Page 70 of Tell Me Lies: Manlove Edition

“You’ve been single for a year. Stan isn’t single. He also wasn’t any good for you. He never deserved you and you deserved better. It’s time you stopped being cranky and hiding away. It’s time you put yourself out there. Why not give this guy a chance?” She tapped the folder with her manicured nail. “He’s passing through and might be a good way to get back on the horse, so to speak.”

“You’re assuming a lot.” Too much, really.

“You don’t know that.”

“What if he’s not interested? He might not be. What if he’s not single? He could’ve found a boyfriend in the last few months. To be honest, he might not even look my way.” Knowing Carsten, he’d take one look at Will and laugh, then run. Or he’d take up where he’d left off ten years ago. “He’s just passing through, but he might not want the complication of a relationship, even for a night.”

She narrowed her eyes and sighed, but didn’t speak right away. Instead, she simply stared at him. The longer she stayed quiet, the more he wanted to run away. Shit. He didn’t need her thinking too hard on this.

“Just because he’s passing through doesn’t mean he won’t be interested. He could be,” she said. “If he’s got any brains, he’ll see you and want to snap you up.”

Oh, God. “What makes you think he’s even looking?” He hadn’t kept up on Carsten, but he doubted Carsten would be single for long.

He glanced down at the file and a few ideas ran through his mind. He sort of knew how he wanted to tackle the concept art and should start pulling the ideas together to create a mock-up.

“Well…” She shrugged and crinkled her nose. “It’s possible.”

“You haven’t answered my question.” He opened his laptop. “What gives you the idea he would even want me? What if he doesn’t want a one-nighter? What if he’s not even looking?”

She rounded his desk. “You’ve got an idea, don’t you?”

“I have a few I’d like to work up for this.” He opened the graphics file and the layout he wanted to try first.

“Then okay. I think he’d be interested because I read an interview he did last week about being lonely. He said he wanted a boyfriend—someone quirky, sweet, and unique. Someone not like the rest. He said he’d keep looking until he found that person, too. That could be you.”

Could be a hundred other people, too. “You’re pushing too hard. Last week you tried to hook me up with that theology professor who said I had cute shoes. He wasn’t even gay and he meant your shoes.” She had to stop.

“I thought he was talking to you and I’m sorry.” She snorted. “Look, I’m tired of seeing you mopey. You’re miserable.”

“Maybe I like being that way.” Not really, but there wasn’t much point in the argument. She wasn’t listening to him.

“You do not.”

“You’re right. I don’t.”

“Then why be that way? You’re not happy. You’re lonely, too. Wouldn’t it be so cool to have two lonely souls come together? It’d be like a movie.” Her eyes twinkled. “I’d love a romance like that.”

“I’m sure you would.” But it was completely impossible. “That’s not how this stuff works, though. Love isn’t that possible.”

“But what if it could be? What if you could have it?”

“Deanna.” She needed to let this go.

“You don’t understand.”

“No, I don’t.” He pushed away from his desk. He’d never get any work done until she gave him space.

“I just mean you have a chance at forever.”

“You think I do,” he corrected. “Carsten Gold never said he wanted to date Will Rohr. He said he’s tired of being lonely. You don’t know that he’s coming here for me. For all you know, he’s coming to town just to play a show and move on. He wants to play and get paid.”

She winced. “True.”

“What happens if you get all invested in this relationship you want me to have, into me being with him, but you find out he’s not interested? What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if there’s no connection?” He’d never survive it.

“Okay.” She groaned. “You take the fun and romance out of everything.”

“I have to because it’s my job. I’m not here to fall in love,” he said. “I’m here to create art and teach students to do that, too.”

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