house on the market until I know where I’m getting a paycheck.”

“Fair.”

“And we don’t tell your parents anything until we know this is real.”

“Also fair.”

He slowly reached for his phone.

“Now can I call Tom?”

I sighed.

“Call Tom.”

Chapter 2

Things moved faster for Mark than for me.

By Friday, he had completed two video meetings and had a formal interview scheduled for Monday.

The hospital system I worked for did have operations in Colorado, including a large facility in Aurora, but the first procurement position that matched my experience had been filled nine days earlier.