Page 41 of Probably Summer

On the overall, does it work in his favor for me to know that he’s been here a few days and his space has been kept immaculate? Sure. Am I also aware that he might not treat his own home in the same way he’d treat a house he’s a guest in? Yeah.

Am I losing myself to what ifs when I barely know the guy at all?

Ha ha…

Man.

If only he weren’t half so pretty.

It’s surely the prettiness that has me fantasizing all sorts of dangerous, life-altering decisions.

My phone buzzes in my hand.

December:You LIKE him.

Me:I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Me:Our kinds are at war.

Me:My job is to put a stake through his heart.

December:You like him. You like him. You want to kiss him (to kiss him).

Me:Stop singing.

December:M-A-R-R-I-A-G-E, you’re getting married before me!

My eyes roll.

Me:He has potential, and as a person, he seems kind. Which, it should be noted, is the opposite of my type.

December:Uh-huh.

Me:You know that better than anyone. You helped me put together my perfect male lead binder for Granee.

December:I sure did! Because the bland document you were planning to give her would have been sooo sad.

December:Is now a good time to tell you that I filled your microtrope section with a dozen kiss scenes when you weren’t looking?

I gasp. This little scamp!

Me:As if it matters. It’s not like Dominic is ever going to see it.

December: Right. Yes. Of course. Your grandmother is not known for showing up unannounced at all ever, and she would never (ever) give a guy, who seems to have potential, access to the cheat codes after discovering that you’re letting him live with you all forced-proximity style. That does not sound like her at all.

My, my. Look at that. My dear, dear friend has gifted me a brand new anxiety! I shall tuck it away with all the others and care for it well.

Me:Do you remember anything else in that stupid book that might be my undoing?

December:Pretty much…the entire thing?

Right. Yeah. That’s what I remember, too.

Oh, the regrets I have… They sure are plentiful.

Sighing, I drag my attention off my phone and find my laptop. I wonder if Ali would have a better, more grounded angle to offer in this dilemma. I wonder if she’s married… Maybe she knows all about the real world of romance and could give me some pointers? I think, after we spent all last night talking about anime, we’ve well and completely eroded anything remotelyprofessionalbetween us. We were up well past two in the morning.

Still.