His face lights up. “She’s great, actually. It took her a couple years to get right, but she eventually transferred schools and finished her degree. She works in finance also, for an investment bank in New York. And she married a great guy. He worships the ground she walks on.” He smiles. “As he should.”
“That’s fantastic. And wow, so many math brains in your family. Quite a group of supernerds,” I tease.
“You should hear us when we get together. You’d be bored to tears.”
I chuckle at the thought of them talking animatedly over the dinner table about... numbers. “You guys sound really close.”
He flashes his signature boyish grin, and it’s a sure sign the heaviness has passed. “We are. It was just the two of us growing up, so we sort of had to be. Oh, and she just told me—I’m going to be an uncle.” He beams with pride.
“Wow, congratulations! Something tells me Uncle Ben will be abigspoiler.”
“Oh, it’ll be obscene. I’m thrilled for her. So are my parents, obviously. First grandchild and all.” He tips his head back to drain his water. “It should get my mom off my back for a while.”
I smile wryly. “I know the feeling.”
“She keeps asking about you, you know,” he says casually, crunching some ice in his teeth.
“Oh yeah? And what do you tell her?”
He eyes me over the rim of his glass. “Honestly? I have no idea what to tell her.”
Alarm bells start ringing in my head. That was a warning shot, and I can tell by the way he’s holding eye contact he wants to see how I’ll respond. Will I run with it or punt?
But before I can decide, he beats me to it. “You ever wonder what might’ve happened if our first meeting had gone differently?”
My eyes widen, but he just sits there, all casual nonchalance, his expression impassive. He’s cool as a cucumber. Meanwhile, I’m trying to prevent every thought from playing out on my face like some melodramatic street mime.
He’s looking at me expectantly—I’m not off the hook this time. He wants to hear me say it.
“Sure, sometimes. I think it’s only natural.” When he looks at me blankly, I clarify. “You know, the wholeWhen Harry Met Sallything.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“What?I thought that movie was a rite of passage.”
He sits back. “Enlighten me.”
“The basic premise is that men and women can’t ever really be friends, if you... uh, find the other person attractive. Because... well, for obvious reasons.” I flush.
“I see.”
A heavy silence settles between us.Awkward, party of two.
“So, you’re saying we can’t be friends, then.”
I arch an eyebrow.
“Since you’re so attracted to me.”
I snort. “How did I know that was coming?”
“It’s okay, you can admit it. I won’t make things weird.” His sly grin liquefies my insides.
“Stohhhp.”
“Seriously? I tell you you’re strikingly beautiful and I can’t even get aBen, you’re not entirely hideous?”
“Ben, you’re not entirely hideous.”
