Page 139 of Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay
“Mike.”
“Yes, Bea.” He’s reading on the sofa in the living room, blue pen in hand.
“House is looking great.”
“Yes, and…” He pauses to scribble a note.
“When are you going to list it?”
He looks up from the book. “You’ve gotten attached.”
“Can you blame me?” I flop down on the sofa next to him. “My boyfriend has a beach house in La Jolla with a view that could make even former-heartless-lawyer types weep.”
Mike goes quiet.
“Did I scare you with the boyfriend label?”
“Shocked me. I haven’t been anyone’s boyfriend in a very long time. What about you? How long has it been since you’ve been someone’s girlfriend?”
“Couple of years. I broke up with my law school boyfriend when I moved back home and got hired on by my dad’s firm.”
“Nothing after?” A smirk is forming on Mike’s lips.
Is he trying to make me blush? “It’s hard to meet people when you’re Daddy’s little junior partner.”
“Hard to meet people when you’re hoping the handsome actor from your brother’s escape room calls you back.”
“Sometimes I think you’re full of it.”
“I always think you’re full of it.” Mike turns his attention back to the book in his hand. “What about before law school?”
“Sure, I went on a couple of dates, but they never turned into anything serious.”
“Are we serious?” Mike asks.
“We could be.” I lace my fingers with his. “I’d like to be…”
“And serious would look like what exactly? Couch surfing with me while I bounce from one Shakespeare festival to another?”
“If it means I get to see you perform every night, I’m there. I’m sure there are dogs that need walking all over this country.”
Mike dog-ears a page in his book before closing it. “You’d do that? You’d give up your entire career to follow me around as I chase down parts?”
“Yes.” The breeze has shifted, and for once, this room feels stuffy.
“For how long? How many summers before you want out?”
“Come on, Mike.” I rise to open another window.
“I’m serious.”
“Who needs summer festivals when LA is an hour and a half away? Everyone knows that all the greatStarship Cruisercaptains were once Shakespearean actors—”
“You have an endgame.”
“No. It’s too early to be thinking about endgames.” This is true, but it hasn’t stopped me from daydreaming.
“But if you did?” Mike presses.
