Page 82 of The Reunion

“Let me just—” He steps back, gestures for me to come in. “Wait here for a second, okay?”

I want to tell him I don’t have a second to spare, that I might lose my nerve if I don’t get the words outrightthissecond. “Okay,” I say instead as he disappears into his bathroom, a burst of steam escaping when he opens the door.

A moment later, he returns to the small sitting area—identical to mine except for the pillows, deep emerald green instead of marigold—wearing navy joggers and a light gray V-neck. He settles onto the couch, in the corner closest to where I’m perched on his loveseat.

“Is everything okay?” he asks. “What’s wrong?”

I don’t even know where to start—and I didn’t factor in how good he would smell, freshly showered with a hint of cologne, when preparing my speech in my head. Everything I want to say feels nebulous in the haze of him.

“Mars called,” I say, the easiest way in. “I have to make a decision tonight—now—about the reboot.” I take a deep breath. “I’m seriously thinking about walking away.”

His face is unreadable. He studies me with those light green eyes that take center stage in all my favorite memories.

“If it’s because of me, Livvie, if what happened with us is making it too hard for you to be here—if I’m ruining the show for you—”

My head snaps up. “What? No, it’s not you. Not at all.” For all the reasons I’m reluctant to sign on, Ransom isn’t one of them. If anything, he’s the reason I’m tempted tostay. “It’s been amazing being around you again.” Tears spring up in my eyes, and I will them to stay put. “Really amazing, honestly.”

He gives a half laugh. “You’ve been avoiding me fordays. I thought maybe I went too far in that scene, that maybe you could tell—”

He cuts himself off, looks away.

“That I could tell what?”

I want to hear him say it. I need to hear it.

“That I’ve been in love with you my entire life, Livvie. That I never knew how to tell you,ifI could tell you. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy.”

I let his words sink in, take a moment to truly hear them. To feel them, hot as fire as they slip under my skin. “I wanted to be happywith you,” I finally say.

“I know that now. But I screwed everything up—”

“Iscrewed up, too, Ransom. I thought the way I felt about you was always obvious. It never occurred to me that I might be sending mixed signals of my own. And everything I said at your house the other night—”

My voice catches. I need to say it, but it’s stuck in my throat.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I believe you had nothing to do with the photo, the press. Any of it. I believe all of this was real for you, every minute, and I’m sorry I didn’t take you at your word.”

“I’m sorry I ever gave you reason to doubt it,” he says. His eyes linger on mine before falling away. After a long stretch of silence, he looks up again. “You’re really thinking about saying no to the show?”

I let out a long exhale. “It’s more that I’m thinking of saying yes to other things. And maybe I’m feeling like it’s just… time.”

He nods, presses his lips together in a tight line. Like there are words in there, if only he’ll let them out.

“What?” I say, when he doesn’t say anything.

“You’ve always been the heart of the show, Livvie. You steal every scene you’re in, and that didn’t stop whenGirldid—you’re special. Your talent israre.” His eyes flicker down to his hands, then back up to mine. “You’re just like your dad in that way.”

I blink, but the room is a hopeless blur. I’m an actress, I should be able to control this—I should.

I can’t.

He takes my hand in his. It’s large and warm and perfect. “Anything you work on will turn to gold. I think you should do whatever makes you excited.”

“What will you do if I say no?” I say after a long, cleansing breath. “If there’s no Honor…”

“Don’t worry about me—and I mean it. Don’t chooseGirlunless it’s what you really want,” he says. “Not for me, not for Dan and Xan. Not for the fans. Choose it for you. Or… don’t.”

“You’re sure you want to leave your fate on the show up to me?” I need to know he won’t regret this if I walk away—that he’s not sacrificing his own happiness for mine, as I now know we both have a history of doing.

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