Page 216 of Homewrecker

I picked at the edge of my nail. “Because I really like him.”

“How much?”

“Too much.”

“What constitutes too much?”

“When I start thinking about him when I’m not trying to think about him.”

She smiled. “Interesting.”

“When I’m working and randomly wondering what he’s doing? Too much. When I see something funny and immediately want to send it to him? Too much.”

I shook my head. “Way too fucking much.”

Sydnee laughed.

“I don’t like it.”

“Why?”

“Because liking someone is cute when you don’t care what happens.”

I leaned back. “But when you start actually caring? That’s when shit gets scary.”

“How?”

“You know how.”

“I’d rather hear you say it.”

I sighed. “What if I fall hard?”

“And?”

“And something happens.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.”

“He cheats?”

My stomach tightened. “Maybe.”

“He leaves?”

“Maybe.”

“You discover he’s been lying?”

“Maybe.”

“He dies?”

My head snapped up. “Sydnee!”

“I’m establishing the parameters.”