When Malcolm resumes the story with the ending Joy knows, her heart must be going for a new bpm world record because she’s breathless and weak, like she’s been running for several miles. Or years.

“After we went to lunch, I knew I was going to fall in love with you. And then I did.”

“I need to sit down,” Joy says quietly as she collapses on the couch. For five full seconds, she forgets how to exist. Her heart skipped a beat so hard, it shut everything else down—brain, lungs, senses, everything gone and offline.

“Joy.” Malcolm hesitates. He takes a step toward her, pauses, then tries again and ends up sitting next to her. “I’m not changing my mind. I want to be with Summer,” he says firmly. Not a single hint of indecision anywhere.

“Good.” Her nerves hit the overdrive button, rattling back to life like an old muffler.

“But I need to know something. I won’t be able to let it go until I do.”

“Good,” she echoes, still incapable of using other words.

Malcolm touches her arm but strangely she can’t feel it. She stares at him like she’s never seen this version of him before. An imposter Malcolm who fell in love with her.

“Joy?”

“When?” Her voice sounds wrong, aching and too high. “When did that happen? Please.”

Malcolm nods and answers, “When I kissed you at the bar. Afterward, I didn’t want to pressure you. I waited for you to come to me. I thought that would be best. You didn’t pull any punches back then—if you wanted me, you would have made that known. I thought you just weren’t interested in me. And then, when there was never anyone else, and you said you weren’t interested in dating, I figured that was that. I tried to move on.”

“Oh. I see.” She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down on it enough to hurt.

“But then this weekend when I saw you with Fox”—he pauses to breathe, in and out—“it was like everything came rushing back. Suddenly, it changed from you not being interested in anyone to you not being interested in me.”

“Well.” Joy interlaces her fingers, holding her hands up to her face like she’s praying. “You weren’t completely wrong. I really wasn’t interested in anyone else. Up until very recently, I only wanted you.”

It’s Malcolm’s turn to be stunned into disbelief. “For how long?”

“This whole time. Since before the bar.”

“Okay. Cool. All right.” He sits back against the sofa. “Okay. I really wasn’t expecting you to say that.”