Page 86 of Just Bromantically Invested

“Sorry, I didn’t mean … I just know that?—”

“Don’t stress. I’m super needy. I’ve come to terms with it.”

For some reason, that makes me more annoyed. My shoulders slump. “Huh. Okay.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, I was sort of hoping you could teach me how to be not that way.”

Molly tilts his head. “Why would you want that?”

I can’t tell if he’s joking or not. Molly’s a sweet guy, all starry-eyed and happy, whereas I try to be a realist. And in real life, clinging to Madden and telling him he can’t leave isn’t cute.

“Did Madden tell you we’re dating?”

“I had a hunch.”

“Right.” I flick at my thumbnail. “It’s intense. More intense than I’ve ever been in a relationship, and I don’t like it.”

“Okay, well, if you don’t like it, that changes things.”

I glance up hopefully. “It does?”

“Of course it does. Seven loves me, needy and all, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t work on myself until I reached a level I was comfortable with.”

“And how did you work on that?”

Molly shrugs. “I was cheated on, so the need to prove that I was worthy of a relationship made me do some things I wasn’t proud of. I had to actively reroute my thoughts. I had to decide that no, I’m allowed to have standards, and I don’t need to settle. I don’t think that’s the same issue you’re having, but I bet something similar might help.”

Yes and no. It’s hard to compare my resentment of Madden having people outside of me with Molly’s worry he wasn’t loveable. Molly’s problems make him sympathetic. Mine make me a dick. Even I know that.

“Sure. But what if my neediness is less about me and more about being shitty every time he’s with people who aren’t me?”

“Like … you’re jealous?”

“And not in a hot way.”

“Huh …”

I huff out a breath and lean forward, elbows on knees and face in my hands. Just outside the window somewhere, there’s a bird singing, and I sort of want to tell it to shut up. Don’t be happy, this isn’t a fun conversation.

“I’m resentful of his friendships cutting into our time. We agreed that since he spends Mondays with you guys, Tuesdays would be our night, and he ended up with Xander instead. It’s not fair of me to expect him not to help his friend, but at what point is it okay for me to be like, hey, I needed you too?”

“My heart wants me to tell you that Xander always comes first, but I know that’s not fair. And it’s totally a me thing.” Molly takes a deep breath. “Did he tell you what he was doing?”

“He texted me. Let me know he’d be over when he could.”

Molly’s thinking so hard his eyes squint up. “Would you have felt better if he called you?”

I think back to last night and how dismissive the text felt. “I think … maybe.”

“Okay, so that sounds like a reasonable boundary to me. If either of you have to blow off plans, it’s a phone call, not a text.”

Some of my anxiety shifts. “That sounds easy.”

“It really is. And if Tuesdays are your nights, I’ll make sure I don’t make plans. That I’m here if Xander needs someone, so that won’t happen again.”

My mouth is hanging open for so long Molly giggles.

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