I don’t answer quickly enough for her liking, so she charges ahead. “Well, that’s a cop-out, Dean, and it’s lazy. You want the trappings of being in a committed relationship, but you don’t want to roll up your sleeves and do the work necessary to be worthy of it.”

“That’s been my point all along: We define committed relationships differently.” I blow out a deep breath. “Look, I’m not trying to hide the ball here. When Ella and I parted ways, I was fine. Picked myself back up, no problem. That wouldn’t happen with you, and that terrifies me.” My vision blurs. Fuck, this is hard. “I’d always be worried that you’re on the verge of leaving. Because you’re not tied to anyone or anything. I’m not saying that’s wrong—you should go out there and explore your options—but that’s not right for me. And I know you want more. Shit, I’d be the first person to admit you deserve more. You deserve everything. Sadly, I can’t be the one to give it to you. We just don’t line up the way we should.”

A tear slips down her cheek, and it feels as though someone’s slammed me to the ground.

“Don’t cry,” I say.

She steps forward and rests her forehead against my chest. “Too late.”

I run my hands up and down her back as we stand together in silence.

Her head still down, she eventually says, “I’m not upset because you’re wrong. I’m upset because you’re right. It’s true that I’m still figuring my shit out, and I’m good with that. What I know, though, is that I need someone who’s all in. And maybe that’s just not in the cards for me. Not now, anyway.” She wipes her eyes dry. “So what? This is it? You don’t even want us to be friends anymore?”

I take her hand and brush a thumb across it. “That’s not what I’m saying at all. I want us to reach a point where we both feel comfortable being in each other’s lives. Wherever the hell you end up.”

She hiccups on a laugh, then jabs me in the stomach. “I’m going to hold you to that, asshole.”

I wrap my arms around her and press my mouth against her forehead. Everything between us is so astonishingly civilized. Makes me wonder if we’re making more of our differences than we need to. But no, there isn’t any point in wavering. Solange and I are puzzle pieces that simply don’t fit; trying to force us together is only going to frustrate us both.