33. Everything Hes Ever Wanted

33

Everything He's Ever Wanted

Auston

“It’s a wrap!” Clarence shouts, and the whole crew erupts into roaring applause. This is it. The movie is done, and I’m proud of everyone who helped make it happen. We did a great job.

I give Madison a terse nod—no need to pretend we actually like each other now. My public announcement about her scheming hit her hard. She was furious, and she didn’t show up on set for two whole days, until production threatened her with a fee for holding up the shoot. She lost scores of followers on social media, and rumor has it that Glenn Studios, who was in talks with her for an upcoming movie, is dropping her. Well, you reap what you sow.

I move around to congratulate the rest of the team, shaking hands, giving high-fives, and pulling them into warm hugs. When we first started out, I had no desire to do this movie. But aside from a few hiccups, I’ve had a fantastic time. And it reunited me with the love of my life.

I glance at Emma, who’s standing in the back with her friends, applauding like everyone else. My heart constricts. I’ve been procrastinating asking her how she’d feel about me moving here, but I know time is pressing. I know it seems silly. Of course she’ll be happy about it. We’re dating for real now—we’ve established that. And we’re good together. But as I mull over the idea, doubt creeps in. What if she doesn’t want anything beyond a temporary fling? She was clear about not wanting a boyfriend, after all. Has that changed? Does she really feel the same way as me?

I’ve been a wreck these past few days, trying to figure out how to approach the subject, but I think I should just go for it.

I cross the street toward her, an d Emma’s face lights up when our eyes meet.

“Congratulations,” she says, and Hayley and Alice echo her words.

“Thank you.” I smile. “Um, can I talk to you for a minute, Emma?”

She blinks back, her eyebrows scrunched. “Sure?”

I pull her aside, then shove my hands in my pockets. “I wanted to ask you something. I was thinking of relocating here for a while. What do you think? Just so we can give our relationship a chance.”

“You want to move to New York?” she asks, her eyes stretching wide.

Here we go.

Then, her face breaks into a smile, surprising me. “That’s amazing,” she says. “I thought you were going to ask me to move to LA, or to try to make this work long distance.”

As if I could stand living apart from her. “You have everything here. Your bookstore, your friends. I’d never ask you to give that up for me.”

“But your life is in LA. You’re an actor. Doesn’t that mean you can’t live anywhere else?”

I chuckle. “Nothing is tying me down over there. And believe it or not, actors do live elsewhere in the US—even the world.”

She lays a hand on my chest. “But isn’t LA where movies are made?”

I raise my hands, looking around. “We’re on the set of a movie now, aren’t we? Besides, there are plenty of theatres in New York full of actors.”

“I didn’t know you were interested in theatre,” she says, leaning into me.

I shrug. “To be honest, I didn’t think I had what it takes, but lately, life has been so good to me. I went after what I wanted most, and it worked out. So why not this too?”

“Of course you have what it takes. You’re an excellent actor,” she says, her warm praise making my heart feel full. “After all, you’re the only person who actually got me to enjoy watching movies. I particularly loved the one where you were a baker,” she says, her voice teasing.

I smile. “Then, it’s settled. I’m moving to New York.”

Bringing her closer, I drop a single kiss on her lips. But one kiss is never enough when it comes to Emma. We do have ten years to make up for, after all.

Walking back to my trailer, hand in hand, we gather up the rest of my things, including the coffee machine. Emma insisted it be relocated to my apartment. And who am I to deny that?

“What’s this?” Emma asks, glancing at an envelope on the coffee table.

I draw my eyebrows together, dropping my phone charger into the bag I’m carrying. “I don’t know.”

She hands it to me. On the front, the word “congratulations” is scrawled in Mom’s extravagant handwriting. Probably an end-of-shoot gift. She used to give me those all the time, but she hasn’t in a while. I open it, curious what it could be.

“It’s a script,” I say, walking over to the couch and sitting down. I place the pile of papers on the table and page through the rest of the documents until I find the one I’m looking for. The synopsis. As I read it, my heart twists in my chest.

“Is it good? You look pale,” Emma says, sitting next to me.

At the bottom of the synopsis is a handwritten note. “This is the big surprise I was working on! This role will be perfect for you, and it’s exact ly what you’re looking for. The meeting with the studio reps is Friday at three p.m. Filming starts in Brazil in December! Congratulations, honey.”

I freeze, staring at the piece of paper as if it might explode at any second.

“Auston,” Emma says, a hand on my knee. “You’re scaring me.”

I swallow hard. “This studio wants me for a movie this winter. It’s about an environmentalist fighting to save the Amazon rainforest from a land developer.”

“Sounds great! That’s what you wanted, right? Fewer romantic movies, and more serious projects.”

My eyes lock on hers. “It’s in Brazil.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh, right.”

We stay like that for a while, staring into each other’s eyes. Finally, I say, “I’m not doing it.”

“What! No, you have to, Auston. It sounds like an amazing project.”

I shake my head. “Things are different now.” I don’t know why I considered it, even just for a second. I’m not going to Brazil for months on end when I’ve just reconnected with Emma. When I’m finally happy. When I finally made the choice to try my hand at theatre.

“Auston,” she says, taking my hand. “I understand, but you have to seize this opportunity. You’ve been working so hard for the last ten years for this. It could change the trajectory of your career.”

“Maybe, but there’ll be other opportunities. I don’t want to leave now. I haven’t even looked into theatre yet.”

“Please, don’t do this,” she begs, her face serious. “Don’t turn your back on your dream for me, Auston. I’ll be here when the shoot is done. We can video chat. I can visit you. We’ll be fine.”

My heart booms against my ribcage. “No, I’m not doing that again.”

“It’s not the same.” She squeezes my hand. “My life isn’t in shambles this time. I’m not alone. I have my friends, a job I love, and I’m happy. But I won’t be if you’re miserable. If you don’t go after your dream, and you regret it. Please, don’t pass up an opportunity because of me.”

My chest tightens. “Emma . . .”

“At least go to the meeting,” she suggests, looking at the letter. “You don’t have to do it if you’re not interested. Plus, that will give you time to look into theatre options. But don’t shut it down without giving it a chance. We can make it work, I promise you. It’s during the winter anyway. I spend all my time reading.”

The corners of my lips twitch.

“Please, Auston. I already have my dream job. I want you to have yours.”

I draw her against me, and she settles on my torso. “Fine. I’ll go to the meeting, and we’ll take it from there. You’re a very stubborn woman, you know that?”

She giggles, melting into my embrace. “You’d better get used to it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

A warmth spreads through my chest as I kiss her forehead. We’re fine. No matter what happens, everything is going to be all right.

“Are you okay, lad?” Cillian asks. We’re sitting in the private waiting room at Teterboro Airport, about to fly out to LA for my big meeting with the studio execs.

“I’m honestly not sure how to answer that,” I mutter, my elbows sliding on my knees.

“You know you can still turn around and go back to your girl. You’re your own boss, after all. If you don’t think you’re making the right decision, don’t make it.”

“That easy, huh?” I snort out a chuckle, even though he’s never made more sense.

“Of course it is.”

“It just feels wrong,” I admi t. “Here, I finally reconnected with Emma after all these years, and now I’m leaving again. But I don’t want to. The prospect of doing this movie doesn’t even excite me anymore.” I release a long sigh. “But my mom worked hard to get me this shot. It’s everything I ever wanted.”

“Is it, though?” He drills me with a knowing look.

I stare back at him. “What do you mean?”

Adjusting himself in his seat, he grabs his phone from his pocket. “Stumbled on this earlier. Take a look. It just might put things into perspective.”

Confused, I watch the video he’s showing me, and my heart leaps. Suddenly, everything makes sense, and I’m reminded why Cillian is my best friend. This guy really does have my back. Literally and figuratively.

“So, are we going back to Brooklyn?” he asks, a smile teasing his lips.

I bump my fist on his shoulder. “We are.” Relief floods me, and I’ve never in my life felt so light. “Thanks, man.”

“Anytime. Plus, I’ve always preferred New York over LA.” He winks.

A laugh bursts out of me. “And here I thought your sole agenda was my well-being and protection.”

“Actors,” he says, shaking his head. “So full of themselves.”

I laugh harder.

“You do realize you still have to tell your mom, right?” he says, killing my joy.

“Um. Right.” I scratch my head as we start walking to the exit. “Better rip the band-aid off now.”

Once we’re in the car, on our way back to Emma, I call my mom. She answers on the first ring.

“Honey! How are you? Ready to take off?”

“Well.” I clear my throat, ignoring Cillian’s teasing glances. “There’s been a change of plans.”

“What do you mean?” I can hear her frowning through the phone.

“I’m not going to accept the role,” I blurt in a single breath, looking out the window. And as I say those words, that same feeling of relief washes over me.

“What are you talking about? It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“It was. Thank you for getting it for me, Mom. But over these past few months, I’ve changed. Doing this movie here. Dating Emma. Reconnecting with her. It put things into perspective for me. I won’t leave her behind again. I’m staying in New York.”

“You are,” she says in a subdued tone that catches me off guard. I was expecting a lot more drama, given the bomb I just dropped on her—over the phone, no less.

“You don’t seem surprised. ”

A small chuckle carries over the receiver. “Honey, I see the way you look at Emma, how you act around her. You love that girl. You always have. Don’t think I forgot that you almost turned down your first role for her.”

“I can’t leave, Mom. Not again.”

“I know,” she responds in a very motherly tone. “So, what will you do? Theatre, I’m guessing? You’ve always had a thing for plays.”

One corner of my mouth twitches into a half smile. “Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“You’ll be amazing, honey. At whatever you do.”

My chest warms with gratitude for my mom. In the end, she’s more than just my manager. She’s always been my biggest fan. “Thanks, Mom.”

“But I think you should work with Elaine Carlstadt. She has theatre experience, and you two would get along fabulously.”

My smile falls. “Mom, I’m not firing you. Just because I’m pivoting toward theatre doesn’t mean—”

“It’s a different world, honey,” she cuts in. “Elaine is the right person to help you navigate it.”

“But you’re amazing at everything you do too, Mom. I have no doubt you could figure this out.”

“Maybe,” she says, pausing. “But you know me. I love the glamorous LA life. And the sun,” she chuckles. “Jokes aside, movies and Hollywood are my scene. Actually, I’ve been thinking lately of taking on another client. I’d love to turn someone else into a star.”

I chuckle. That’s definitely Mom’s vibe, and she obviously has a talent for it. “I can totally see that.”

“Well, then it’s settled. I’ll call Elaine now and swing by New York sometime soon. Just think how nice it’ll be to hang out without talking business,” she says, amusement lacing her tone. But I know she means it. Because as much as I’ve loved having her as a manager, I can’t wait to spend quality time with my mom.