Page 70 of More than Paper

He loves me.I already know I love him but I didn’t expect him to tell me so soon.

I blink back tears. “I love you, too.”

He kisses me. “Why don’t you move to New York.”

“Leave Chicago?” I cry out.

“Yes. We can go visit whenever you want.”

Leave Chicago. Move to New York.

“Let’s sit down.” He pulls me over to the couch and onto his lap.

“What about my job?”

“You hate your job.”

“Yeah, but it pays my bills.”

“I’ll pay your bills. You can focus on writing and getting your books published.”

I jerk my head back. “What?”

“You don’t have to worry about work. I’ll take care of all the money.”

“What? I can’t not work.”

“Why? Focus on your writing. Get your books published. They’re incredible, and I’m not telling you that to be nice. You have talent, and you’re wasting it working where you are.”

What is he thinking?

“Thank you for believing in me, but honestly, you can’t just pay all my bills.”

“Yes, I can. I have more than enough money.”

“This isn’t about how much money you have.”

He looks at the ceiling then back into my eyes. “Don’t you want to be together. In the same city?”

“Of course. That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

“You can’t bankroll me.”

“You make it sound like I’m trying to do something horrible. I have the money...more than enough. You should be writing and not working at a job you hate. I want to be with you. All the time, not just here and there. What else is there?”

“My life in Chicago. My friends and family. I can’t just up and move at the drop of a hat.”

“Quinn, listen to me. I’ll give you a credit card. You can fly in and out whenever you want. You won’t ever have to ask for money or anything like that. You just use the card and do whatever it is you want to do. You can focus on your writing. We can be together. What objection could you possibly have with all of this? Unless you don’t want to be with me?” His voice lowers a notch.

I lace my hands through his hair. “Jamison, being with you doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m trying to tell you.”

“Then what does? I don’t understand. I have the money to make all this work.”

“It’s not about money.”

Frustrated, he holds his hands in the air. “You don’t make sense. You say it’s not about the money or me, then what is the issue? I’m giving you the resources to fly back. I’m telling you whatever you need I’ll give you. I don’t understand.”

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