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No, they could work it out. If they talked about it, if they made aplan…
He couldn’t think about this right now, not with Stu waiting for an answer on a critical career decision. Not with his mother looking at him with expectant excitement in her eyes. “When do I have to decide?”
Lulu’s eyebrows shot up. “Why do you even have to think aboutit?”
Stu also looked surprised, but at least he tried to hide it. “He’ll want an answer soon. I can probably buy you a couple of weeks.”
“Micah?”
Micah ignored his mother. “Thanks, Stu, I’d appreciatethat.”
“Micah, why do you have to think about it?” Lulu’s surprise had turned to confusion. He’d always been open with her about his plans and projects. She knew how much he admired Santini, how this film could change his entire life. Of course she wouldn’t understand.
And Micah couldn’t explain it. How could he? She’d left her marriage to pursue her career. How would she understand Micah’s hesitation over a woman he’d been seeing for a handful of weeks?
Stu seemed to sense the conversation Micah needed to have with Lulu was personal. “I’ll leave you to discuss this. Just let me know, kid.”
“Thanks again, Stu.”
Stu had barely stepped out of earshot before Lulu was questioning her son again. “Micah, why—”
“I just do.” He ran his hands through his hair, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse to give his mother. “It’s a long time out of the country. And I was looking at that Soderbergh project.”
“Soderbergh is nothing compared to this offer. This is Oscar material, Micah.”
“Soderbergh could be Oscar.” Now he dragged his hand over his face. Maddie. That’s all he could think of. Maddie. How hard it was not to give that as his defense, his every excuse. Maddie, Maddie, Maddie.
Unable to keep her name off his lips he said, “There’s also Maddie’s film. Her movie is brilliant. And I want to be involved in more than just acting.”
“That’s the great thing about working on investment projects. You give your money and you’re done. You don’t have to be present forit.”
Micah turned to study Lulu, searching for some clue as to how he could explain his conflict. “But I really want to be here to see it picked up. I’m invested in it.” It would help if he thought he could be honest with his mother. If he could have just told her how he felt about the woman in the other room, maybe she’d understand.
“Micah Drew Preston. Are you sleeping with her?” Or maybe she wouldn’t understand. “Is that what this is about?”
He cringed at his mother’s questions. “That’s not what this is about, Mom.” Yes, he was sleeping with Maddie, but that wasn’t what his New Zealand hesitation was about. Not entirely, anyway. What he had with Maddie was so much more. Wasn’tit?
“You were a mess after that Nikki woman, I can’t believe you’d get yourself involved in another situation likethat.”
“Maddie is nothing like Nichelle.”
“I’m just so surprised, Micah. I know you’re considered a ladies man, but I’ve never seen you make career decisions with your Peter.”
“Jesus Christ, Lulu. I am not making any career decisions tonight. I need some time to think about it, that’s all. And, frankly, I’m really uncomfortable talking about this withyou.”
Lulu’s face bunched up and he feared she might cry. God, please don’t let her cry. “But you always talk to me about your film projects.”
Great, he’d officially hurt her feelings. “I didn’t mean my projects. I’m not comfortable talking to you about my sex life, Mom.” He put his hands on his mother’s slim shoulders. “Just give me some time to think aboutit.”
“Okay, okay. I just don’t want to see you throw away all the time and energy you’ve invested in your career. Not over somegirl.”
The sympathy he’d felt for her a moment before disappeared at her flippant dismissal of Maddie. “We’re done talking aboutthis.”
“Fine.” She rolled back her shoulders and patted the sides of her hair, composing herself. “Do you have my ticket? I need to use the restroom before the show starts.”
Micah dug in his pocket and found his mother’s ticket.
“I’ll meet you inside.”
