“Understatement of the year,” Melissa teased her.
“Right? Okay, so set the whole Hollywood complication aside and there’s already a problem. He’s not the type of guy I usually date. I’mnotlooking for a permanent relationship. There’s no time in my life for that crap. I’m busy, I’ve got things to do.”
“And…?” Melissa prompted as she stuffed a chip into her mouth.
“He’s not the type of guy I date,” Alex repeated. “He’s smart… funny. And he’s caring. I feel completely at ease with this man and I’ve only known him for a week. And yet, I feel like we’ve become close friends. I know way more about him than I should in such a short time frame, and vice versa.”
Melissa spoke around the chip. “Definitely not your usual type if you actuallyknowsomething about him.”
Alex snorted. “Yeah, so you see my problem. Geez, I just pitched my dream job to the management team this week, and I think I’ll get the go ahead. If the approval comes through, I’ll be working so much overtime in the next few months, probably well into the next year. And likely traveling more than I am now. This is the worst possible time to be considering an actualrelationship.”
Melissa perked up, tilting her head to the side. “Are you considering a relationship?”
“Well, I wasn’t. But apparently, he is. I mean, what the hell?” She inhaled deeply and exhaled in a slow release, then sipped her margarita.
“Seriously?” Melissa yelped.
“Yes. Driving back from Galveston this weekend—”
“Wait, you spent the weekend with him? At the beach?” Melissa interrupted.
“Er, yes… did I fail to mention that?”
“Spill,” she commanded.
“We rented one of Gary’s cottages and spent the weekend together in Galveston. Two days of awesomeness.”
“Sex?” Melissa asked.
“Mind-blowing,” Alex answered.
“Ha! I knew it. Anyway. On the way back…?”
“On the way back, he hits me with wanting to see more of me beyond this week… wanting to date and be a couple. Those are my words, not his. From the things we’ve talked about, he seems to be at a point in his life where he wants more than what he’s getting from his career. Apparently, this past week has brought that into focus for him. And that brings us to problem number two. The Hollywood matter. I have no idea how to deal with that aspect.”
“But don’t you think he does? I mean, you could take your cues from him,” Melissa said.
Alex sipped her drink, collecting her thoughts. She turned back to Melissa, who sat quietly, waiting for her to continue.
“I suppose. It’s a complete unknown for me right now.” Alex paused to grab another chip. “The third major concern, and probably the most important, is I’m not at that point in my life. I’m still exploring and having fun. I’m not ready to settle down. I mean, am I just supposed to give up everything I’ve worked for just to follow some big-shot celebrity around? I don’t think so.”
Melissa scooped up a hefty dollop of queso with a chip, shoved it in her mouth, and held up a finger while she chewed. She followed up with a long sip of her margarita and faced Alex.
“Alex,” she began, “I’ve known you a few years and feel confident saying this… you’ve got relationship issues. You think your mom sacrificed her career for a man and you’ve sworn never to do that. I think this perspective short-changes you. Yes, you are busy. But you make time for your friends and doing the things you like to do. Why couldn’t you make time for a relationship with a guy? The Hollywood matter is intimidating and somewhat surreal, if we’re being honest. But if Finley McAlister ticks all the boxes for you, then why not give it a chance?”
Alex opened her mouth to argue, but Melissa continued before she could speak, “You know, there’s a bonus here you haven’t considered. In every one of your previous dalliances, you held all the power.”
“What do you mean?”
“You made more money, you had a bigger title, you traveled all over the world… You setallthe rules of engagement. Every single one. If you really think about it, those were problems for you. You felt like the only grown up in those relationships. Dating a world-wide movie star would eliminate every one of those issues.”
Alex slumped back against the couch, staring at Melissa. “Huh. I’ve never thought about it that way. But you’re right, I’ve always been the one calling the shots. And Fin and I would be equals. Hell, probably not even equals.Hewould have the power.”
“I doubt it,” Melissa said. “I’ve never known younotto have the power, also known as control.” She laughed, and Alex grinned at her.
“This is true,” Alex said, and raised her glass in a toast.
“Okay, so tell me what all y’all did this weekend. Go anywhere good?”
