Page 159 of Buy Back My Love

“I’m not doing anything.”

“You standing there looking like you got something to say.”

I rubbed a hand over my face before she could accuse me of smiling. “Lee, what do you want from me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You do. You just don’t want to say it.”

She turned away from me. “You came over here to argue, you can leave.”

“I’m not arguing.”

“You been arguing since I opened the door.”

“Because you blocked me over some shit I didn’t even know I did.”

“You didn’t do anything.”

“Then stop treating me like I did.”

Lee turned back around. “Fine. You didn’t do anything. Happy?”

“No.”

“What else you want me to say?”

“The truth would be nice.”

She gave me a short laugh. “You sure about that?”

“Yeah.”

Lee looked at me for a long time. “I like you.”

I didn’t move. I’d known she liked me, or at least I thought I did. Hearing her finally say it plain was different.

“I like you a lot,” she added.

I took one step toward her before I could stop myself, and Lee immediately held up her hand.

“Don’t.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“You moving.”

“I took one step.”

“One too many.”

I almost smiled, but the look she gave me told me not to push it.

“I like you,” she continued, “and that’s exactly why I keep telling you no.”