Melancholy Baby

Начало книги

He didn’t take the coward’s way out and simply send me an invitation. He came to see me.

“She better be nice to Rosie,” I said.

“I wouldn’t let anyone not be nice to Rosie,” Richie said. “Do you think I love Rosie less than you do?”

I didn’t say anything for a bit, then, finally, I said, “No.”

“Thank you,” Richie said.

“And, obviously, stupid question, you love this woman.”

“Yes,” Richie said.

It got out before I could shut it off.

“More than you love me?” I said.

He didn’t say anything for a bit, then, finally, he said, “No.”

“This raises a question,” I said.

“It is, I’ve found, possible to love more than one person,” Richie said. “I love you, and I love her. She’s willing to marry me.”

“And you want to be married,” I said.

“Yes.”

“And I don’t.”

“I know.”

“It has nothing to do with not loving you,” I said.

“I know.”

“I just can’t be married, Richie.”

“I know.”

I had been looking at Richie for so long. He got a dark shadow on his face if he didn’t shave every day. He had the strongest-looking hands I’d ever seen. He had thick black hair and wore it short. He seemed never to need a haircut. I knew what he looked like naked. I knew what he looked like asleep. I knew what he smelled like and sounded like and felt like. I knew how he thought and what he thought.

Читать дальше →