in full swing when I get in. Holly sits at the front desk, smiling when I walk in nearly two hours late to my day. And despite how warm and bubbly she is as I head for my office, I can't shake the feeling that this is wrong. I'm so used to seeing Maggie at that desk and not seeing her there, it feels like I'm on a desert island.

And I've never felt more alone.

I spent so much time alone that you'd think I'd be used to it, but then Charlie happened and despite thinking without him I became independent. This distance between Maggie and I, even after only two days, has proven my dependance only moved to Maggie. And I fear that this fracture of betrayal will be unfixable. We've never fought and now it feels like this thing between us has ruined everything I once knew to be true.

A knock on my office door distracts me before I can dwell on it for too long. "Hey Wheeler," Clark says after waiting a beat before opening the door. "How's Maggie?"

"She's doing a little better," I say even though it feels partly like I'm lying to him. "Thank you for letting us go yesterday."

"Of course," he says with the nod of his head as he steps into the office, shutting the door quietly behind him. "I just wanted to check in with you about your book. Have you heard anything from the author yet?" he asks and Maggie pops back into my head.

I swallow the lump in my throat as I twist in my seat, pulling on the sleeves of my mint cardigan. "Yeah, they are no longer interested in publication."

"Did another house pick up the book?"

I shake my head. "They just had a change of heart about the work they submitted."

"That's unfortunate," he says with a frown. "It was a great piece of work and I know how passionate about it you were, but you've got a great eye, Emery. You'll find another piece of work that you feel this closely related to."

The corners of my lips curl up as I sit up a little straighter in my seat, crossing one leg over the other as I smooth my hand over my thigh. "Thank you," I say. "It was upsetting, but there are a lot of incredible writers out there. I'll find something else."

He nods in the encouraging way he always does before excusing himself, leaving me to my own devices. For a while, I'm able to lose myself in my work. I find myself going to my happy place and losing myself in between the lines of a manuscript. Finding peace in the way the words make my heart ache.

I make a few calls out to the authors I'm currently working with about upcoming deadlines and how they're progressing in editing before diving into the newest manuscript that's landed on my desk. The words oozing with passion, but nothing about it feel raw or real. It doesn't feel right and the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach has me wondering if I'm being too harsh. It's my job to get it to the realest place it can be.

I'm supposed to get it to the place where people feel connected to it, but the longer I stare at the page. Reading and rereading, hoping that another read will suddenly make it better. Make it rawer. Make my heart ache the way I need it to ache. The more I realize what a hidden gem The Way We Were was, and that it'll never find its way onto my shelf.

Instead I'm left daydreaming, hoping that something will fall out of the sky and into my lap. A knock at my office door pulling me out of my thoughts, and when I lift my head I find a tired looking Maggie in the doorway.

"Mags," I say, sitting up a little straighter in my seat. "Hi."

"Hi," she says. "Are you busy right now?"

I shake my head, standing as she steps inside. "I didn't think you were going to be up to coming in today," I say as she pulls on the sleeves of her jacket.

"I'm not," she says. "I just wanted to come in and thank you for last night. I know that... I freaked out on you and probably didn't–"

"Stop," I say, cutting her off before she can get there. "Maggie, you're my best friend. Whether we're in a weird place or not, you've always got me," I tell her and rest my hands on her upper arms. "Always."

She sinks into my arms as she wraps her arms around me, resting her head against my shoulder. "I'm sorry for getting so upset with you," she says.

"It's okay," I tell her as I lean back. "How's Zane?"

Her lips curl down as she moves to sit on the couch. "He's devastated," she tells her and I move to my rightful place on the coffee table in front of her, reaching for her hands. "I feel like I'm letting him down, Em."

I shake my head. "Not possible," I tell her. "I know it doesn't feel that way right now, but you couldn't possible do anything that would make Zane think of you as anything but perfect. It's an obstacle you weren't expecting, but it doesn't mean you can't be parents. You have options," I assure her, trying to make her feel better while knowing nothing I can say will cure the ache in her chest. "There's adoption."

"I know, but... I always imagined them having Zane's big heart and my eyes."

A sad smile curls up on my lips. "Maybe adoption won't give them your eyes, but do you really think Zane has such a big heart because of genetics? No. It's because his parents taught him to love openly, to be there for the wounded and to care for the weak. It has nothing to do with blood or the fact that his mom gave birth to him."

"Maybe you're right."

I smile weakly and reach for her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "And if adoption doesn't feel right, there's always surrogacy. I know it's not ideal, but they would still share your genes. Part you, part Zane."

"Do you know how much that would cost? We would have to pay for the procedure, pay for everything they need and not to mention pay them," she says, running her fingers through her hair. "And that doesn't mean it will take. It doesn't work all the time."

"I know, but we'll figure it out, and if it comes down to it and that is what you two decide you want to do then... I'll be your surrogate."

Maggie's eyes widen as she scoots to the edge of the couch. "You would do that for us?"

"Of course." I nod. "I would do anything for you and Zane. If I can help you bring life into the world, there is no doubt in my mind that I would. I would do it in a heartbeat."

"You're serious?"

I bob my head, leaning my head against hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she says as she leans into me. "Thank you for saying you would do that for me, Em. For us. It really means a lot."

"Always," I say and her lips curl up into what resembles a smile.

Her lips curl up and there's a beat of silence between us before she finally sits up a little straighter, and asks me what she wants to ask. "Did you mean it?" she asks. "Everything you said about The Way We Were? Did you mean it when you said it was good?"

"It's incredible, Mags," I tell her. "And before you say anything else, I extended the offer for publication before I even knew it was yours. It has nothing to do with you being my best friend. You're a writer, and you're incredible."

"Really?" she asks in a small voice.

"Really."

Her smile brightens a little more as she takes in my words, stirring uncomfortably in her seat. Even as I said the words, I knew she wouldn't quite believe me. Not really but I know a good book when I read one, and Maggie has one of the best.

"You know... Clark's the one that told me to extend the offer," I say when she falls silent. "He thinks it's incredible, too." When she looks up, I continue, "I understand if it doesn't feel right, but you've got something good, Mags, and if you're worried about me being the editor, I don't need to be. I can get someone else to work on it with you."

She shakes her head. "There's no one else I'd trust more to make my story great."

"Does that mean?"

"Yes," she says. "I want to publish my book and I wouldn't want to do it with anyone but you. You know me, and you know this story. You know what it needs. It's your superpower."

"You're sure?" I ask.

"Never been more sure," she says and a small gasp falls from my lips as I leap forward, wrapping my arms around her as I sink onto the couch next to her. Her arms wind around me as she rests her head against mine and just like that everything's better. No more tension, no more worrying. Just us. Maggie and Emery.