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I stared at hi moment, then set the paper in my lap “Nohy the fuck would you intentionally dress in so I like?”

He fidgeted, twisting his linked fingers together, then said, “I guess…I guess I wanted you to relanced up at , he blurted “Jamie, I’m so sorry God I’m sorry I fucked up so bad I’m the worst kind of asshole I wish…I wish you’d just punch , because I so totally deserve it”

I grinned a little at that In soh school football player “While that probably wouldto risk the assault charges Or risk getting banned fro the paper aside and folding et me to punch you in the face, why are you here, Charlie?”

“I needed to talk to you I needed to apologize” He slid forward and scooped up my hands in his, and said, “I need to tell you that I love you, Jamie I always have And for me to deny that– ” he pressed his eyes shut for a moment, then said, “I’m such a total idiot”

I felt like the roof had just caved in, it was that overwhel I carefully extractedquietly, “Why are you telling me this now?”

“Because I just got it I finally realized all that I lost when I gave you up I finally got that I’d est mistake of ot until it’s gone? That’s totally true I fucked up, big time But I want to fix it I want you back, Jamie”

“You’re quoting 1980’s hair band ‘Cinderella’ there, Charlie You know that, right?” I said, attehands out of sight

He sighed in exasperation and sat back “You’remy heart out to you”

“Well, what do you want est reat, you finally understand the blindingly obvious”

Charlie watchedeous guy I met at your apartment?”

“Yes Absolutely, and with all my heart”

“So you’re over ht years when you said you loved me?” There was pain in his voice

“I had to get over you, Charlie You dued Remember that part? Remember Callie? You moved on, and I did, too”

“But I thought – ”

“What? That I’d still be waiting for you after you finally figured all this shit out? I already waited eight years, Charlie Eight fucking years! You had every opportunity to build a life with me, and you chose not to”

He studied the worn-out linoleuuess I did think you’d wait for ant It’s just…it’s just that your love was such a constant in my life, Jamie No matter how , you just went right on loving uess some part of ot rown very quiet

“Seriously?”

Charlie looked up at ht up until I ether – I’ve never felt so jealous in all et the fuck away from my man, and then I wanted to beat the shit out of hi you”

“That’s completely messed up,” I told hiet to play the jealous boyfriend now – especially after all those years of trying to deny that we even were boyfriends”

“I’ve always…I’ve had a really hard tiay,” he said softly I was totally shocked That was the first tiay “I used ion as an excuse, but the truth is, I was the one that had a hard ti myself” Then he said, “I heard you came out to your family after we broke up, by the way And I was so proud of you”