Page 53 of Unscripted with Mila

“I saw you with MJ. You didn’t look happy.”

I shook my head. “We’re arguing. Nothing new. But I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine.”

“Why are you so far away, then, Mila?”

“I was trying to maintain a professional image, Nick.”

I studied her. She was a lousy liar.

“You’d make a terrible actress, Shortcake.”

She sighed. “We need to talk.”

“Now?”

“No. Not here. Tonight.”

“Fine. Dinner. My room or yours?”

She paused. “Mine.”

“Are you breaking this off?”

“No.”

I heaved a long exhale of relief. “But you want to talk?”

“Yes.”

I glanced over my shoulder, then swiftly changed chairs so I was closer to Mila. I reached out and grasped her fingers that were restlessly drumming on the tabletop. I liked the fact that as soon as our digits became entwined, we both relaxed. “Was last night too much, Shortcake?”

“Last night was incredible.”

“You don’t regret it? Regret me?”

“No.”

“Okay. Then tonight, we’ll talk about us.”

She nodded.

“In the meantime, I have a couple more questions.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“You said I was your muse. Why?”

“You kept coming to mind when I wrote Duncan. You have—” she swallowed and paused “—you have emotions in your eyes I don’t think anyone sees. Anyone but me.”

“Anyone but you?” I repeated.

“They see the actor. The performance.”

“And what do you see?”

“I see the pain you hide from the world. The way Roxie could see Duncan’s pain.” She frowned. “I wrote him using your description because when I saw him, I always saw you. I saw your pain. Your turmoil. It’s part of the performance, yes, but it’s part of you. It lives in you. You bear it alone.” She hesitated. “Don’t you?”