The Rom-Commers

by Katherine Center

If you haven’t seen it yourself, please do yourself a favor: stop whatever you’re doing and go watch it. This movie is ninety years old, and it still sparkles with life and vitality and charm.

It Happened One Night mentioned so now I’m extra seated for this story.

But I’d forgotten what it felt like to be looked after. I guess I must have missed that feeling a lot—because tears kept rising to my eyes, and I kept blinking them away.

I went on. “A rom-com should give you a swoony, hopeful, delicious, rising feeling of anticipation as you look forward to the moment when the two leads, who are clearly mad for each other, finally overcome all their obstacles, both internal and external, and get together.”

“Believing in things that aren’t real? Making something out of nothing? Connecting dots that don’t need or want to be connected? That’s what all the best writers do.”

There was a good writing lesson in there—that being dismissed is worse than being scorned.

Charlie Yates. Had dropped down on one knee. In front of me. On the floor of a honky-tonk. And was now tying my sneaker laces in double knots with gruff but unmistakable affection.

Charlie was peering in now, touching at my hands, nudging them to move so he could get a better look. “I’m fine,” I said, head down. “It’s fine.” “Show me,” Charlie said, his voice soft, like there was no one else there.

The kiss lit a warmth that spread through me like honey, softening everything tense, and soothing everything hurt, and enveloping everything lonely.

“So you want to buy them, but they’re too expensive?” “They’re just not the kind of flowers you buy for yourself.” Charlie was quiet a second, and I realized he was suppressing a smile. “I’m glad I bought them for you, then.”

Up until I’d started confessing, I’d felt strangely sure that he had a thing of his own for me. But as I stood there, in real time, I could feel that hope blowing away like dandelion seeds on the wind.

I’m glad you asked, because I googled it, and now I have many tips for how to transition from a soul-crushing rejection right on over to a productive writing day with a coworker: Make eye contact, because that’s what alphas do.