“Yes.” Except for when I said it out loud, my stomach tightened.
“Well, good. I didn’t think he had it in him. Seems very into image,” Dad said.
I prickled in defense. “I know that’s how he can come off, but there’s a good guy underneath.” When we met after college, we had the same goals, the same values in life. It wasn’t some combustible love affair, but we understood each other and that felt important. Safe. But he also needed to eat, so he took the job with the brokerage firm.
“I know you don’t let many people in.” I shrugged hisaccusation away.
We weren’t one of those couples who were always together, each enjoying our own space. Moving in with him had been a huge decision that required multiple spreadsheets and pros and cons lists. I had seven teeth-falling-out dreams trying to decide whether I should give up the lease on my place. Ultimately, I made the big move.
In time, it would feel like home.
“You’re very hard on him,” I mumbled.
“I just want to make sure he sees what a treasure you are.”
I bit my tongue. Kevin and I had mutual respect and the same values. That was enough. Having a long-term partner required those two things more than fleeting and fanciful attraction.
“I just want to know how this is all going to work out.” I blew out a breath, went to the window, and peeked through the curtain again.
“Change is always scary. But he’s doing the right thing, Claire Bear. You both are.”
I spun to meet my dad’s eyes on the screen. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll feel better once the article is out, and we can put all this behind us. Maybe we could take a trip. I heard this little nearby town has this great bed-and-breakfast. I know we joke about a future where our brains can directly connect to some sort of ever-updating infinite resource of knowledge, but I would be the first person to sign up.”
“I never thought you were joking about that,” he said.
“Imagine being able to instantly know anything you wanted to know, fact-checked and credited.” The fine hairs on my armstood on end, and I pointed at them. “Look. I have chills.”
He chuckled. “You’re so your mother’s daughter.”
I smiled at the compliment. Dad found my insatiable search for knowledge to be a quality and not an annoyance like most people. Aside from sharing my mother’s wide “toothy smile”—as many have felt the need to point out—her shining chestnut hair and deep-set dimples, I also inherited her unquenchable thirst to understand all things. There was nothing I hated more than missing something important because I didn’t have all the information.
“Anywho.” I heard him shift and jingle his keys. “I’m off to meet the guys down on Cicero.”
“The car show?”
“There’s rumor of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray.”
“Split window?”
“You betcha,” he said.
“Fancy. Eat a dog for me.”
“You know I will. Extra relish, no ketchup.”
“Obviously. Ketchup on a hot dog. Imagine,” I said.
We both shuddered at our long-standing snobbery.
“Maybe this weekend you can go meet up with some of your friends?” he asked in that tone, which was more of a suggestion than a question.
“Dad. I’m almost thirty. Why are you so worried that I don’t have friends? I have loads of friends.”
“Do you? Are they corporeal? Are they in the room with you now?” I flicked a look at my laptop again. Technically, they wereonline only, but that didn’t matter. They were more real than anything I’d yet to find. Except Kevin, of course. It was too hard to meet people in this city. I kept waiting for it to happen organically, but the city was too big. And I wasn’t exactly the smoothest in social situations.
“Even just since we started talking, I have several unread messages,” I insisted.
“Sure. You’re just so pretty?—”
