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Ouch. The sadness drifting across his face stung. This whole time, he assumed I'd pack up my bags and leave? I replayed every moment with him and never had he let on that he feared an impending separation.

I brought his hand to my lips, kissing his knuckles. “If you thought it’d end, why let it begin?” This is where Bobby and I differed. I don’t know if I would have taken the leap knowing it’d end, even if on good terms.

“Things don’t last.” I frowned. “No, it’s not a sad thing. Change is a good thing. In this case, I got to enjoy time with a handsome man. Who knows what the future holds? Instead, I want to live in the present. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have found a man who makes me laugh until I hurt.”

Bobby lived in the now while I thought about the future. He enjoyed the present while I fret about what might happen with my career. There were a thousand little decisions happening in my head, but they’d all come crashing down with the next words out of my mouth.

I trembled as I spoke. “I’m going to say no.”

It had entered the universe. I couldn't turn back, not now.

I might never get another role. The studio might blacklist me, and I'd be reduced to playing corpse number three on a prime-time crime drama.

At the same time, the decision belonged to me.

I wasn't going along with everybody's expectations.

For the first time in years, I was rediscovering myself.

His head tilted to the side. “No?”

“To the movie.”

“I can’t let you do that for me.”

My grip on his hand tightened. “Not for you. Because of you.”

“I’m not following.”

My brain worked at a thousand miles an hour, trying to figure out how this would disrupt my life.

I closed my eyes, inhaling through my mouth and letting it slowly escape from my lips.

As I repeated it, I could smell the damp earth.

In the distance, an owl hooted while a smile spread across my face.

“I came here to get away from the media. They crucified me. I needed some distance to realize it wasn’t because the movie was bad. No, it was my best performance to date.”

“You were good.” He watched it? Every time he spoke, the feelings in my chest overwhelmed me. Unlike the lake, he created turbulent waters splashing against my heart.

“They didn’t like it because it wasn’t what they wanted.

Why am I making decisions about my life based on what they say?

” Pulling his hand to my cheek, I brushed my stubble against his coarse skin.

“I want to do the things that make me happy. I realized I wasn’t living my own life.

It took somebody to slow me down. A wise man once said, ‘Change is a good thing.’”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be the reason you throw away such a big opportunity.”

“It’s not an opportunity. Not really. Not for me, at least. I don’t quite know what I want to do with my career. The situation needs a little distance. I know you’ve figured out who you want to be when you grow up.” He smiled. “I need a little more time.”

His thumb ran back and forth along my cheek. With the last bit of light, I followed a tear as it ran down his cheek, vanishing into his mustache. I wiped it away, holding his face as he did mine.

“What do you say? Willing to put up with a boyfriend with no job and no clue what he’s doing with his life?”

It started with a smile, then a chuckle, and then he roared with laughter.

Whatever tension I had vanished with the boom of his voice.

No matter how complicated the situation, Bobby had the ability to de-escalate it.

The future would be there tomorrow, but when I was with him, I wanted to exist in the here and now.

“Don’t expect me to be your sugar daddy.”

“But you’d make such a cute daddy.”

“Give the beard a few years; I’m sure it’ll be white as snow.”

“You sure you’re okay with this?”

He leaned forward, kissing my forehead. “If you’re passing on the opportunity because it’s what you want, then I’m okay with it.”

“What if I’m passing because I want to, and it gives me more time with my boyfriend?”

His face scrunched up as he weighed the options. “I can live with that.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. This conversation had weighed on me since the call with Tessa.

I wasn’t passing on the offer for Bobby, but the more I got to know him, the more I envied his outlook.

He was happy with the life he created for himself.

I wanted to create a life I could settle into and be proud of myself. It was time to live on my terms.

The sun had dipped low enough that it had grown hard to see. I held up a finger and clamored to my feet. Walking along the pier, I climbed into my car. When I flipped on the headlights, shadows stretched along the pier.

Bobby had gotten to his feet while I threw open the passenger door. I could see the confusion on his face. I’ll admit, I enjoyed seeing the expression. Why waste an opportunity to win brownie points as the boyfriend?

I plugged my phone into the car. With a couple of clicks, the music started. I cranked up the volume and climbed out of the car. His confused expression hadn’t vanished. When I returned, standing close enough, his breath warmed my face.

Standing in the headlights while a sappy song played, I held up my left hand. He left me hanging for a moment, leaving me wondering if I had laid it on too thick. Bobby took my hand, trying to decide if the other rested on my waist or across my shoulder.

“Mr. Wright, have you never danced with another man?”

“You’re checking off a lot of ‘first-time’ boxes.”

I moved his arm around my neck and rested my hand on his waist. We weren’t graceful as we swayed about the landing. Toes were crunched, and we did our fair share of bumping into one another. We might not win a dance competition, but I’d be more than happy to bumble along with him.

“I’ve always wondered who leads. They didn’t answer that in the brochure.”

“The taller person.” I created the arbitrary rule. “So, I guess that means…”

I shifted, holding up my other hand and moving my arm to his shoulders. Bobby took the lead. More toes were crunched. “Don’t worry, I’ll show you a dance move or two.”

“I’m not sure that’ll ever happen.”

“Oh? So, you’re not going to show off some dance moves at the concert?”

“I’ll sit in the back and listen.”

“Or…” I gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Time for the finale.” I took the lead, spun out, and then came back in. He held my waist as he dipped into me. Oh yeah, Bobby knew exactly what he was doing. Until he dropped me.

I hit the pier with a thud.

“We’ll work on the finale,” I said.

He reached out, offering me a hand. “We’ve got time.”

Yes, we did, and I wanted to make the most of every minute.