Katie Bailey

Annie smiles and moves to let me drape the jacket around her. She shivers when my fingers graze her shoulders, and I try to ignore the way my heartbeat picks up.

“Vulnerability is not about winning or losing, it's about having the courage to show up even when you can't control the outcome.”

I don’t think about the fact that we’re going to have to explain our ridiculous outburst. Or about the fact that I’m having feelings I can’t possibly have. Feelings that I resolved to never, ever let myself catch for someone I worked with again.

I don’t think about anything at all.

I just focus on the sound of Liam’s laugh.

And laugh right along with him.

I am literally turning into my mother.

Honestly. Beneath all his complicated layers, this man is more cinnamon roll than extra-crunchy granola.

“Brené Brown says that regret is necessary to facilitate change and growth.”

“Do you want me to kiss you, Annie?”

It’s a rhetorical question.

I already know the answer.

Climb the career ladder. Instead, I wasted my fun-loving twenties not having any fun and with nothing much to show for it. I stayed inside my comfort zone and always did what I was supposed to do.”

“I think you spend all your time focused on what other people want, instead of what YOU want. And you try to give other
people a version of you that you think they’ll like, instead of just being yourself.”

“I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry for telling you that you’re underestimating yourself. That being you is the best thing you can be.”