Page 54 of One More Round

Oh my gosh. I can’t believe I got the job. I mean, I can, because I worked my butt off for it, but it’s been the longest interview process ever. And now I finally know. I’m both thrilled and sad at the same time. A few months ago, I was excited at the prospect of trying something new. Taking the next step in my career. Getting out there and actually interviewing the showrunners and actors that I’m writing about. Attending red carpets and awards shows and reporting on the winners and losers. I had made peace with the idea of leaving Morgan and taking this next step on my own. But now … now Simon is in the picture.

And things are really good with Simon. We are finally on the same page.

But I haven’t mentioned this to him yet. And I will once again be walking out of his life. I’m not ready for us to be over when we’ve just begun.

Sighing, I close my laptop and go in search of Morgan. I need her advice on what to do but I know she isn’t going to go easy on me. While things are back to normal, I can tell that what happened between us still lingers in her mind.

I don’t even take a step out of my room when I hear Simon and Dex’s voices coming from the living room. Like me, she’s been watching the stream as well. And like me, she really doesn’t know what is going on, but it’s more entertaining than watching a tournament since they are having fun, raising money, and interacting with fans.

She is sitting on the living room floor with her back against the couch and her laptop set up on the coffee table.

“Whatcha doing?” I ask as I sit down in the chair.

“Watching the guys,” she replies.

I laugh, “Yeah, I see that, but what are you doing on your laptop? Are you designing things?”

“Ah, yes, kind of. There is the free online site that makes designing easy. I always have Nicole in the design department make me stuff, but she is going on maternity leave in a couple of weeks and I don’t know how fast I’ll get my images back from the design team. So, I thought I would learn this and do things myself,” she offers.

“Oh, cool. Is it easy?”

“Surprisingly, yes. It’s actually kind of fun,” she says with a smile. “And it’s free.”

“Nice!”

“What’s up with you?” she asks

“Ah. Well, I got the job,” I tell her with less excitement than I expected.

“What? That’s great news!” She smiles widely at me. She closes her laptop and crawls up to the couch. Her happiness quickly fades to concern. “Wait, you don’t seem too happy about the news. I thought we were hoping for the job.”

I groan, “We were hoping, and I am happy, but I don’t know why, I just kinda feel sad,” I tell her.

“Simon?” she asks, cocking her head.

I nod and look down at my hands in my lap.

“What does he think about this job opportunity? I’m guessing you haven’t told him the good news yet,” she asks.

“More like, I haven’t told him at all,” I admit, still unable to look her in the eye.

“Gia! Seriously! I thought we said no more secrets,” she exclaims. I can tell by her voice that she isn’t mad, but shocked.

“I’m not keeping any more secrets. I just haven’t told him yet,” I mutter.

“Hey.” She reaches out a hand and places it on my knee.

I look up at her and all I see is concern in her features.

“Why haven’t you told him yet?” she asks.

“Because I wasn’t ready to lose him. We started being friends again so quickly and then went beyond that even quicker that I just didn't think about how I needed to warn him that I might be leaving. You know he would have turned tail and run,” I say.

“Maybe, maybe not, but now you will never know,” she offers.

Groaning again, I shift so my head is in my hands resting my elbows on my knees. I talk through my hands.

“He’s going to hate me again.”

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