Page 81 of Definitely Not a Thing

“Mistakes.”

His eyebrow went up. “Elaborate.”

“No thank you.”

“You can’t say some cryptic shit like that and then just not address it.”

“Watch me,” I countered with a shrug, trying to walk away.

Calvin easily caught me though, anchoring a hand on either side of me with my back to the cart.

Basically pinning me against it, triggering my heart to start racing.

Nowhere to go, nothing to do except… face it.

“You think we’re a mistake?” he asked.

“I think I was supposed to be like… healing, or something. Not having quiet domestic moments like this withyou,” I answered.

“So you think we’re a mistake.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“It’s being implied.”

“Not intentionally.”

“Oh, so this is accidental sabotage, then.”

I sucked my teeth, looking away, but he quickly grabbed me under the chin, bringing my face back to his.

“I understand that you are still hurting from your last relationship, which makes this timing less than ideal. I get it, I swear. Okay?” he insisted. “If you want us to just put a pin inthis, see what’s up after the season is over, whatever, we can do that. But what did we say?”

I sighed. “We said we would vibe.”

“What are you absolutelynotdoing right now?”

“Vibing,” I huffed, rolling my eyes. “Butnotfor lack of trying.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“Reality,” I groaned. “All the possibilities about all the ways this could gosoutterly wrong.”

“So you’re gonna beat fate and fuck it up early?”

“You can’tbeatfate,” I scoffed.

“Exactly.” He leaned in, pressing his lips to my forehead.

Lingering.

It was so,sogood.

I was going to implode.

“Li-Li,” he muttered, still close enough that his lips were brushing my skin. “Youcan’tbeat fate… so you may as well vibe.”

“You make it sound so easy.”