“I want you to be happy, Noah,” Mom reiterates in our weekly video chat. She believes it’s her mission in life to keep my feet on the ground.

She forces me to call the same time and day no matter where I am. Right now, I’m sitting in the car outside of a condo I’m looking at leasing in Tampa. The realtor is standing at the front of the car, clearly pissed.

What can I say? I’m a mama’s boy, always have been.

“I am happy.” I give her my best reassuring smile.

“You’re lying.” She pulls the phone closer as if she’ll be able to see me better. “I know you better than that.”

She’s the only person in this world who loves me beyond all my faults. She has also spent a great deal of time drilling that into my head, but it’s true. When my life fell apart, she forced me to move on. Losing Tanya was a crossroads in my life where if I went the easy path, I’d be God knows where. Mom wouldn’t allow it.

I owe her everything. If one call a week is the only thing she asks for, I’ll give it without reservation.

“What could I be sad about?”

She looks off to the left and sighs. “That’s for you to figure out, but maybe it’s time for you to open yourself up a little. It’s been a long time, Noah. A lot of things are different, you’re different.”

I don’t want to talk about this. “I’m moving that way,” I say, hoping she’ll shift the conversation away from Tanya.

“Oh? How so?”

When my mother can see my reactions, it makes it harder to blow her off. I’m pretty sure this is why she insists on video chats instead of phone calls. “A few things, Mom. I got another project on the docket, I auditioned for it a few months back, not thinking much about it.”

She smiles. “Tell me about it.”

I fill her in on all the details of the movie. I’ve done a few small roles in film, but nothing spectacular. This would be a lead, and it’s working for a director I highly respect. The film isn’t a genre I would’ve typically looked for, but since it was Paul Skaggs as the director, I took a chance. Hopefully, I don’t fuck it up and this is the transition into more film than television.

“I feel as though this is a good move for you, Noah,” Mom gives me her beaming smile that’s filled with pride. “Tell me what else is new. I feel like there’s more you’re purposely leaving out.”

She’s like a shark who smells blood in the water. “There’s not much to say, it’s very new.”

“You’ve met someone?”

It’s easy to forget that my family and real friends don’t read the shit on the internet. They’re not worried about what new drama the media has created to sell magazines. If there’s news, they hear it from me.

“You’d like her.”

I know I do.

“Tell me.” She smiles. “What’s her name?”

Trust isn’t the issue for why I’m hesitant, there’s nothing in the world that would make my mother betray me, but naming Kristin means opening myself up to a million questions.

“Noah Frazier, why are you making that face?” Mom asks after I’ve been quiet too long for her liking.

I never could lie to her, which is sad since my job is acting. “Her name is Kristin, she’s a single mom, has two kids, and lives here in Tampa.”

Her lips purse. I knew it. “Single mom?”

“I know what you’re thinking, and I would never do anything to hurt her or the kids. I’m aware of what it means.”

My father left my mother when I was four. He took every penny she had, the car, and never looked back. She somehow was able to push on with her life. My mother worked two jobs but was at every soccer game I had, and I had no idea we were poor. The older I got, the more she would share about being a single parent and the reasons she wouldn’t date.

One being my father hadn’t returned and she still felt he was her husband. That was, and still is, the most ridiculous thing ever, but I think there is more to it than I know.

My mother’s eyes are full of concern. “That’s not my worry, Noah. It’s that you live a life that isn’t family . . . friendly. Are you ready to even consider something where you are more stable in where you live? If she’s from Florida, how are you going to have a relationship?”

I clench my teeth so I don’t say something rude. “I’m sure if it gets to anything more than friendship, which is all we are at this point, we’ll figure all of that out. It’s all just happened, and I’m not sure that she’ll even warm up to the idea of dating.”

She laughs. “You’re crazy if you believe she won’t see what a good man you are. I think you need to be careful, though. Not just for yourself, but for her and her children. A mother doesn’t take chances when it comes to the hearts of her babies.”

Who knows if it’ll even come to that. At this point, Kristin doesn’t want to chance anything. It’s clear that she has feelings for me, but I see the hesitation in her eyes. Proving myself won’t be easy, but then again, nothing worth having is.

I smile, remembering her face the other day. Her mouth opening and closing when I let her know what my plans were. Wait until tomorrow when I really turn on the charm.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve waited a long time for a girl like her, I won’t be taking any chances.”

Her lips turn into a flat line, and she releases a breath through her nose. “Lord help her . . . and you. I hope to meet her soon.”

“I hope so, too.”

This meeting is taking fucking forever. I keep scrolling through my phone for anything interesting as they drone on about the movie and filming schedule. Focusing is damn near impossible when all I seem to think about is Kristin.

“And you understand this means we’ll start filming much sooner than we originally planned?”

It’s been almost a week since I’ve seen her. I’m trying to play this cool, not asking for her number, not emailing her, pretending like I’m letting her lead a little, but I’m anxious to see her again.

“Noah?” My agent elbows me.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you were fine with the schedule adjustment.”

I glance at the paper, now being that asshole who comes to the meeting and doesn’t pay attention, and nod. “Looks good.”

My agent clears his throat, and I push Kristin out of my mind. This is my career, and I can’t screw this up.

The meeting resumes, and we talk about the locations, and the female lead stares at me from across the table. She’s pretty, but definitely not piquing my interest. Her smile is soft, but it looks like she’s trying. Her eyes are blue, but not with the shine that Kristin’s have.

Fucking hell.

Again.

I’m right back to where I started—thinking of her.

My phone screen lightens, and it’s the realtor.

“I have to take this,” I explain as I’m already out of my chair.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Mr. Frazier, it’s Sommer,” she says nervously. “How are you?”

“I’m in a meeting but wanted to take your call.”

“Oh,” she says quickly. “I won’t keep you. I wanted to let you know that if you want the condo, it’s yours. The owner is motivated and, well, you were approved.”

This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done to be close to a woman. I’m renting a fucking condo in a town I have no intention of staying in, just to be around her. I kind of had to after I told Eli I would do the first article, but when I decided to be an idiot and allow the second article on me, that was because of her.

Everything I’ve been doing is because of her.

Yet, I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

I’ll force her to do another article, rent another condo, or whatever it takes until she gives in. I’ll be as patient and persistent as I need to be.

I’m a fucking goner.

Sommer clears her throat. “Sorry. So . . .”

I think about being closer to Kristin and there’s really no other answer.

“I’ll take it.”