Page 133 of The Fallacy of True Love
“Good.”
“Go back to class.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll call you tonight.”
Damn, but I liked the sound of that—both his statements. “Good luck.”
Ending the call, I put my phone down and smoothed my fingers over the note. The memento of my first day in Manila.
How could something feel like it had happened so long ago but also like it had just been yesterday?
Everything I knew about time seemed to change. Its speed and motion varied, shifting around the axis that was Alonzo. Despite reminding myself not to get my hopes up, I wished I could fast-forward to the day he would get here.
In the meantime, I busied myself with my project, content with knowing that he would call.
Alonzo
My Monday ended later than usual because I took over Fred’s shift in exchange for last Friday. On the one hand, it gave me an easy escape from having dinner with my parents. My dad and I had barely exchanged two words with each other since yesterday’s brunch.
On the other hand, I had to wait longer to talk to Maya.
I dialed her as soon as I got to my room, and she answered the video call with an abrupt, “I got the offer.”
It took a second, and then I grinned. “Of course you did. Congrats, Maya. I’m so proud of you.” My brain was already working a mile a minute. Did that mean she would be coming to Manila every month? When was she starting?
“I haven’t accepted it yet.”
I sat on the edge of my bed and tried to keep my disappointment from showing. “When do you need to decide by?”
“Monday at noon. Apparently, they have priority ones and twos. All the ones got the offer today, and if any of us say no, they’re opening it up to the twos next week.”
“That’s practical.”
“So, you’re not going to convince me to take it?” she asked, her brows knitting together.
It killed me that she had any doubts about my feelings for her. If I allowed myself to be selfish, I would have begged her to take the job, but she needed to make that decision on her own.
Still, I couldn’t leave her wondering where I stood.
“Maya. Do I want you to accept the offer? Hell, yeah. First, because you wanted this enough to go through that boot camp. Second, because it would be a great career opportunity for you. But honestly? I also just love the idea of you coming here every month.”
“They lowballed me.”
I frowned. “What?”
“The salary they offered me—it’s on the lower end of their range they listed.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.” I scratched my head, hating that she didn’t get a better offer. If only I could talk with her hiring manager to negotiate. Anything to fix the situation.
“I’m just going to have to prove them wrong,” she muttered. “If I say yes.”
She got my hopes up with her first sentence and dashed them with the second. “I understand why you’re having second thoughts, and that’s completely fair. I won’t try to talk you into saying yes, because it’s your career. Whatever you decide to do, I plan on seeing you as often as I can—if you let me.”
“You’re so annoying,” she said halfheartedly.
I smiled. “And yet you’re still talking to me.”
Her eyes slid away from mine. When she spoke, her voice was softer. “It feels like a huge commitment.”
