Page 22 of Spit Screen

I shake my head and giggle.

“You know I’m right. They have a lot more toput up withfrom us than we ever will need to deal with from them.”

There’s no point in arguing. Tamara is right.

“Mm. We both know it,” Tamara says. “It took me a while to realize you knew Emma was in love with you when you wroteOff Screen.”

“No. I didn’t. I hoped.”

“Nope. Youknew. You felt it. I’ll buy you were scared shitless she’d never admit how she felt. But youknewbecause youfeltit. That’s why you wroteOff Screen, right?”

I nod. “That was a different time,” I say. “Our lives were?—"

Tamara holds up a hand. “I get it, Addy. You wrote this for Emma. Maybe she’ll surprise me and she’ll tell you she wants no part of it. I think you know better than that.”

“I don’t doubt Em willwantto do it. But I'm not sure she’ll bewillingto do it, Tam.”

“And you think Christie’s signing on would change that?” Tamara shakes her head. “Come on, Addy. You don’t need to sweeten the deal with Emma.”

“I don’t have a deal with Emma.”

“No. You don’t. What doyouwant?” Tamara asks me.

“What do you mean?”

“You graduated Summa Cum Laude. This isn’t a hard question for you. What doyouwant, Addy?”

“I want to make the show with Em.”

“And?”

“And?”

“And do you want to move to LA to do it?” Tamara asks.

“No. Maybe.” I groan. “I did.”

Tamara flops back in her chair. “You can’t make me and Chris your reason to hold back.”

“Tam, maybe you’re right about the fact that I can sense what Emma feels. But you’re missing something about this project.”

“What am I missing?”

“It’s also about us—you, me, Chris, and Em—about our friendships.”

Tamara smiles at me. “I know, Addy.”

“You do?”

“I knowyou. Maybe there’s a way to make it all come together.”

I wish I could see a solution. “I don’t know.”

“Well, don’t set it on a shelf because you’ve climbed so far into your head you can see out your eyeballs.”

That did it. I burst out laughing. I often think Tam should be a writer. She offers some of the most colorful visuals I’ve ever heard.

Tamara shrugs. “Don’t do it, Addy.”

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