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“I don’t know,” I admit. “I can’t promise I won’t have to travel because that’s the nature of the job.”

“I know that.” Her voice is low. Cautious. But the hopeful sparkle in her eyes surges my own. “I wasn’t expecting you not to.”

“But you thought I’d film this movie and then hop a flight to London or LA with Fen and that would be that,” I surmise.

“I don’t know what I thought. All this happened last night, and I haven’t gotten that far yet, but yes, before, that’s what I assumed.”

“I’d like Boston to be home base for the foreseeable future. This film runs through early spring, and after that I’ve got two other films lined up that I’ve already signed contracts for. I made those deals before Fen came, but… Fen needs stability. He needs a regular home. So I’ll work out things for these two projects, and after that, I’ll either do local to New England films or… I cut back for a while, or… I don’t know.”

Her eyes bounce enormously wide.

“Are you bringing a nanny with you for those two projects?”

I can tell she doesn’t like that, and I can’t blame her even if it stings a bit. I’d never in a million years cheat, but this is new and I don’t have the best reputation in the past with women.

“I don’t know what I’m doing about that yet. My mum is going to come to the States to help with Fen for a bit when I start shooting, which is great, but after that, I don’t know. He will need some form of childcare that meets my hours and potentially travels with me. And there are these brilliant inventions called airplanes,” I add. “I’m told they can transport people across great distances in mere hours.”

She rolls her eyes. “Sounds fake, but okay.”

“The point is, if I have to go somewhere for a while, maybe you and Fen could come with me for part of it. Or I fly back on days off. And if I do get a nanny for Fen, I’ll make sure it’s a man or a grandmum or someone you approve of. Regardless of who they are, they’ll know I’m with you, and that means I’m with no one else.”

She smiles, liking that.

“We’ll figure it out. People do this all the time, don’t they?”

“Famous people with normal partners? I’m not sure the data supports that theory.”

I laugh softly. “First, there’s nothing normal about you, Keegan Fritz.”

“Truth,” she agrees, but I quickly press on.

“And second, look at Tinsley and Stone. He’s a doctor, same as you, and she’s always off filming and playing concerts. They don’t have a Fen, but fuck. I’m not saying it will be easy. The press attention alone will be... challenging.” I search for the right words. “But I’ve done the math in my head a hundred different ways, and every calculation ends with the same result. I want you with me. I want Fen with me. The alternative is worse than whatever obstacles we’ll face.”

“Are you trying to make me swoon? I should totally write this down and put it in one of my books.”

“You’re teasing me now.”

“Actually, I’m kind of serious.”

The baby monitor crackles with a small sound. Not a cry, just Fen shifting in his sleep, and we both glance at it reflexively.

She turns to me, her expression softening. “I have another job, you know. As an author.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re not the only one who’s been thinking. Part of what I came to this island for was a bit of soul-searching. I love being a doctor, but I love being an author more. It’s what I think I wantto do on more of a full-time basis. I have a few more months left on my residency, and after that, well, nothing says I have to be a doctor full-time. I could be per diem hospital staff even.”

I blink at her, floored by that. “What are you saying?” Now it’s my turn to pose that question.

“You really want this?” she counters.

“I want you and Fen,” I correct. “That’s all I know for sure.”

She’s quiet for a long moment, her eyes searching mine. “Your accent gets more British when you’re trying to convince someone of something,” she says. “Did you know that? It’s pretty sexy.”

My lips bounce. “I hadn’t, actually. Is it working?”

She smiles, and something in my chest unclenches. “Maybe.”