Page 30 of Here We Go Again

I sniff and let myself collapse into her arms. “I’m surprisingly good,” I say. “This was…” I motion to my face, which I’m sure is tear-stained and splotchy. “I don’t know what this was.”

“Catharsis?” she suggests, and I manage a smile.

“Something like that.”

“Do you wanna tell me about it?”

It takes surprisingly few words to talk her through Theo’s apology, considering how much of an emotional response it triggered. And saying everything out loud only helps to put it all in context, to recognize that my big feelings will pass and my life will pretty much go back to exactly what it was before. There’s comfort in that.

“And then I gave him a hug, and I left,” I finish, and Mia blows a breath through her lips.

“Man. That’s some apology,” she says.

“Right? And I’m glad I heard it. I’m really happy we talked. I think it was probably good for both of us.”

“And the crying,” she says gently. “That was good?”

I let out a little chuckle. “I don’t even know where it came from. But yeah. Weirdly, I think it might have helped?”

“Girl, you don’t have to convince me. I love crying.”

“Because you’re a weirdo,” I say.

“Because I’m in touch with my feelings.” She reaches over and squeezes my knee. “I’m proud of you. That’s some serious closure. Does it feel like closure?”

“I think so? Right now, I mostly feel numb. But it probably will tomorrow.”

“So what happens now?” Mia asks. “Will you see him again?”

“I don’t know. He’ll be at the MS Walk next weekend. His whole team will be. But … what would I even say? We pretty much covered everything today.”

She shrugs. “Could you just be friends?”

I think of the moment I slipped my hand into his and asked for that exact thing. Friends. But I don’t know if I can do it. There’s too much history, too much baggage. “I don’t think so,” I say.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s my ex. And he’s also Theo freaking Williamson. You can’t just be friends with a guy like that.”

“So he’s got an unusual job,” she says. “That shouldn’t disqualify him from regular friendships.”

I give my head a little shake. “I don’t understand what’s happening here. Do you want to be friends with Theo?”

“No! That’s not…” She huffs. “I’m just saying maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stay in touch. Maybe stay open to anything that might happen in the future.”

“Mia, are you suggesting I date him?”

“What?” She lets out a disbelieving scoff that feels a little too intentional. “No! Of course not.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “Mia,” I say sternly, and she finally caves.

“Okay, fine. I was possibly maybe a little bit suggesting that you date him. But would that be so bad? Your relationship with Rory is basically over anyway.”

I let out a groan at the mention of Rory. I completely forgot that I have to go see him tonight.

Mia frowns. “Wait. Is it not basically over? Why does it feel like there’s something I don’t know?”

“He’s in Atlanta,” I say.