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“It isn’t okay,” she says quietly “I want to be better about those things Talking, Iather eyes at herself “I think—I h a little, trying to be gentle about her fu

“I want to try to be with you Likethat”

“Like that?” I tease

She reaches over and tries to tweak my nipple “Romantically, okay?”

I weasel out of her reach “What’s ht?” She breaks out into an enorh the dirt to see that s everything “So, is that a yes?”

She leans forward, I lean a little, too, and her le, sweet kiss

And the moment turns a little shadowed

That’s it, I realize She hasn’t said a word about who else she’s been She hasn’t ado? Regardless, if we’re going to be together for the long run, she’s going to have to learn how to talk toto have to not lie toanyplace deeper than where we are right now

“I want to try this, too, I think But I want to be honest with you” Ifor some fault line there She’s calm, but there’s anxiety beneath her expression “There was someone else,” I say, and notice the way her cheeks pink just slightly “Cat, res “It’s okay I riting someone, too”

No, Millie Don’t

I watch her carefully, and she blinks away

“She was” I trail off How do I describe Millie’s vulnerable side to her tough one? “She was really great, and I thought s It felt like ere really beco a hand down“She’sto meet her”

There Take it, Mills Take the opportunity Own this Tell me

She searches my eyes, back and forth, back and forth, and then sive her another few beats

“Do you think your feelings for her will affect?” she starts, and then ht: Will your feelings for her get in the way of starting so with me?

So why can’t Millie do it?

“I’m not sure,” I tell her, honestly “I liked our dynahtforward honesty I want that in a partner I’ll be frank, Mills, I am intensely attracted to you—to the point of distraction—and I love spending tis Things that really matter to you”

“I can,” she says immediately

Like this, I think

“I need to know you’ll be honest”

She nods “I can be I will I know I’et better” She lifts my hand, kisses it “I want to be better for you”

Then, as if a flip is switched, she stands quickly, using oing to let Catherine go She’s going to send her alter ego away and pretend that it never happened—hilarious, given we’re having this conversation about her ability to be open and honest

I shovehands deep into my pockets “Do you o?” she asks, realization settling into a small V on her forehead

“I want to think about all of this before we move forward You’re my best friend, you know Seems like we should make absolutely sure we’re ready to do this”

Millie tries to hide a deeper reaction, but I get a slimpse of it when her face falls for only a breath

“Sure,” she says “Of course I’ernail over the fabric along the back of the couch “I get it”

I lean forward, kissing her cheek, and then robotically make my way out of her house, down her steps, and to my car at the curb

“Reid!” she calls out

I turn My stomach has dissolved away “Yeah”

She stares atseconds “You sure you’re okay?”

She knows

She knows I know

I hold her gaze

“I’ into est sense I have is mortification that I’ve been played That Millie has been sleeping withme as another woman this entire ti That she thinks I wouldn’t eventually figure it out What is she getting out of being Catherine? And if she wants to be with me—really be with me—why does she think we can start with a lie?

I lean back, turn on et back out and confront her Trying not to ju away fro wheel and try not to think about anything except the road in front of me I certainly try not to think that I ed

Christopher Hill

Man, it’s just a dinner

Stephen (Ed) D’Onofrio

Who’s gettingrhetorical dumbass

Stephen (Ed) D’Onofrio

Wait Who is that? Alex?

El Cabrón