She shrugs. “Fundraiser meeting.”
I clear my throat. “Rose, you put on lip gloss. You never put on lip gloss. What kind of meeting requires lip gloss? The truth.”
Whatever it was—it doesn’t look as if it went all thatwell. My bestie needs me right now. Whether she wants my support or not, she’s getting it.
Rosalie covers her face in her hands and groans. “I thought I might like John—Mr. Riviera.”
I breathe in the smallest of gasps. Rosalie hasn’t liked anyone since that butthead Robert broke her heart. I force myself to hold back my emotion, fearing she may clam up on me. “Go on,” I say, and I’m so proud because I sound like one cool cucumber.
Rosalie’s shoulders slump. “Ugh. He suggested we do this meeting over dinner. It sounded like a date, and I had liked him?—”
I hold up one finger, dipping my head to peer at her face better. “Had. You said had. You no longer like him?”
“Well, I thought I did. I should. He’s cute. He’s nice. He has a college degree and a good job. Did you know the entire time Robert and I were together, he never read one book? Not one, Fran.” Her arms fall to her lap, and she slumps further down, the couch supporting her back.
“So, you should like him, but you don’t.”
“Fran,” she grunts. “I spent that entire meeting-date thinking about someone else.”
“Wait. Who?”
“And,” she barks, sitting up and pointing one finger at me, “it’s all your fault!”
“ZEV! You were thinking about Zev.”
She shakes her head, but it isn’t a denial. It’s a confession.
“We can double!”
Rosalie balks out a laugh. “Oh, sure. We can double. Me with the guy who is currently seeing someone else, and you with the boy who doesn’t know what he wants!”
“Hey,” I whine. “Why does Zev get to be a man while Callum is a boy?”
“Because a man would own up to being half in love with you, Fran. And Callum hasn’t done that.”
“You think he’s in love with me?” I almost choke on the words. The only thing in my mouth is saliva, and it’s too strong. I can’t handle it. I hoped he’d gain feelings. I hoped for his stupid declaration of not needing love to crumple and die. But in love? With me? I’m not so sure I can believe that.
Rosalie sits straighter. “I don’t know, Fran. Something is there. But you won’t know until you talk to him about it.”
“Transparent,” I say, repeating what she’d told me before.
“Exactly.”
I tapmy toe and peer around the large man sitting between me and Callum on this plane. Callum gives me a small grin and mouths the word, “Sorry.”
But it’s not his fault we aren’t seated together. And I didn’t pay for this flight, so I’m not complaining.
I think about what Rosalie said.Transparent. But in order to be transparent about your feelings, you have to understand your feelings.
I’m not sure that I do completely. I like Callum. But his stand on love makes this complicated. I hope he’ll change his mind—no matter where we end up. Callum is too good to not have love in his life.
Do these late-night kisses mean something to him? Or was it just practice, and I need to get over myself?
I’ve never felt this way before—floppy fish and all. ButI’m not sure what to be transparent about exactly. For the first time in my life, I’m not planning the next remake, I’m just wondering when I will see Callum again.
What does that mean?
Someone smarter than me knows. I’m certain. I just need to figure out who that smart person is so they can enlighten me.
