“I need you to be very clear about what you’re saying,” Vanessa says, and her voice isn’t confident, but nearly shaking. Timid. I just want to keep touching her, I want to hold her against me—showing my feelings would be easier than speaking them, but I know that wouldn’t be enough, so I take a big breath and try. “Maxim is a better choice. He’s perfect for you,” I start. “But I want you to choose me instead.”
