Page 35 (1/2)

Epigraph

She was not for everyone, but she was for me

– Atticus

I’VE BEEN A DOG-WALKER on an episode of Will & Grace

A bakery shop owner in a Lifetime movie

Ryan Gosling’s kid sister in an indie flick that never saw the light of day

Victihteen episode of Law & Order: SVU

But today I’ role yet; a ca Crush on Best Guy Friend starring Melrose Claiborne as … Melrose Claiborne

Standing outside Nick Cahten my shoulders, sainst the doorbell The heavy thu to fall to the floor the second he opens the door—but I’m hopeful the butterflies in my stomach will catch it first

He has this effect on me

Every Single Time

And that’s saying so because it takes a lot to arowing stronger with each unrequited year that passes

But last night, out of nowhere, Nick called e because Nick never calls He only ever texts He’s so against calling, in fact, that he has his ringer permanently set to “off’ and his voicemail box has been full for the last six and a half years

“Mel, I need to talk to you tomorrow,” he’d said, breathless aliddiness “It’s really important”

“Nick, you’re scaringinto his drink and he was drugged out of his mind “Just tell me now”

“I have to tell you in person And I have so crazy iod This is insane I’et here to to tell you about this for a long time, but I couldn’t I couldn’t until now But now I can And I can’t fucking wait This is huge, Mel This is … oh, God”

“Nick …” I paced my bedroom floor, my left palm clasped across my forehead In nearly two decades of friendship, I’d never heard Nick so worked up before “Can’t you just tell me now?”