Page 190 of The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet

“We’ll miss our flight if your ideas get really good,” he says.

“Fair point.” I spin around and return to the living room, where a question nags at me. “Where do you write?”

He shrugs casually. “Usually at a coffee shop.”

That tracks, but now that he’s answered, it turns out it’s not what I wanted to ask. There’s something else I’m desperate to know, but he keeps talking and walking.

“Sometimes I write on the couch,” he adds, patting the sofa as he moves past it. “Though not when Nolan was crashing here a few months ago. This couch was hisbedroomfor a while when he was in New York. He and Emerson live together now.” I hear the offer in his voice, but he stops shy of saying,you’ll meet them someday. Still, I like that he’s thinking it.

But I can’t love it because of the elephant that parked its wrinkled gray ass in the middle of the room. TJ mentioned his home was teeming with his books. Yet, I don’t see a single one.

Did he hide his entire oeuvre before inviting me into his space?

My stomach twists. The idea he put away his books because I’d be here is a slap in the face. I want him to trust me. More than that, I want to be trustworthy.

But maybe he still needs to protect himself. Maybe someday, he’ll let me in deeper. “Thank you. I feel like I just got a VIP tour backstage,” I say, doing my best to appreciate what I have rather than pine for what I don’t.

“One more thing,” he says, and when I turn, he’s standing in front of an ottoman.

It opens to double as storage, and it’s stuffed with books, includingTop-Notch Boyfriend.TJ picks up a copy. “Space in New York is limited. So, here you go.” He brandishes the book then sets it down with a thud. “The thing that split us up,” he says, sounding resigned to the role his breakout hit played in our breakup.

It makes me sad too. Thanks to my insecurity, I drove the wedge between us after his success.

But the book haunts him for other reasons too. TJ thinks his next book won’t live up to this one. That he won’t write that well again.

I’m sure he will, though. I have all the faith in the world. “Your new book is going to be fucking amazing,” I say, wanting to give him all my confidence, the way he’s done for me.

“I hope so,” he says, a smile playing at his lips. “There might be a few little crossover elements with this one. Maybe that’s a bad idea since people will compare the two.”

“They might, but I’m certain your new book will be better than top-notch.”

“Maybe it will,” he says, hopeful. Then he picks up the novel again and weighs it in his hand like he’s not sure what to do with it.

For a few seconds, I’m afraid he’ll hold it out to me.

I don’t want to read it, but what if that helps him? If so, I’ll brave Flynn’s story.

“You know I haven’t readTop-Notch Boyfriendbut if you ever wanted me to, I would,” I offer. “If you want someone to make sure the crossover hits just right, or someone to read it and remind you the new book is going to be even better than the first, I can be that guy.”

There. That’s manageable. Even if the thought of cracking it open feels wildly uncomfortable.

But maybe that’s what relationships are about—getting through the awkward times together. Being there even when one person seems to have something you don’t—because you’re a team, and their wins are your wins.

Their losses are your losses.

TJ sets down the paperback and smiles at me. “Thanks, Jude. I’ll let you know if I ever need that.”

I glance at the book again, hoping he doesn’t, but ready if he does.

A couple of hours later, we board the flight. The brunette in the third row does a double-take when I turn into the seat in front of her.

“Are you Jude Fox?” the woman asks. She’s maybe thirty, possibly thirty-five.

“Yes, I am,” I say.

She brings her hand to her mouth, her eyes shining with tears as she seems to fight off a stranglehold of emotions. “Your film... wow. You captured it—loving an addict. Yourperformance was so true,” she says, and two lone tears slide down her olive cheeks.

That’s one of the most emotional reactions I’ve ever gotten toIf Found, Please Return. It’s gratifying to connect with someone so strongly. “Thank you. That means the world to me. Truly, it does,” I say as TJ puts our bags overhead.