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before him. “Nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody has to start somewhere.”
    “My family thinks I’m a fool, rushing off to New York and chasing a dream,” she admitted. “I’m afraid everyone back home will find out that I’m a failure.”
    He leaned forward and placed his hand over Natalie’s, “There’s nothing wrong with going after what you want.”
    “What do you want?”
    The question hung in the air.
    “I don’t even know anymore,” he said quietly.

Chapter 6
    “I’ll be honest,” he started, “I don’t even know who my friends are anymore. Once you hit a certain level of success, people want things from you. It’s easy to have a lot of people you know, and not get attached and hurt.”
    She was surprised by his painfully honest response. He wasn’t just smoke and mirrors; there was a real man under that tough exterior.
    He continued, “I guess I want to thrive in business. I don’t really put a lot of effort into my personal life. It’s easier that way, partying, pretending like it all doesn’t matter, but I guess sometimes it feels empty and gets old. Honestly, I think I’m lonely, but I’m almost afraid to admit it to myself. I’ve watched my father go through one woman after the other, after I lost my mom. I just didn’t want to be him, but I’ve been using them in my own way, refusing to give more of myself than a brief encounter.”
    She liked this more vulnerable man before her. There was something attractive about his brutal honesty. They could at least be friends . After all, they were about to share five years together.
    “What?” H e noted the way she was looking at him.
    “Nothing, I just saw this sweetness in you, a little boy lost in a grown man’s body.”
    “You’re a beautiful woman,” he said, changing the topic, “but I’d love to get to know you better, too. I’m thinking there’s more to you than you’ve shared so far.”
    It was only fair. He’d shared something personal. She lowered her gaze to her drink, not wanting to look him in the eye as she spoke.
    “I’ve always thought I wasn’t good enough. I’ve always come in second place in life. So I have this insane desire to prove I’m worthy enough to be in first place. I’m driven by the stupidest little things.”
    “You took first place this time,” he said, reaching across the table, resting his hand on hers. “I chose you.”
    There was a moment between them, their eyes connecting. This wasn’t good. They weren’t supposed to get attached. This wasn’t emotional. It needed to stay a business transaction. He was the first to break away, pulling his hand back.
    “So, tell me about your family. I’d love to hear about my future in-laws.” Redirecting the conversation felt safer. This sharing personal crap was risky, especially if your heart got involved.
    “Ah, Mom and Dad, they’re your standard parents. Happy for me when I succeed, disappointed when I have ideas of my own. They push me to want more, than make me feel guilty when I dream big. You know, conflicted over whether they want me to soar or want me to stay close to home, so they can watch over me and tell me what to do.”
    Michael laughed. “That’s quite a description. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
    “One older brother. He’s an engineer, married, has one kid, another on the way. What about you?”
    “No, only me.” His voice got quiet. “You know, I looked back through all of my contacts, and there wasn’t a single person I would consider asking to step into the role of my wife. It was eye opening. I don’t have a lot of close connections. I tend to keep people at an arm’s distance.”
    Natalie felt the hidden pain in his voice. He was speaking words that he wished weren’t true. “It’s an odd situation, isn’t it?”
    “I hope we can become friends through all of this.” He looked sincere.
    “That would be nice,” she replied, keeping eye contact, trying to read anything he was willing to