And yet this one was about me coming apart.
On screen, Trina shrugs. “They don’t necessarily mean you actually desire the other person.”
My body is behaving like a Jetboil.
“W-W-What if it does?”
Now Trina is actively fighting her smile. “Would that be so bad?”
I gape. “Are youkidding?!It would beterrible!”
Trina deserves a raise. She doesn’t even flinch at my outburst. “Why?”
I choke. Cough. Clear my throat. “Because my life is in shambles. Because he’s my one remaining business partner. Because we’re in debt up to our eyeballs. Because we live together. Because… How many more reasons do you need?”
She blinks calmly. “Do you know that you smile whenever you talk about him?”
It’s like I’ve fallen through a trapdoor.
“I-I-I—No.”
“Not at first,” Trina grants with a small shrug. “But for the last month or so, your face lights up whenever you tell me about him.”
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
I mean, of course talking about Zach makes me smile. He’s a good person.
A good business partner.
A good friend.
He makes me happy.
Yes. There. That’s a good come-back.
“I’m smiling because he makes me happy,” I blurt defensively. “That’s all.”
Trina levels me with that maddeningly all-knowing gaze, her slight smile like a cat’s.
Oh shit.
Zach makes me happy.
Being with Zach makes me happy.
I like him.
Ilike himlike him.
“Oh fuck.”
I shake my head. “No-No-No-No-No. This can’t be.”
The tiniest crease darts between Trina’s brows. “But it is. This is how you feel.”
“I don’t care.” I smack my thigh. “Feelings are inconvenient.”
Trina nods patiently. “Yes, they can be. And we don’t have to act on them, but we do need to acknowledge them, or else we’re just asking for trouble.”
