Page 26 of It Must Be Love

I didn't want to be in his predicament. I could fall in love with a girl that my parents would accept and avoid all the drama. Ann was best-suited for that despite the fact that we seemed to be off again more often than on again in the past decade and a half that we'd been doing our relationship dance. We first dated in junior year at MIT and broke up after we graduated. Then we got together a few years later and broke up after six months.

In between Ann, I didn't have any long-term relationships. I had more one-night stands than dates and I'd been fine with that. Fuck them and forget them. And the women I was with wanted that exact same thing.

Ann and I were fuck buddies. Exes who scratched an itch if we were in the mood and we weren't in a relationship.

One such fuck-buddy session turned into two and then three, and we were once again in a relationship. Ann was different this time. She wanted it to last, she'd told me, and she was making the effort.

Whenever we broke up in the past, it had been because I didn't have time for her, and she threw tantrums. That led to arguments and finally there would be one fight that crossed the line, and we'd break up.

This time, Ann was putting up with my work and personal calendar without complaining.

I had been clear with her that a relationship could not mean dragging me to parties and events I didn't want to go to. I would not change how I lived my life, and I didn't expect her to change hers. She'd readily agreed and so far had kept to the bargain. She didn't pout when I was traveling for a week and came back to spend a weekend whitewater rafting.

"I want us to support each other, be partners—not fight all the time. I can't do it anymore, Ann."

"No fighting. I promise, Amias. This time I'll make the compromises."

"Ann, I don't want you to compromise. I want us to have a partnership where we're equally invested in a relationship without losing who we are as individuals."

"I understand. I won't ask you to become someone else like I used to. I promise. I'm going to make you happy. You won't regret it."

For the first time since we began dating, there had been absolutely no fights.

After years of battling, it out with Ann, I usually just said my piece and then went my way. That pissed her off because she wanted a big shouting match, which I detested. Now, she was solicitous and didn't try to goad me into an argument.

She was needy, sure, but compared to how she used to be this was a walk in the park. For that, I could tolerate the where are you messages and her wanting to stay the night more often than I was comfortable with. It was a small price to pay for what I got in return, I'd decided.

My relationship with Ann was exactly the way I wanted it. Then why the hell did I want to break up with her?

"Leander has a fucked up life." Hayes picked up an olive and bit into it. "How's Isolde?"

My sister, the middle child, had married into a real estate family and seemed fairly content with her life. Her husband was an obnoxious prick, but she didn't seem to mind. She had three kids, two nannies and a new very expensive bauble every time I saw her. I could guarantee her husband was fucking around. I doubt she'd care if she knew, or she already did and didn't give a shit.

"You know Isolde, she makes anything work."

"And she likes her diamonds."

I let out a harsh laugh. "Yeah, she does."

"Like Ann?"

"Ann is nothing like Isolde. Ann is not a stay-at-home mom…or a mom?" Hayes pointed out.

"She wants us to get engaged. My parents rented a chalet in Switzerland for Christmas and she's hoping I'll do it there."

"She's been dropping hints?"

I shook my head. "No, man, she balls out told me she wants to get engaged and move in with me."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Not comfortable."

"Because?"

Because I was spending way too much time thinking and worrying about Naya. She'd been working at my company for three years now and it was these past weeks that I'd really started to know her. I liked her. I admired her. I had tremendous respect for her.

"Baggage from the past," I white-lied smoothly.

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