My mouth opens wide, and I shake my head. “As in the Oscar-winning, Israeli goddess, and every teenage boy’s wet dream… Zaria Shafir?” He nods and continues tidying. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Why in the world would she tell you?I’mnot supposed to be telling you until it’s a sealed deal. She spoke to her people late yesterday and hopped on a plane last night.”
That’s why she was gone before me yesterday. She was working on Nate’s big idea. When I thought she was going to get an actress, I figured it would be a B-grade actress, not the world’s most wanted female celebrity right now.
“Right… when will she be back?”
He shrugs. “Not sure. It depends on how long it takes to seal the deal.”
I nod and turn, walking out of the room, my head spinning slightly from the information overload.
One—Zaria Shafir.
And two—Tillie left without telling me.
I’m not sure how that sits with me.
I thought we were at least at the stage of sharing that kind of information.
Walking out of Oliver’s office, I head to Tillie’s because I know no one will come in there, and I pull out my cell and dial her number. It rings twice, and she picks up.
“Hey.”
“Hi, um… why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”
She’s quiet for a moment, and the silence is deafening.
“Tillie?” I ask, making sure she’s still there.
“I’m here, just confused. I wasn’t sure what stage we were at. I didn’t want to overwhelm you by telling you where I was going and risk you thinking I was trying to take this to a place further than you’re ready to go.”
“So you didn’t tell me because I want to keep us quiet? Is this like a payback thing?”
She scoffs. “What? No! How could you think that? I’m trying, Ryan. I’ve never had a relationship like this one. I have no idea how I’m supposed to act or what I’m supposed to say or do.”
“And that’s because of me?”
“Well, yeah… you’re the one making the rules on us.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to know if you jet set off somewhere.”
She exhales. “I’m sorry, I read it wrong.”
I’m not sure what to say back, so there’s an awkward silence that filters over us.
“Tillie, I’m ready to discuss now,” a voice echoes in the distance down the line.
“Look, Ry, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you when I get back?”
“When will that be?”
“I’m not sure.”
I exhale and nod, swallowing hard at the awkward tension between us. “Okay. But, Tillie, be safe.”
“Of course, I’ll see you soon.” She ends the call, and I slump down into her office chair, resting my forehead and arms on her desk.
“Fucking hell,” I murmur under my breath as I close my eyes, wishing I hadn’t talked to her like that. Now, she could be away for days, and that’s the last conversation we’ll have until she gets back.
