Page 125 of The Rom-Commers

I shook my head back. “I can’t?”

“We’re not going to have that kind of relationship.”

“But,” I said, “the”—I wasn’t sure how to describe it, but I finally went with—“kissing thing that happened?”

Charlie straightened his shoulders. “That was a bad call.”

Abad call? What was he—a referee?

I felt like I needed to stand up for that best-kiss-of-my-life kiss. “I thought it was a good call.”

His voice was a monotone. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

I really wasn’t following. “Why not?”

“Because we”—he gestured between us—“can’t start anything.”

“Too late!” I said. “It’s already started.”

“Then it needs to stop.”

“What if I don’t want to stop?”

“That’s not relevant.”

“It is to me!”

“I’m sorry,” Charlie said. But he didn’t sound sorry.

Was this a version of his tell? Was he pretending not to carebecause he cared so much? But why would he do that? There was no reason to.

“Charlie,” I said, meeting his eyes and taking a step closer. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Charlie said. “I just—don’t like you like that.”

I could feel my throat tightening with disappointment. “You don’t?”

“I don’t.”

“Not… at all? Nothing?”

Charlie just watched me.

“Okay,” I said. “But… so… why does it feel like youdolike me like that?”

Charlie shook his head. “Maybe it’s because we’ve been living together. Maybe it’s because we found a great writing groove. Maybe you’ve been alone too long.”

“I’ve been…alone too long?” That washisautobiography—not mine.

“I don’t know, Emma!” Charlie said, like something had just snapped. “It was a mistake. It was a fucking mistake!”

At that—at Charlie Yatesusing the f-wordagainst our beautiful, ethereal, life-changing kiss—I stepped back.

But Charlie was worked up now. “We don’t know what’s happening!We don’t know the future! All you want is answers—but I don’t have any! I could move to Alaska tomorrow! I could sail around the world!” Charlie threw his hands up, likeWho knows?“I could get back together with my ex-wife.”

At that, I started coughing for no reason. As soon as I’d recovered enough to talk, I said, “Who did you just say you’re getting back together with?”

“Could,”he corrected, like that was an important point.

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