Chapter 22: Keeping the Two Things Separate
Bastien
Lori read to the second page of the loan note, then reached over and took the pen from my hand.
She didn't ask. What I noticed when the pen left my side wasn't that — it was a thread at her cuff, frayed and about to give. She seemed to notice it too, gave it a tug, couldn't pull it fre...
Login and Continue Reading
Chapters
1. Chapter 1: The Delivery That Led to My Boyfriend's Party
2. Chapter 2: He Chose Not to Know Me
3. Chapter 3: The Man at the Top of the School's Food Chain Is Picking Up Money for Me?
4. Chapter 4: The Exception
5. Chapter 5: The Exception
6. Chapter 6: The Exception
7. Chapter 7: The Storage Room
8. Chapter 8: Cold Water and a Branded Print
9. Chapter 9: A Reasonable Explanation
10. Chapter 10: The Sound That Ruins Everything
11. Chapter 11: The Fire Exit
12. Chapter 12: Mind Your Own Business
13. Chapter 13: The Only Thing I Can Still Reach
14. Chapter 14: The Line
15. Chapter 15: The Assignment
16. Chapter 16: What She Can't Steal
17. Chapter 17: What They Can't Take
18. Chapter 18: The Break
19. Chapter 19: What You Owe Her
20. Chapter 20: The Offer
21. Chapter 21: What Exactly Are You Buying
22. Chapter 22: Keeping the Two Things Separate
23. Chapter 23: After the Money Arrived, I Said No
24. Chapter 24: The Page He Doesn't Know
25. Chapter 25: First, Write the Ticket Out in Full
26. Chapter 26: I Said That Sentence
27. Chapter 27: You Only Say What You Saw
28. Chapter 28: This Schedule Stands
29. Chapter 29: Tell the Supervisor First
30. Chapter 30: Her Name Is Lori Morris
31. Chapter 31: Keep My Part
32. Chapter 32: I'll Wait Outside the Door
33. Chapter 33: The Woman's Ring on the Chain
34. Chapter 34: I Should Have Given It Back
35. Chapter 35: This Time I Want to Kiss You
36. Chapter 36: You Can Tell Me It Hurts
37. Chapter 37: First Ask If She Needs It
38. Chapter 38: She Has to Agree Before You Get to Listen**
39. Chapter 39: I Need to Have Park Take a Look
40. Chapter 40: My Treat Today
41. Chapter 41: He Thought It Was Only a Question
42. Chapter 42: I'm Going Home First
43. Chapter 43: Don't Send That Email for Me
44. Chapter 44 **This Price Is Mine to Pay**
45. Chapter 45: I'll Be the One to Ask
46. Chapter 46: Which Part Are You Willing to Make Public
47. Chapter 47: Hand the Originals to the Lawyer First
48. Chapter 48: Write Down What You Want to Trade
49. Chapter 49: Your Scores Still Stand
50. Chapter 50: He Also Stood Inside His Own Words
51. Chapter 51: This Invitation Doesn't Count Hours
52. Chapter 52: They’d Already Written It for Me ###
53. Chapter 53: This Time, They Switched Places
54. Chapter 54: After the First Paycheck
55. Chapter 55: What Are You Trying to Spare Me?
56. Chapter 57: Not Making Her Prove It Today
57. Chapter 57: Not Making Her Prove It Today
58. Chapter 58: Let Her Speak for Herself
59. Chapter 59: This Time, I’m Asking Only You
60. Chapter 60: One More Thing to Ask
61. Chapter 61 — Tell Me Your Name First
62. Chapter 62: He Came to Prove There Was an After
63. Chapter 63: I Want to Go There
64. Chapter 64: I Thought We Had a Future
65. Chapter 65: It Has to Work Even If Someone Else Takes Over
66. Chapter 66: Don’t Finish My Sentences for Me
67. Chapter 67: We Almost Could Have Kept Everything
68. Chapter 68: I Wish You Wouldn’t Go
69. Chapter 69: This Time, I Won’t Change It
70. Chapter 70: Make This Part Clear
71. Chapter 71: This Time, I Won’t Ask You to Stay
72. Chapter 72: I Have to Move Forward
73. Chapter 73: Who Made This Checkmark?
74. Chapter 74: I Said Yes Too Quickly
75. Chapter 75: I Didn’t Tell Her to Come Back
76. Chapter 76: A Paycheck, but Maybe No Future
77. Chapter 77: This Form Can’t Save Everyone
78. Chapter 78: Helping Her Stay
79. Chapter 79: I Won’t Sign It Off as Complete
80. Chapter 80: This Time, I Won’t Take It On Alone
81. Chapter 81: She Still Hadn’t Said She Was Coming Back
82. Chapter 82: When Things Got Busy
83. Chapter 83: The First Person to Ask
84. Chapter 84: You Didn’t Ask Me to Come Back
85. Chapter 85: This Time, You Come to Me
86. Chapter 86: I Couldn’t Stop Looking at Her
87. Chapter 87: I Still Want to Be with You
88. Chapter 88: I Want to See Her Again
89. Chapter 89: They Say We’ve Already Broken Up
90. Chapter 90: Not Even for Six Weeks
91. Chapter 91: I’m Not Going to Ask for Their Approval
92. Chapter 92: Every Option Has Its Price
93. Chapter 93: Can You Give Him a Date?
94. Chapter 94: I Haven’t Walked Away
95. Chapter 95: She Didn’t Make Me Say No
96. Chapter 96: We Still Have to Move Forward
97. Chapter 97: I Want to Take the Next Step
98. Chapter 98: Let’s Get This Part Right First
99. Chapter 99: We Tried Other Options
100. Chapter 100: I Want This Chance
101. Chapter 101: I Want You to Stay
102. Chapter 102: I’m Still Leaving
103. Chapter 103: I Mistook the Answer for Someone Else
104. Chapter 104: This Time, I’ll Do the Asking
105. Chapter 105: I Agree to Give This a Real Try
106. Chapter 106: I Finished It—and Lost Something Too
107. Chapter 107: I Thought Taking It Slow Would Be Enough
108. Chapter 108: You Never Believed Me
109. Chapter 109: Are You Looking at Me, or at Yourself?
110. Chapter 110: I Don’t Want to Continue
111. Chapter 111: I Can’t Keep Asking Someone Else to Prove It for Me
112. Chapter 112: Leaving Didn’t Give Me the Answer
113. Chapter 113: I Thought She Wouldn't Come Again
114. Chapter 114: I’m Back
115. Chapter 115: You Don’t Have to Start by Saying You’re Fine
116. Chapter 116: That Wasn’t My Answer
117. Chapter 117: I Can Only Answer for What I’ve Done
118. Chapter 118: I Didn’t Trade Her Away
119. Chapter 119: I Won’t Sign
120. Chapter 120: They Already Know My Name
121. Chapter 121: I Want to See the Entire Letter
122. Chapter 122: You Still Want Me to Owe You
123. Chapter 123: I Think I Can Make It This Time
124. Chapter 124: None of You Ever Asked Me
125. Chapter 125: What If I Say No?
126. Chapter 126: I’ve Done Everything I Can
127. Chapter 127: I Can’t Continue Today
128. Chapter 128: I Don’t Know How to Make It to Tomorrow
129. Chapter 129: You Don’t Have to Plan Your Whole Life Today
130. Chapter 130: I’m Willing to Tell the Whole Story
131. Chapter 131: Forwarding Wasn’t All You Did
132. Chapter 132: You Can't Answer for Me Anymore
133. Chapter 133: These Are Still Things I Did
134. Chapter 134: I Won’t Prove Myself to You Again
135. Chapter 135: Someone Saved Me a Seat
136. Chapter 136: I Want to Take Things Slowly with You
Zoom out
Zoom in
