Page 107 of The Close-Up
“He looked at you like he was in love with you, Naomi. You guys were friendsandyou fucked,” Harper says. “That’s the jackpot. And you’re willing to throw it away because of your past and your insecurity. That’s so sad.”
I struggle to process what Harper seems to have figured out so easily.
She reaches over and gives my shoulder a squeeze. “You cried after you ended things with him, didn’t you?” she asks softly.
Eyes watering, I nod. “For hours. Basically from the moment I left his place until you woke up,” I admit.
“You’ve never cried like that for anyone. Sure, you cried when you found out that Brody got another woman pregnant, but that was more anger that he would be so hurtful and deceptive than feeling sad that you lost him.”
I mutter that she’s right.
“Simon is different. You care about him in a way I’ve never seen you care about a guy. You were the happiest I’ve ever seen you when you were spending time with him. And I can tell how much you miss him. Because you love him. You know in your heart you love him. Your head just needs to catch up.”
She pats me on the shoulder once more, flashing a sympathetic smile. Then she hops off the couch and gazes down at me. “Just think about it, okay?”
“I will.”
She pads back to the bathroom to take a shower, while I sit on the couch and toy with the idea that maybe—just maybe—I’m in love with Simon.
I eye my phone sitting on the coffee table. There’s only one person I can talk to right now who can help me make sense of everything. I swipe it up and dial.
“Mom?” I say when she answers.
“Hi,anak! How are you? Gordon!” She shouts my dad’s name before I can even answer. “Come say hi to Naomi!”
I smile to myself. We saw each other yesterday and she’s still thrilled to hear from me. A second later I’m on speakerphone listening to them bicker good-naturedly about who gets to hold the phone.
“I told you. I’ve got it,” Mom says.
“Whatever you say, beautiful,” Dad says. “How’s things since we saw you yesterday, honey bear?”
“Um, okay.” I clear my throat, hoping I don’t sound too pathetic.
“You sure everything’s okay,anak?” Mom asks. “Your voice sounds funny.”
Closing my eyes, I let out a slow, quiet breath. Of course she can see right through it. She always can.
“Actually, um, I was hoping I could talk to Mom, Dad.”
“Say no more, I understand completely.”
There’s a muffled puckering noise on the other end. Then Mom makes a “muah” sound.
“You girls have a fun chat. Love you!”
“Love you too, Dad.”
There are a few more seconds of muffled sounds before my mom speaks. “So! Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“I have a question.” I clear my throat. “How...how did you know you were in love with Dad?”
I’m sure I could have asked my dad the same question, but he claims to have fallen in love with Mom on their first date. As adorable as that is, I’m not a hopeless romantic like him. I need to approach this from a different angle.
“That’s an odd question,anak. Why are you asking? Do you think you might be in love with someone?”
“Maybe... Yes... I don’t know.”
“This is about Simon, isn’t it?”
