Page 43 of Between the Lines

“You’re getting way ahead of yourself,” Alec replied, lining up a new shot. “Right now, I’ve just gotta…set the scene, you know? Make sure everything is lined up right.”

I scoffed. “I’on know—sounds like you’rescaredto me.”

“Says the man who doesn’t want to ask his ex that didn’t want to break up in the first place if she wants to get back together.”

“Damn.” I laughed, clutching my chest. “Straight for the kill shot, huh?”

He shrugged. “Just telling it how I see it.”

As much as I may have hated to admit it…he kinda had a point.

I didn’t have many—ifany—good reasons not to just be up front with Ellie on how I felt.

Which was how I’dalwaysfelt.

The breakup hadn’t left me any less in love with her.

It wasn’t a thing I was afraid to admit to myself, by any means.

The problem was…potentially exposing that reality toher.

It wasn’t as if I thought she would be cruel or something, ‘cause that wasn’t Ellie’s nature, not at all. But just because she and I were still cool—or cool again, rather—I couldn’t assumeherfeelings on the matter of “us” hadn’t changed.

Maybe she’d matured past there being an “us” at all.

It was easy enough to blame the demise of our relationship on insecurities, communication breakdowns, toxic beliefs, and all that, because those things had potential to be overcome. If it was “just” that, we had hope.

What was more difficult though, was the chance that it was something deeper—what if we just weren’t compatible? What if we were too fundamentally different for it to ever work long term?

What if we tried again, only to fail again?

What then?

That possibility turned itself over in my head long after Alec had made his exit and I called it a night. Even while she and I did our customary exchange of texts, making small talk about any and everything, I just kept wondering…

Was consideringusagain even worth it?

The question was still playing in my mind when my cell phone rang—I wasn’t even surprised to see Ellie’s name on the screen. Whatdidsurprise me a little was the fact that it was a video call—we hadn’t exactly gotten into a habit of that, even though it was hella common when we were dating.

Still, I didn’t hesitate to answer.

“You good?” was the first question out of my mouth, causing her sculpted eyebrows to dip into a frown.

“Uhh…yeah?” she answered, clearly confused by me leading with that. “What makes you ask?”

“It’s kinda late…”

I slid my thumb on the screen to force it to display the time, making sure I wasn’t tripping—I wasn’t. We should honestly both be asleep right now, knowing we were due on set early the next day.

“Yeah, I guess it kinda is—my bad. Were you asleep? I see your nipples.” She giggled.

“Ay—my eyes areup here,” I countered, angling the phone so my shirtless chest wasn’t in view. “Nah though, I wasn’t asleep. I was trying to wind down though.”

Clearly, she’d been doing the same—the silky pink bonnet covering her hair, and makeup-free face made it plain.

“I take it you were having a bit of trouble?” she asked, and I nodded.

“A bit, yeah. Same for you?”

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