Liz waited until the food was in front of them before she broke the news. “I’ve been offered a job,” she said.

Paul looked up, interested. “Really? By who?”

She smiled to cover her nervousness. “Um…SETI, actually.”

“Who’re they?”

“The, uh, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. You know, alien hunters.” She played it off casually, as if it was a joke.

“Wow. So where are the alien hunters located?”

“That’s the thing…it’s in California.”

Paul laughed. “That’s pretty funny. I guess if you’re in astronomy long enough you’re bound to hear from some weirdos like that.”

This was not going the way Liz had hoped. She’d made it too light, he thought it was something silly and trivial when in fact it wasn’t even close. “Actually it’s a very prestigious position.”

He blinked and studied her face. “Wait, you’re not thinking about taking this job, are you?”

Liz squirmed in her seat and wrung her hands. “Well—they pay really well. It’d be nice to get a change of scene. I mean, I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.”

He nodded solemnly. “Okay. Well, if it means anything, I don’t want you to leave.” He took her hands in his and gave her a supportive smile.

“Thanks.”

He’d said what she wanted him to say. But at the same time, she wished he hadn’t said it. Liz Parker, turning down a job for a guy? It was laughable. That was never where she’d placed her priorities before. Her career had always come first. There were guys in California just like there were guys here. But there wasn’t Paul. The rest of the meal was relatively quiet. He kissed her goodbye when she left for work. She thought about him all night.

By morning she’d come to some hesitant conclusions. Could it be possible that Paul was the one, that he was the one who finally had the power to open her heart? He’d certainly been shaken up. He was usually pretty talkative but he’d been silent at dinner. He was usually bright eyed and upbeat but he’d been morose and thoughtful tonight.

Liz weighed the options in her mind. There were definite pros for staying here. She had a job she loved. She had a man she loved, who loved her back. There were cons too, of course. It was possible that things wouldn’t work out with Paul and then she would’ve stayed for nothing.

When she came home that morning, she was still thinking. She walked in the door, threw her things down on a chair. She heated some leftovers and ate. As she washed her plate and started to walk to her room to get ready for bed, the phone rang. She smiled.

“How was work?” Paul asked.

“It was okay. It went by slowly, though. That happens when I have a lot on my mind.”

“I know what you mean. I barely slept last night.”

“I’m sorry to throw all this on you.”

“It’s okay. It’s been good for me, actually. I’ve been thinking about a lot of things.”

“Me too,” Liz said.

“Do you want to meet for dinner early tonight?”

“Sure.”

“My house. 5 o’clock.”

“Okay.”

Liz felt nervous, she knew he would want to talk tonight. She walked down the hall, still holding the cordless and opened the door to her room. Suddenly she screamed.

“Liz, are you okay?” Paul asked.

She tried to calm herself and slow her breathing, her eyes were glued to a dark corner of the room.

“Yes. I’m fine. I just—I saw a spider.”

“Must’ve been a pretty big spider.”

“It was.” She had to get off the telephone. Now. “I’ve got to go, Paul. I’m really tired. See you tonight, okay?”

“Alright. Bye, Liz. I love you.”

She started to reply, to say her obligatory, “I love you too,” but it wouldn’t come. “Bye,” she muttered and hung up.