Page 568 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

“And some motherfucker’s gonna ask you what the fuck happened to you. And you’ll think Andrew… ‘cause you’ll never admit it out loud.

“That’s what this is.”

He glances off, shaking his head.

“What we got? This ain’t the kinda thing you get twice. It hits once in your life, if you’re lucky.” He looks back at me, then shrugs. “It’s the kind of thing that rewrites you or ruins you.

“Forever or funeral,

“ain’t nothin’ between.

“That’s why it scares the fuckin’ shit outta you.”

I’m suddenly cold again,

a shiver running up my arms.

“Allison, listen to me,” he says, weak. “I already fucked up, okay? I fucked up bad, did shit I can’t take back now. Believe me. I’d give anything for a do-over. But I been countin’ on what we got’s stronger than my mistakes, so I’m beggin’ you. Don’t fuckin’ give up on me now.”

I stare…

taking in his beautiful face⁠—

his dark, heavy eyes,

like velvet midnights,

his expressive brows,

his melancholic mouth,

his jawline that belongs on the cover of vintage vinyl.

I take in how perfect he is to me,

how perfect even his words are.

How he always says the right thing…

when Raymond’s voice slips into my head…

‘They’ll always say what you want to hear

if they think it’ll get them what they want.’

My stomach turns. ‘Cause that's something Raymond is right about. Men who love you don’t always know what to say. Men who want something always somehow do.

And now I feel sick.

“It’s everything,” I repeat.

His eyes don’t leave me.

“Yeah. Everything,” he echoes.

I nod. “Everything, but love.”

His mouth snaps shut.