The Actress' Husband

Episode 39: Anxiety

Episode 39: Anxiety

"I want you to meet my parents."

Emily's caramel eyes flitted across the personal training room at a Nicholas whose face was strained with veins popping from his neck and a heavy weight being lifted over his head. He didn't, scratch that, couldn't make eye contact with her as she stared at him in a daze.

"They're coming to New York tomorrow. It's quite abrupt of them, but I'd never deny them a visit. They spend most of their time away from me anyway."

"So how do I come into this?"

Lowering the metal gear as if it had been much of a challenge for him, he sat up on the bench as sweat rolled down his exposed chest. The prominent abs below flexed with each breath that he took and the woman had to will herself not to get distracted by his amazing body. They were having a serious discussion after all.

"What do you mean by that?" His eyebrows pulled together as he reasoned. "My parents are coming tomorrow and it would be the perfect opportunity for me to introduce you to them before they go back to vacationing in whatever tropical paradise. It would be good for you to see them before Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Our announcement as a couple can be made in the New Year after all of that has been sorted out."

"But my series doesn't come out until the end of January." Emily mumbled in despair.

Wrapping a towel around his moist neck, the man stared at his wife, knowing exactly what she was getting at.

"Okay, after your series airs, then we can break the news."

He knew how much tying her success in the series - which will be inevitable - to her relationship with him was dreadful for her. She feared what people would say about her starting over and nailing such a much anticipated series, originally published as a novel, so easily. Foolish lips will open and speak nothing but unfavourable things. If it wasn't because for her sake, Nicholas wouldn't give a shit about what people had to say with regards to them. Because he knew what they were to him already, but Emily just couldn't have the same mindset as him. And he wouldn't force her to.

A blinding smile broke out onto her face and he was reminded of when they first met, thinking that she was the perfect candidate for a Colgate commercial.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She squealed, throwing herself into his arms.

They were both very sweaty from working out together. Nicholas had been serious about improving her stamina and overall health. He hated that she had to diet so often too. It wasn't a great strategy in gaining her beautiful physique. Personally, he'd tell her to stop doing it if it was up to him, because he didn't mind a little extra pounds to hold onto, but it was her professional decision. She was a celebrity and had to live up to the standards placed upon one in Hollywood.

"You don't have to thank me. This is the least I can do for you."

She nodded. "I know, but thinking about how much of a pain in the ass I've been about keeping our marriage a secret for so long, I can't help but be thankful to you. You've been extremely patient with me and I just want you to know that I haven't taken that for granted. No matter how many times I regard my career with utmost importance, I care about you too."

He liked these moments with her. When she was raw and honest with him. The kind he didn't have to prod or seduce out of her; the words just came from her naturally, as they should.

"I care about you too, darling. More than you can ever imagine."

His eyes implored her to believe him as they shone with nothing but love for her. Time and time again he had been tempted to profess his feelings for her, but the timing just wasn't right. A sweaty gym wasn't the most ideal place either.