It's not awkward unless we make it awkward. Carmen... I’ve forgiven Isaac for being a jerk to me when we were kids, but while my grudge against him is gone, my fears are alive and well. I don't care how much chemistry there is between us. I’m done with guys and their commitment issues, and I’ve found a way to make life a whole lot easier.I friend-zone them. Every single one. It’s worked super well. Until now. Isaac isn't like other guys. He knows all about the friendship-only box I’ve shoved him into and constantly teases me about it. It’s not the elephant in the room. It’s his favorite joke. The line between goofiness and flirtation is growing thinner with every interaction. Isaac hasn’t just charmed my parents and all the senior citizens we pick up for bingo night. He’s also winning me over, and I’m terrified. Isaac... I couldn’t have designed a person more perfectly apt to make me lose my mind than the grown-up version of Carmen Ortega. I already knew she was funny, adventurous, and kind to a fault. But adding attraction to that is like pouring lighter fluid on a campfire. Telling her how I feel will send her running in the other direction, so I make jokes. If she wants to see the truth in the words, it’s right there. She can try to set me up with her friends, sic her neighborhood matchmaker on me, and ban me from bringing her flowers. For now.I won’t step a toe across the line without her permission, but I’m not afraid of the long game. Carmen is the goal, and I plan to show her what being friends forever really means.