Page 111 of Friends with Benefits

“The job.”

Evie doesn’t see it coming.

That’s the worst part.

“You’ve been… applying to jobs in New York?”

“Not jobs! Just this one. Caro sent me the listing and—”

“What the fuck?”

She stands. Paces, unsure whether to laugh or cry, because of course. Caro. Every time her guarded heart cracks open for him she’s ambushed byCaroline Shapiro-Huang. She’s seventeenagain, Theo rejecting her earnest promposal because Caro beat her to it. She’s nineteen and on an airplane to surprise Theo and who is he hooking up with when she arrives? Caro. It’s the story of her life. A tragic comedy. Objectively hilarious.It’d be impossible. Leaving you.Did Theo say that to her before or after he applied to a fucking job in fucking New York because of fucking Caroline Shapiro-Huang?

“I’m sorry. This is a messed-up way to find out. I didn’t think I’d get it,” Theo says weakly. “Really, I thought it was a long shot. You’ve been so busy and we’ve been good and I didn’t want to be a distraction, to make this into a thing if it wasn’t going to be a thing.”

She’s sat on the end of his bed once more, bunching the navy duvet cover in her hands. “When would you start?”

“June. So I can finish out the school year.”

“Cool.” Evie opens Google on her phone, her mind racing. “Okay. Well. We should probably file the paperwork as soon as possible? I don’t know shit about divorce law or how long it will take. Probably something we should’ve checked before we became, like, legally tethered to each other? But I’m sure you don’t want to return to New York, toCaro, a married man—”

“Whoa—”

“On average it takessix monthsto finalize a divorce?Why?”

“Ev.Slow down.” Theo stands. He sits next to her on his bed, so close she can feel his breath on her cheek. Evie scoots away, her rational brain needing the space to think. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you that I applied, but I would never just accept a job on the other side of the country without talking to you first. It’s a cool opportunity, but I’m also super happy here. I don’t have to take it.”

“Obviously you’re taking it.”

“Obviously?”

“I’m not a factor. Seriously! The studio just approved my mix forSave the Last Dance, so my union application should be approved by June. Honestly, I was so excited to tell you the news. We can file. This is over.”

Theo’s eyebrows knit together. “Is that what you want? Us to be over?”

“Take me out of the equation. Would you go?”

“Yeah. But—”

“Then you have to go.”

He blinks at her, looking so at a loss. “But that’s such apointlessquestion.”

“Theodore. Take the job. There’s nothing to discuss with your wife becausewe’re not actually married. You know that, right? This? Us? It isn’t real.”

Evie stands.

She needs to put more space between them, needs him to retreat.

Instead, Theo reaches for her wrist. “Come on. We both know that’s bullshit.”

Evie shakes her head. “Still.”

Still.

Still.

Still.

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