Page 110 of Don't Quit the Day Job

"So what do you guys want to do for dinner?" he asks.

"I think that I am going to go to a meetup tonight," Marie says. "So you guys can do dinner without me."

"Okay," he says. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure."

"What about you, darling? What would you like?"

"I was thinking maybe we could do Korean barbecue," I say softly.

"Ooh, sounds great," he says. "I love some galbi."

"Yeah, me too." I play with my hair idly and peer at him from under my lashes. "Hey, I was thinking that maybe this weekend we could go to Chinatown and…" He stares at me for a couple of seconds and shakes his head slowly.

"This weekend?"

"Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"Oh, actually, I'm going to be out of town this weekend, but maybe the following weekend."

"Oh, okay, sure. I didn't know you were going out of town."

"Oh, it was just a last minute thing," he says, clearing his throat.

"Where are you going," I ask softly, smiling as if I don't know.

"Oh, just…" he rubs his stomach suddenly. "Hey, Marie, I think I will have a strawberry milkshake after all, that looks so good.” He walks into the kitchen and grabs a glass. “Do you mind making me one?"

"Sure, big bro." Marie nods slowly. Her eyes are on me and she wrinkles her nose. She noticed, just like I have, that he changed the subject.

Why would he do that? I think to myself. He doesn't want me to know that he's going to D.C. He doesn't want me to know that he's hoping to get another job. Doesn't he trust me? Doesn't he care about me enough? Maybe this relationship wasn't as serious as I thought. Am I a fool to be giving up my dreams for Max and he's not doing anything for me? The money is great, but I want more from life than money. I want more from him. And if I can’t get that then I need to remember what my dreams have always been. I grab my phone and open my email and check to see the link that Skye has sent me.

I click on it and decide that I'm going to submit my name for an audition, even if it means going to L.A. If Max is looking for other jobs and doesn't care about staying in the same city as me, then I'm going to do the same thing. I'm not going to be the woman that gives up everything in my life for a man and for love when he doesn't even care about it.

My heart breaks slightly as I stare at him, dancing around the kitchen, acting goofy. He looks over at me and gives me a big, wide smile, his blue eyes light and happy. I love this man. I love him more than I thought I could ever love anyone. But I'm not going to put myself in a position where he can break my heart and leave me with nothing. I'm not going to put myself in a position where he can leave and I've got nothing to fall back upon. If he wants to have his secrets, he can, but then I'm going to have mine as well.

Chapter Thirty-One

Max

"Thanks for the ride, Henry.” I say as I get out of the car and head into the office.

It's Monday morning and I've been gone all weekend and I'm missing Lila. I can't wait to see her. It's been the longest amount of time we've spent apart since we decided to start seeing each other.

I head inside and walk toward my office, but I frown when I see that she's not at her desk. It's already eleven o’clock. I grab my phone and call her, but it goes to voicemail.

"That's weird," I mumble out loud, then I decide to call Marie.

"Hey, big bro. How's it going?" She answers on the second ring, sounding her usual cheery self.

"Hey, I'm good. I was just wondering if you know what Lila's been up to."

"Um no. Why?"

"She's not at work."

"Oh, she's not back yet?" she says.

---