Chapter 86

• Molly’s voice softened. “Well, you know how some people can be, right? They might take your kindness as a sign of interest, even when you’re just being polite.”
• “Yeah, I guess so,” Carmen replied, her worry still evident in her voice. “But it just felt so awkward, and I kind of made it clear that I’m not looking for anything. Which is, of course, nothing but the truth. But I think I ended up hurting him. You should have seen the look on his face. It was…”
• “Carmen,” Molly cut her off before she could slip into a rant. “…you did what you had to do. You can’t control how someone else feels, and it’s not your responsibility to protect everyone’s feelings at the expense of your own happiness or comfort. It’s not on you, okay? Stop feeling bad for him.”