After I’m only about five blocks from the theater, I spot a familiar face passing by me on the street. “Shane?”

Today he’s dressed in a fitted black suit and gray tie, looking pretty hot in his business attire.

He smiles the moment his hazel eyes meet mine. “Iris? Hi. How are you? Did you have your audition yet?”

I return his smile with one of my own, flattered that he remembered. “Yes. I just came from there, actually.”

“How’d it go?” he asks with genuine interest shining in his expression.

I shrug. “I won’t know for a week or so if I get a callback, but I feel like I did my best.”

Shane nods. “That’s all anyone can ever ask for, right?”

It’s hard not to get caught up in his positivity. I can’t stop smiling at him. His happiness is infectious. “So what brings you out this way?”

He motions to the restaurant behind him. “I had lunch with a friend and I was about to catch a cab back to work; do you want to share one?”

I shake my head. “I’m heading home to Brooklyn. That’s completely out of your way.”

“I don’t mind,” he answers instantly with an easy smile on his face. “I’ll happily ride in the back of a cab around the city if that means I get to talk to you more.”

Heat floods my cheeks and I know without a doubt I’m blushing fiercely. I chew on my bottom lip while I gaze up at Shane’s hopeful expression. He’s a really nice guy—maybe the nicest man I’ve ever met in this city. I want to give him a chance but I’m not ready to date. I am, however, ready for a friend.

“If I say yes, can this just be as friends?” I ask, hopeful that this doesn’t offend him.

His lips pull into a smile. “I would love to be your friend.”

Twenty minutes later the cab pulls up to a stop on my curb and I push my door open. Shane slides out behind me, asking the cabbie to please wait for a moment.

He turns to me. “Iris, I’d really like to see you again. I know you’ve been hurt, and when you’re ready to date again, please call me?”

I nod. “I will.”

“Great. Oh, and congratulations on doing well on your audition. Let me know if you get the part. I’d love to watch you perform.”

I place my hand on his forearm and give it a slight squeeze. “Thank you.”

Touching him wasn’t exactly meant to be an invitation, but Shane seizes the opportunity to place a light kiss on my cheek. He bites his lip as he pulls back with a bashful expression. “Congratulations . . . again. I know you’ve landed the part, and I can’t wait to watch you perform on opening night.”

I blush and tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I’d love for you to be there. It would be nice to have a friendly face in the audience.”

“Then you can count on it. See you around, Iris,” Shane says before he slips back into the cab.

I watch with my arms wrapped around me as the cab weaves in and out of traffic, eventually disappearing out of sight.

Things would be so much easier if I could just talk to Ace. Maybe if I had closure on our relationship, I could move on with a nice guy like Shane.

ACE

I clear my throat as the phone rings three times before a familiar voice on the other side of the country answers. “Hello?”

“Adele, it’s Ace,” I reply, letting her know who it is so she doesn’t instantly hang up on me.

“Boy . . . where have you been? I thought you were a smart one. Why are you screwing up so bad?”

I shake my head. In the little time that I got to know Adele, I quickly learned that she isn’t one to beat around the bush, so I’ve learned to be the same way with her in return. “I know, but I’m ready to fix it. I’ve got all my issues sorted now, and I think I’m able to handle seeing her without the media circus following behind me. We need to talk without a million eyes watching us. Will you tell me where to find her?”

“Psssssh. I shouldn’t tell you, seeing as how Iris went on national television to reach out to you. The girl poured her heart out. You should’ve called her, even if it was to tell her it was over between the two of you.”

It’s like Adele to just shoot an arrow into the center of my chest, making me feel like the biggest fucking asshole in existence, but I had my reasons. “Iris was the one who told me to leave. She was the one who said that she didn’t want me anymore—that she was afraid of me. Leaving and cutting all contact with her was the wrong thing to do, I know that now. I should’ve stayed. I should’ve made her see that I would do anything to protect her, but I needed to give what happened between us space.”

“I think she might’ve been worried that you couldn’t control your temper, but you could’ve proved to her that you could. I mean, hell, she fell in love with you, didn’t she? She must’ve seen the caring side of you too, and I’m sure that far outweighs everything else. She told you to leave to protect you. I suppose all she was trying to do was save you from getting discovered. Why didn’t you call her and let her explain all that¸ then you all could’ve worked everything else out?”

There are so many things I wish I could’ve handled differently. Sometimes I think if I would’ve just stayed put and refused to leave her side, things between us would be so much better right now. I could’ve proved myself to her—made her comfortable with me—but running again has only screwed things up more.