Page 42 of Between Love & Ruin

I noticed something after reading her books from the past few years. And yes, I’ve read them all. I’m a big fan, after all.

I realized that all of her fictional men have a similar appearance, as if she’s always been describing her type without even realizing it.

They have a good build, not too bulky but not too lean either. They have facial hair, like me, and eyes she describes as the saddest and kindest eyes ever.

And I happen to match all of it.

Call it a coincidence or a sign from the universe, but I don’t think she has realized it herself.

I am what she’s been describing all this time.

“It’s not nice to ogle beautiful,” I say with a smile. “But I don’t mind it if it’s you.”

She gives me a blank stare. “Respectfully, Dom, shut up and let’s work.”

I momentarily ignore her next words when I register that she called me Dom.

Only my grandfather used to call me that.

She also told me to shut up, but I can’t focus on that when my heart is doing jumping jacks in my chest.

I clear my throat as we stare at her manuscript again. I am happy she didn’t bring her own laptop this time too because we get to sit near each other and work on the same PC.

“I personally think we can keep the topic of their parents’ demise in the movie,” I pitch in. “But we might have to shorten it slightly. Maybe twist it slightly. What do you suggest?”

In the book, the main characters lose their parents young, which is quite similar to mine and her story. Both of their parents died due to the same reason, but it’s never mentioned if it was connected somehow, leaving it up to the reader to decide.

“I think we can keep it as it is,” she adds. “Maybe we can shorten it, but twisting it completely feels out of touch from the story. Their story feels personal to me for some reason.”

“Honestly, me too. My parents died in a car crash, and I went through something similar with how the guy dealt with grief.”

She looks at me wide-eyed, and I grow confused. Did I say something wrong?

“What?”

“That’s so weird,” she says, a small awkward smile on her face. “My parents died in a car crash too. That’s such a…”

“Coincidence?”

She laughs awkwardly, and my lips twitch with a smile. “Yes, that. I don’t have the right word for it, but it’s a very weird coincidence.”

“The universe has a weird way of working.”

She looks at me, and her eyes soften, the tension in them easing slightly. For once, I don’t say anything, letting the awkward silence settle between us as we simply stare at each other.

She opens her mouth to say something, but her phone rings, catching both our attention.

That’s when I realize my hand is resting on the back of her chair, and I’m practically crowding her, as if being this close to her is the most natural thing in the world.

“Hey,” she says to whoever decided to disturb us. “Yes, I will be there.”

She stands up abruptly, and I follow too.

“Sorry, I need to leave. Mark is waiting for me at this lunch place. I completely lost track of time.”

That’s when I look at my watch. I didn’t even realize how fast time flew by.

I smile even when I don’t want to. “No worries. Come, I will drop you.”