Page 39 of The Grumpy Actor

“I discovered I was a pretty good actor in junior year. I joined the drama club as a volunteer to increase my chances for a good scholarship and ended up getting cast in a role,” Liam says softly. “I didn’t understand it back then, but everyone at school kept talking about it.”

The darkness in his eyes wears off a little as he begins to talk about acting.

Liam is wrong about one thing—he definitely loves acting.

“At first, it was troublesome being asked to join the club permanently and feature in plays. And when Julian finally convinced me to join, it was another hassle dealing with competitions.” Liam grins. “Then, one day, we were going through the list of judges for a competition when one of the drama club members mentioned the net worth of one of the judges, who was an actor. That’s when it occurred to me that acting could be my ticket out of poverty.”

That’s totally understandable, because even I would have had the same thought.

“When I told Julian about my wish to become an actor and my reason for it, he didn’t judge me. Instead, he said he’d study to be the best manager around so we could both make tons of money.” Liam sighs. “I didn’t expect it, but acting became my life, and then came the need to excel at it. I wanted to be the best.”

I was right. He does love acting. The way he talks about it and his constant need to improve stems from his passion.

I smile. “And it all worked out in the end.”

“It did, even if I had to make so many decisions I didn’t like.” He holds my gaze, and his blue eyes grow misty. “I was so scared of failing and going back to square one that I thought I had to let go of everything that might distract me. So back then, I foolishly chose to break up with you.”

That’s it.

I knew there had to be a bigger reason behind our breakup. It makes things so much easier to know that reason now, but it doesn’t make me feel any better about myself that I was nothing but a distraction to him.

That hurts.

However, after hearing what he had to go through to get to where he is today, I can’t blame his decision.

I might have chosen to do the same thing if I was in his shoes.

“I don’t blame you. You did what you thought you had to do,” I say, swallowing the lump in my throat. “But how about now? Do you still think a relationship would be a distraction for you?”

Things should be different now that he’s made it this far. That could mean we have a chance after all.

My heartbeat skyrockets as I stare up at him with hopeful eyes.

It takes a while, but Liam slowly says, “Yes.”

My heart breaks into a thousand little pieces. The little hope I’d been clinging to dies abruptly, and it slowly dawns on me that I am indeed falling in love with him all over again.

Now that I know the truth about him, it will be that much harder not to fall.

“It looks like I have it all now, but I can’t let my guard down. Life throws curveballs at you when you least expect it,” Liam says.

“I understand.”

No, I don’t.

I want to believe I understand, but my heart is breaking in such a way that it’s hard to comprehend what’s happening.

It hurts even more than it did when we ended things seven years ago.

“But I can’t get my mind off you.” He takes my hand and turns my face toward him. My heart stills for a moment as I stare back into his misty eyes. “It’s scary, and I don’t know exactly what it’ll be like, but I know I want to give us a second chance.”

“W-What…” I stutter, momentarily losing my voice. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying I’d like for you to be my girlfriend again. If you’ll still have me.”

Joy bursts through my heart even before I can fully assess the gravity of his words.

I know he believes a relationship is still a sort of distraction, and I know he still doesn’t believe in love, but I want to do this.

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