Dating an actor might have a few pros, but there seem to be more cons. Joe and I started dating four years ago. My firm was doing some legal work for Netflix around the time they started filming Stranger Things. We ran into each other and flirted the whole week my firm was there.
The day my firm was finally done helping Netflix, Joe asked me out. We've been together ever since. We started out happy. A year into our relationship, we got an apartment together. Two years and we were still deliriously happy. Every day was better than the last. Every day was like a fairy tale, a dream.
But eventually, I had to wake up. We both did. Three years was when we each had that rude awakening. Work got busier for both of us. His filming schedule got more intense. My cases were piling up. It felt like we rarely saw each other. And when we did, it often ended in fights.
This nightmare went on for a year. The longer we were in this nightmare, the harder it was to wake up.
I slowly pulled my phone away from my ear when another call went to voicemail. Tears slowly slid down my face as I put my phone on the table. I covered my face, struggling to stop the sob from escaping. It escaped anyway. And I let it.
Once I had cried everything out, I grabbed my phone again. I pushed on his contact and lifted my phone to my ear. A sob I didn't know I had left got caught in my throat when the call went to voicemail. I don't know what I was expecting and why I was disappointed. The beep made me jump.
"Hey," I said, my voice getting caught in my throat. "It's me."
I opened and closed my mouth, unable to put my thoughts and feelings into words. I struggled even more with telling Joe what I really wanted to tell him.
"I don't know if I can keep doing this, Joe," I sighed. "This is all. . . It's so. . . When we first started dating, we were ridiculously happy. We didn't care about anything other than each other. . . When did that change? When did we become the couple that barely speaks? And when we do speak, we fight? When did we become the couple that rarely sees each other, Joe?"
I took a shaky breath, gathering the rest of my courage. "I can't do this," I whispered. "I can't. . . This is. . . This isn't what it should be, Joe. We shouldn't be playing phone tag. Especially not two days before Valentine's Day. In the four years we've been dating, we've never missed a Valentine's Day. And then I got a voicemail from you this morning, saying you were stuck and wouldn't be back in time to celebrate. . ."
I pulled the phone away from my ear and forced myself to try and get my emotions under control. The feelings I got when I listened to his voicemail this morning came rushing back. I lifted my phone back to my ear and finished what I had to say.
"I think we need a break, Joe."
* * * * *
I looked at my reflection in the mirror, smoothing out my light pink dress. I hadn't planned on going out, but my friends invited me to a Galentine's dinner the day before Valentine's Day. As much as I wanted to refuse, I didn't. I fixed one of my curls as my phone started to ring.
"Where are you?" My friend Alice yelled into the phone as soon as I answered.
"I'm heading out now," I said. "Be there soon."
When I got to the restaurant, I tried to enjoy myself. I tried to relax but I kept thinking about the voicemail I left for Joe. He hasn't responded to it. No call. No voicemail. No text. Nothing.
I thought going to dinner with my friends would help keep my mind off of Joe but the red hearts and cupids in the restaurant weren't helping. I excused myself and headed to the bathroom. I washed my hands, stalling going back to my friends. I finally forced myself to head back to our table. When I did, I wasn't expecting what I saw.
"Joe?"
He turned around and smiled as he saw me. I slowly walked toward him, glancing at my smiling friends before going back to studying Joe.
"What are you doing here?"
"It's Valentine's Day," he shrugged.
"You didn't call me back," I mumbled. He stepped closer to me, gently grabbing my hands.
"I thought this conversation was better to have in person," he said softly. He glanced over my shoulder at my friends and smiled sweetly. "Do you ladies mind if I steal her away for a moment?"
"Nope," Alice answered a little too quickly.
"Take her for as long as you'd like," Maddy chuckled.
With a simple nod to my friends, Joe started leading me to the outside patio. When we got there, I pulled my hand out of his and wrapped my arms around myself.
"Why are you here, Joe?" I asked. "I thought you had to work."
"After I got your message, I jumped on a plane as soon as I could," Joe explained. He hesitated before slowly taking a step closer to me. "Y/N, can we please talk about the break?"
"Why didn't you call me back?" I asked, slightly cutting him off.
"I should've," he sighed. "I know that. But when I heard your message. . . I panicked, Y/N. I had to see you. I had to talk to you. I know the last couple of months have been. . ."
"The last year," I corrected.
"Right," he said, his voice dropping. He cleared his throat before continuing, "I know the last year has been difficult. And I know I haven't been the best boyfriend. I want to be better. I can be better. I know that I've lost your trust, but you must know that I will do whatever it takes to gain it back. I don't want to lose you, Y/N. I love you, baby. Please tell me you still love me."
"Of course," I said, my voice breaking. "Of course I still love you."
I threw my arms around him and smashed my lips onto his. I felt him smile as he instantly kissed me back. Our lips started moving rougher against each other the longer they were pressed together. Joe broke the kiss with a playful smirk on his face–a smirk that only meant he was thinking about something naughty.
"I have a couple of days off," he whispered. "Let's go home and celebrate Valentine's Day."
"What did you have in mind?" I asked under my breath, making him moan. He leaned down but stopped before our lips could touch. As he spoke, his lips barely touched mine.
"Let's go home and make love," he sighed like he was imagining what he wanted to do to me. "We can make love all night long. Until the clock strikes Valentine's Day."
"That's pretty ambitious," I teased.
"I have a lot of date nights to make up for," he said, pulling me closer. I moaned when I felt him start to rub his pelvis against mine. "And I intend on doing everything we would've done those nights."
* * * * *
Joe and I fell into our orgasms, reaching them in sync. He kissed me one more time before carefully rolling off of me. Without a word, he reached over and grabbed my hand. He pulled on it, bringing me to his chest. I draped my arm across his stomach as I leaned my head over his heart.
"I promise I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you," Joe said gently. The season is ending soon. It'll be a couple of months before we start filming the next one. And I promise that I will spend every second of every day fixing it."
"It doesn't have to be just you," I whispered. "My work has gotten in the way of our relationship too."
"You're not the one who travels for work," he sighed.
"Still," I shrugged. "You shouldn't take all the blame."
Joe leaned down and kissed the top of my head. I smiled when he tightened his arms around me.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Y/N," he whispered.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Joe."