Page 13 • Dec 5, 2025

From a young age, Charlotte had always had the sense she was in the way.

Page 51 • Dec 5, 2025

“And I quote,” Sloane said, taking her phone out of her back pocket, then tapping at the screen, “ ‘If anyone knows any single queer darlings, ages twenty-five to thirty-five, please do let me know.’ End quote.”

“I mean, I’m a fan of queer darlings,” Manish said.

“Same,” Elle said.

“Exactly,” Nina said. “I’m just putting out some friendly social feelers for you all while you’re here. Want you to feel, you know, seen.”

“Seen,” Adele said, her voice deadpan. “Mom, you’re the only cishet person in this house. I think we’re good.”

Page 66 • Dec 5, 2025

“Hey, Mom,” Adele said, clearing her throat and squeezing Brighton’s leg under the table. “Did you know Noni hasn’t been on a date in three years?”

Sloane’s mouth dropped open. “You rat fink!”

“Three years? Really, Sloane?” Nina asked.

“Well, Deli eats women out on top of her bar after hours,” Sloane said. “Talk about a health code violation.”

“That was once!” Adele said. “Told to you in confidence! And I cleaned it…you know…after.”

“I think this conversation is the definition of TMI,” Nina said, sipping her wine.

Page 82 • Dec 5, 2025

She was a grown-up, dammit, complete with a dead-end dream and a lackluster love life.

Page 88 • Dec 5, 2025

Brighton relaxed a little at the word wife, just like she always did when in the company of other queer people. She could be undergoing a root canal, and as long as the dentist was queer, she was bound to be at least 50 percent calmer, the feeling of safety and camaraderie like a mild muscle relaxer.

Page 97 • Dec 5, 2025

“Some might say the stuff meet-cutes are made of.”

Page 169 • Dec 6, 2025

Wes rolled his eyes. “I gather subtlety is not your strong suit.”

“You gather right.”

Page 199 • Dec 6, 2025

“Boobs,” Charlotte said, drawing out the o’s.

Brighton laughed. “Boobs.”

“They’re nice.”

“That, they are.”

Charlotte sighed. “I think I’m drunk.”

“Oh, I don’t know, seems to me like you’re behaving pretty normally.”

Page 205 • Dec 6, 2025

When one had an indifferent mother as their only parent, self-soothing was a priceless skill, a matter of survival, even. She’d learned at a very young age how to take care of herself, control her emotions, and wear expressions that fit the situation so no one asked questions or suspected she wasn’t okay.

Page 232 • Dec 6, 2025

Speaking of headaches, Charlotte and Brighton are strangely silent. Are they dead? Or making out? I’m taking bets

Page 312 • Dec 6, 2025

But she could love so many places.

She could love so much more than work.

She could love so many more people than just herself.

And what was more, she wanted to. God, she was so fucking tired of herself, of always and only keeping her own company, of swallowing feelings and fears and convincing herself that by doing so she was strong.

She wasn’t strong.

She was a fucking coward.

With Brighton. With Sloane. With her mother, even. Desperate for love but convinced no one would ever fully give it, an insecurity that had only magnified after Brighton left her. Still, she knew it wasn’t Brighton’s fault—or not just her fault, at least.

Brighton had wanted to make Charlotte happy by staying in New York.

She’d always wanted to make Charlotte happy, and Charlotte had let her, over and over again, let her soothe Charlotte, let her make Charlotte feel secure, feel stable, feel loved, to the detriment of her own needs.

Charlotte braced her hands on the cool quartz sink, closed her eyes, and breathed, her forehead breaking out in a sweat.

Because she missed Brighton.

Fuck, she missed her so much.

Page 317 • Dec 6, 2025

“And it says you probably need a really good therapist,” Sloane added.

Charlotte laughed through her tears. “Oh, there’s no probably about it. Another thing I’ve been terrified to try.”

Page 317 • Dec 6, 2025

“Everyone needs a therapist,” Sloane said, squeezing her hands. “Literally everyone. And I’ll help you find one when we get back to New York.”