“Sure,” I said, my voice chipper. But I felt a twinge of disappointment that I wasn’t going to get to see him in person, which was not at all what I wanted to be feeling. I pushed it aside. Not now.

“Hayes, look. I’m sorry for being so wildly unprofessional last night.”

Oh god, I sounded absurd. And he sounded…quiet.

“It’s just that,” I said quickly, desperate to fill the awful, humiliating silence, “I think I should stick to being professional with you for now, if that makes sense.”

“Oh,” he said, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. And then, “Of course. I totally understand that.” His tone had shifted quickly. Now he was all business.

Was he relieved? I couldn’t tell. “Just ’cause, you know, I’m trying to focus on my work and business,” I added.

“Yes, I completely get that. And I am, as well. Working…and all that.”

“Oh, well, cool. Thanks for understanding.”

We were both quiet, and when he didn’t say anything, I added, “Good talk.”

I heard him chuckle at this, and I winced. Why did I always say the weirdest things?

“Good talk indeed.”

“’Kay. Well, bye, Hayes.”

I hung up before I could hear how he decided to say my name.

“Ugh, that was so awkward,” I groaned, letting my head collapse in my lap. “Did I really just say ‘Good talk’?”

Lola leaned up off the floor and squeezed my knee. “It happens to the best of us. Remember Gaby? When I broke up with her, I told her to ‘Keep fighting the good fight.’”

“Well, whatever,” I said, my voice shaky. “At least that’s over with.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lola shoot Cleo a look, but neither of them said a word.

Later, long after they’d left, I played last night’s kiss over in my head, just one more time. The feeling of his suit against my hands, the calm I felt just leaning against him, the moment when I turned around to run back to kiss him, soft and quick but with an undeniable urgency. The thought of it left me thinking throughout the night, analyzing and doubting my decision. The last thing I remembered thinking as I drifted off to sleep was that I’d made a huge mistake.

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Hayes