Page 105 of Don't Think

I give her a tight-lipped smile and then pick up my phone from beside me on the couch. My fingers tremble slightly typing one more message to Nora.

Hey, listen… I really want to just talk this out. Can we please meet up tomorrow morning for breakfast? Just the two of us? It’s on me.

My phone vibrates almost instantly with an incoming message.

Nora

K

I have to physically swallow the knot forming in my throat at that response—and how quick it came. Although, on a more positive note, that means she was getting my messages, and didn’t block me. That’s at least something.

“I guess we’re going to breakfast tomorrow,” I say, flashing Ana the proof.

“That’s good!” she exclaims, nodding.

I nod too. “It is. God knows we needed at leastsomesliver of good news.”

“Speaking of good news…”

My eyes flick to hers, watching her smile grow rapidly across her face.

My posture straightens, and I turn toward her quickly like an eager puppy. “Tell me!”

She laughs. “Okay, I haven’t told anyone yet, and I know we’re in a situation where hiding something blew up in your face, so I’m a hypocrite”—she pauses, smiling wider—“but I got an email the other day.”

Her eyes sparkle before she digs her phone out of her pocket and hands it to me.

I read it over, my heart picking up with every word. My hand travels to my mouth, covering it in complete shock.

“Your book was nominated for an award? InNew York?” I gape, needing to say it out loud because it feels too good to be true.

She nods, her eyes shimmering with unshed happy tears. “Yeah, I was going to tell everyone at the barbecue, but you know.” She chuckles awkwardly.

I wrap my arms tight around her neck, squealing with excitement.

“I told you it was amazing! This is incredible news,” I gush.

And then, suddenly, I’m sobbing again. Tears streaming down my cheeks—except this time? This time, they’rehappytears.

“It’s like I said,” she says through a deep breath. “Everything’s going to work out, Allie.”

And for the first time in the last few days, I’m finally starting to believe that. The guys go to the studio tomorrow, Ana’s freaking book got nominated for an award I know it deserves, and in the morning, I’ll finally get to figure things out with Nora.

We’re only here for a few more days, so we really need to sort this out.

Or it’s going to be one hell of an awkward drive home.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Allie

Sitting in this diner surrounded by the smell of eggs, bacon, and sweet maple syrup is seriously twisting my stomach.

The nerves haven’t let up all morning ever since Nora first stepped into my car, all through the drive here, and even now, while I sit across from her in some random breakfast diner in the heart of Boston. Coffee mugs clink loudly in my ears as I try not to think about how many people are packed into this place. I figured a Monday morning wouldn’t be too crowded, but here we are, surrounded by strangers while I shift uncomfortably in my seat, trying to come up with a way to apologize to my best friend.

I slowly stir Half and Half into my coffee, trying to swallow past the rising bile in my throat. Because nothing would make this apology breakfast more awkward than throwing up all over Nora’s mountain of blueberry pancakes. I can already see how that would play out.

I watch her pour a thick, glistening layer of syrup over the stack and immediately have to avert my eyes. But everywhere I turn, the smells are just as unbearable.