I stared at him. “You have met my federation.”
“Fair point.”
I rested my forehead against his shoulder again.
A week ago, I would have spent the entire walk back from that press conference replaying every answer, looking for mistakes. Now, all I wanted was a shower and about twelve hours of sleep.
Maybe that is growth.
By the time we reached the exit, I couldn’t summon the energy to replay a single answer.
Dean moved his hand lazily across my back. “Anything you wish you’d said differently?”
I thought about it. The questions blurred together already. Headlines would come and go. Commentators would dissect every answer until the next story pushed this one aside.
“No. I think I am done explaining myself for one day.”
“Excellent.”
I blinked. “That is all you have?”
“Yep.”
I pulled back enough to look him in the eye. “You don’t want a profound conversation?”
“Absolutely not.” Dean took my hand. “I want food, a locked room, and several uninterrupted hours where nobody asks either of us for statements.”
I stared at him again. “That is the smartest thing you’ve said all week.”
“Thank you.”
I bit back a smile. “It’s a low bar.”
He let out a mock gasp. “I’m not sure I like your improved command of English.”
I snorted. “I will not forget your comments to Mila at breakfast this morning.”
Dean gave me an innocent glance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No? Then let me remind you. There I was, doing my best to produce fluid, emotionally nuanced English, and?—”
“We were discussing breakfast cereals,” he said with an eyeroll.
“Fluid, emotionally nuanced English,” I repeated, my jaw set, “and Mila stared at me and said ‘Who are you and what have you done with my partner?’”
Dean chuckled.
“When I replied that I had always been capable of excellent English,youtold me—and I quote—that I had been ‘holding out.’ And when Mila pointed out that I had used a metaphor, you gave her a wide-eyed look and said ‘Iknow!’”
Then he laughed, and whatever irritation I’d been holding onto dissipated.
“You’ve been practicing. It shows. That better?”
I sniffed. “Maybe.”
“I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.” Dean squeezed my hand and we started walking toward the exit.
For once, I didn’t stop to catalogue every possible consequence before taking the next step. The world hadn’t become safer.
