Chapter 40
LUKE
The text arrived just a moment ago, and I already knew it would change everything.
It’s official. You got it, baby. Filming starts in a week. Call me.
My manager’s words were still glowing on the screen, but I couldn’t bring myself to respond. Not yet.
I paced the kitchen, phone still in hand, trying to breathe around the knot tightening in my stomach. This was it. The role I’d fought for, reshaped myself for. The role that could redefine my entire career.
And I got it. So why did it feel like the floor had shifted under me?
I had kept glancing at Anna throughout our day at City Park, trying to memorize how she looked, with her hair catching the sunlight, her smile wide and unguarded. She made everything feel perfect.
And now, everything was about to change.
How was I supposed to tell her I’d be leaving soon? I knew what I had to do. She said she would never leave New Orleans, but what was holding her here? I had to ask her to come with me. But uneasiness flickered in my stomach.
What if she said no?
I rubbed the back of my neck. I thought about how she’d leaned against me by the lagoon, the smell of her hair mingling with the warm scent of the oaks, and I couldn’t shake the ache in my chest.
Before I could even process it, my phone buzzed again. This time it was an actual call. I sighed, knowing I couldn’t dodge Bob for long. I answered, holding the phone to my ear as I leaned against the desk. “Hey, Bob.”
“Hey? Hey? That’s all I get?” Bob’s voice boomed through the speaker.
“You, my friend, just landed the role of a lifetime. Gerald Fargo is over the moon. He’s telling everyone you’re ‘a walking metaphor for the tragic comedy of existence’ or some artsy nonsense like that. Translation: you crushed it.”
I shook my head. “Well, I’m glad my helping-my-girlfriend-dressed-as-a-jester moment landed with him.”
“Landed?” Bob scoffed. “No, it soared.”
“Well, I’m glad he’s thrilled,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
Bob caught the hesitation in my voice. “What’s this tone I’m hearing? Don’t tell me you’re second-guessing this.”
“No, I’m not,” I replied quickly, though the tightness in my chest disagreed. “It’s just... the timing’s complicated.”
“Ah, let me guess,” Bob said, his voice dropping into mock seriousness.
“The timing involves a certain New Orleans jester-slash-girl-next-door? Listen, I get it. She’s great.
But, Luke, this is Hollywood. Opportunities like this don’t wait.
You can’t afford to get tangled up. You’ve got a week to prep, and then it’s showtime. No distractions.”
I wanted to argue, but the words caught in my throat. Bob sighed, lowering his tone. “Look, I’m not saying don’t be happy, okay? But don’t forget what got you here. Don’t lose sight of that. You can’t have it all, buddy. Not in this business.”
“I hear you,” I said, though my chest tightened even more. “I’ll figure it out.”
“You’d better,” Bob quipped. “And hey, if it’s any consolation, Fargo thinks you’re a genius. So, there’s that.”
I forced a laugh. “Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, Bob.”
“Anytime, Romeo.”
I shoved the phone back into my pocket just as Anna walked into the kitchen. “What was that about?” she asked, tilting her head.
I hesitated, then forced a grin. “Just Bob. Trying to find me something else to audition for. You know how he is.”
Her brow furrowed slightly, concern flickering in her eyes. “What about the audition with Gerald Fargo? Did Bob say if it went okay?”
I hesitated, the truth sitting heavily on my tongue. “Not yet,” I lied, forcing a grin. “Bob’s just... Bob. Always trying to find the next thing for me to chase.”
She studied me for a moment, her expression unreadable, before nodding. “Okay,” she said softly. “But are you sure you’re alright? You seem... I don’t know, off.”
My chest tightened, and before she could press further, I pulled her into a kiss. Her hands slid to the back of my neck. The kiss was sweet, warm, and everything I needed. But as it ended, the heaviness in my chest didn’t lift.
I brushed a strand of hair from her face and tried to smile. “I’m fine.” The words felt thin, hollow.
As she turned back toward the window, humming, I stood frozen, watching her. My heart raced for all the wrong reasons. She deserves better than this, I thought, the doubt gnawing at the edges of my mind. She deserves the truth.
The words from Bob and the text replayed in my head. One week. How could I leave now? The thought of living away from her felt impossible.
I wouldn’t be able to keep the truth from her for much longer. And as I stood there, staring at her, the realization hit me like a gut punch: I might have landed the role of a lifetime, but what if I lost Anna in the process?