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He hasn’t noticedor who he’s talking to, I can’t help but feel like I’ His annoyance is like another person in the room and I quietly set my key on the table and wonder if I should step back into the hall or maybe excuse myself to the bathroo rooo wide

Ansel turns, tight s a small, aave

"Hi," I whisper "Sorry"

He waves back, and with another apologetic s forhe means for me to hile he ends his callbut he doesn’t Instead he nods toward the back of the flat and thenthe door behind hi at the si room and, if possible, is even louder than it was before

Deflating, I letslip froroceries on the counter: a bag of fresh pasta, souette wrapped in brown paper sits next to a pot of water that’s just starting to boil The siht red dishes, a bouquet of purple flowers spilling fro us dinner

I open a few of the cupboard doors, searching for a wineglass, and try to ignore the words I can still hear in the other rooe I don’t speak

I also try to tahtly inme his boss was concerned he’d beco to It could be one of the guys--Finn or Oliver--or Perry, the one who couldn’tto his boss, or a friend?

My eyes dart to the bedroohtly before trying to look busy I reach for a bunch of basil and search in the drawer nearest my hip for a knife

"I’m so sorry," he says

I wave him off, and my voice comes out a little reedy: "Don’t worry! You don’t have to explain anything to ot here"

He leans forward, placing a kiss on each of ood His lips are so soft and I have to grip the counter to keepthe knife from my hand "But so did you" When he smiles it doesn’t quite reach his eyes There’s no dimple I miss it