NOAH For the better part of an hour, I sat in my living room as the sun set and darkness stole quietly over me. My phone was in my lap; I wanted to call Alison, but I also wasn't certain what to say to her. Where did we go from here? Should I offer to marry her? To give her money? Both of those options felt wrong to me, and even though I'd proved time and again that I was clueless when it came to women, I had a hunch that neither offer would be well-received. When my phone finally rang, my heart leaped, and I snatched it up, staring at the screen, willing it to show Alison's name. But I was destined for disappointment because it was Emma calling instead. "Hey." My voice cracked a little. "What's up?" "What's up?' She sounded incredulous. "For the love of God, Noah. What the actual f*