“We can’t do this,” I said, taking another step back.
“Can’t do what?” Cooper asked, glancing around.
“I can’t kiss you! What was I thinking? We can’t kiss!”
“Too late.”
“I take it back. Erase it from your mind.”
I started to turn.
But Cooper stopped me. “Erase it? I’m not erasing it. How could I?”
“Figure it out.”
“I don’t want to! What are you talking about?”
“We can’t—be together.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because—” How to sum it all up? “Because I’m terrible at love.”
Now Cooper gave me a look like I was being adorable. “That’s not news.”
“This is not a joke, Cooper. Haven’t you been paying attention? This”—I gestured between us—“is doomed. My entire love life is a catch-22. If you like me back, I won’t want you anymore.”
But Cooper shook his head and said, “Nah. We’re good.”
“Cooper—for real. I’m cursed.”
“Are you being serious?”
I knocked on Cooper’s forehead. “Haven’t you been listening? We’ve been talking about this all week.”
“But we were joking.”
“Iwasn’t.”
“You can’t really think you are actually cursed.”
“Sure, I can. Why not?”
“You’re saying you can’t kiss me because ofblack magic?”
“I’m saying I can’t kiss you because I’ve dumped every guy I’ve ever dated!”
“But that was different. All those guys were different.”
I shook my head. “Why?”
Cooper looked straight into my eyes. “Because none of those guys were me.”
At those words, I could feel myself starting to lose this argument.
I mean,come on—right?
But I still had momentum. “You know what that is?” I demanded. “That’s wishful thinking! Let’s be practical.”
