Page 123 of Best Friends for Never

“How do you know they’re offering me the role? We haven’t even discussed salary.”

Aaron laughs. “Please. That was taken care of before I even sent you the script. They’ve known they wanted you for months now. We just needed to get you on board.”

I grit my teeth. If Aaron weren’t so damn good at his job and didn’t know exactly what he was doing, I’d be pissed as fuck right now. But at the end of the day, I trust him, and I know he’d never steer me wrong.

“I told you I didn’t do these kinds of movies.”

“Yes, so you’ve said, but you loved the script, didn’t you? I knew you would. I just needed you to get past the superhero thing and give it a shot. So I guess youdowant to make these kinds of movies after all.”

Shit. He has me there.

“Let’s make it, then,” he says when I don’t respond. “You have the time. This could beitfor you. It’s the start of a franchise. This couldbe your legacy. You could be the next Iron Man or Captain America. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, Noel. You’ve worked hard to get an offer like this. You deserve it.”

I have worked hard. I’ve spent the last ten years working hard. I wanted a break. I wanted some room to breathe.

But he’s right. Thisisa huge opportunity, and it’s exactly what I’ve been working toward.

So why am I not jumping with joy? Why am I not feeling that flutter of excitement? Why am I not happy?

The answer is lying inside, snuggled up in a cozy bed that I wish I were in—Parker.

It always comes back to her.

I want to do this, but even if what we have survives my move back to LA, I know this movie would mean committing to spending some serious time away from her, and not just now. It will mean months of being on set, long days, and late nights. Then, country hopping, doing promos, talk shows, and everything else that comes with promoting something this big.

Do I want that? Do I want to be away from her for that long?

Yes and no.

It’s complicated, and I don’t want to make this decision right now, but I know I don’t have a choice.

“Noel,” Aaron prods. “What’s it going to be? Are you in or out?”

I take a deep breath, then blow it out slowly, knowing my answer could threaten everything I have with Parker.

“Yes,” I tell him. “Yes. I’m in.”

“That’s what I thought.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “Vince will be in touch with your flight information before noon. I’ll see you Wednesday.”

Then he hangs up, leaving me with a whirlwind of emotions.

I drop my phone onto the table next to me, absorbing the silence while I still can. Soon, I’m going to be back in the mayhem of LA, going to meeting after meeting, then to interview after interview, and photoshoot after photo shoot, only to jet off to another project so I can start it all over again.

I’m unsure how long I sit out here, but it’s long enough for cars and people to start moving about the town and for Parker to come looking for me.

The front door clicks open, and I hear her sigh with relief.

“There you are,” she says, her voice still groggy from sleep. She pulls the door shut behind her and pads onto the small porch. “I was wondering where you ran off to.”

She’s wearing my T-shirt again, a pair of sleep shorts that barely peek out from under it, and nothing else. Her long auburn hair is a tangled mess, and her eyes are a bit puffy, yet she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

She slides onto my lap, and my arm goes around her, holding her close as she settles against me.

I could do this every day.

The thought slams into me out of nowhere, and I instantly know it’s true.

Icoulddo this every day. I could sit here in this tiny town with Parker on my lap and be just as happy as I would be back at my house in LA.

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