Page 83 of Give Me a Reason

Pete:

Hey, did you hear?

Frederick sighed and typed out his reply.Hear what? You crying like a baby over that K-drama you’ve rewatched ninety-nine times? Are you at the part where he gets taken back to North Korea?

Pete:

First, this news is so juicy I’ll forgo FaceTiming you to flip you off. Second, I’m going to find the nanny cam you planted in my living room.

Frederick sighed even more ponderously and slumped back on the sofa, his thumbs moving over his screen.Fine. I’ll bite. What’s the juicy news?

Pete:

Are you sitting down?

Frederick:

For fuck’s sake!!!

The extra exclamation marks were warranted. His best friend was irritating as hell.

Pete:

Okay, okay. Geez, I’ll tell you. You’re so impatient. Are you that curious?

Frederick was ready to throw his cell phone across the living room. He’d been close to doing that even before Pete texted him.

Pete:

Anne got the leading role in a Jane Austen adaptation!!!

He blinked. And he blinked again. He couldn’t decide whether those exclamation marks were warranted without further explanation.

Frederick:

Explain.

Pete:

You know that productioncompany A2D? They are hot as hell right now.

Pete:

Anyway, they cast her for the role of Elizabeth Bennet in their adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Our girl is going to Hollywood, baby!

Frederick swiped a hand down his face. She’d always been too good for him, but this put her in a different stratosphere. He planted his elbow on his thigh and cradled his forehead in his hand.Don’t be a selfish bastard, Nam.This wasn’t about him.

Anne chose this for herself—the role she’d been waiting for—and he was so fucking proud of her. She wanted to act in Hollywood on her own terms, and she was damn well doing it. He wouldn’t let his insecurities make him intimidated by her success when he never doubted she would.

If he allowed her brilliance to dissuade him from pursuing her, then that would make him a bigger coward than he already was. It wasn’t even a decent excuse. Being with Anne had always made him a better version of himself. With her by his side, he had no choice but to become worthy of her.

Pete:

Hey, you still there?

Frederick:

Yeah, I’m here.

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