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“No. You haven’t.”

She lifts the strap of her bag onto her shoulder and walks toward the door.

“Elena.”

She turns.

“I wanted to kiss you before the barbecue. Now I know I want to do it again.”

Her fingers tighten around the strap.

She leaves without answering.

I wait until Elena has been gone for twenty minutes before picking up my phone.

Elena said she wants company at a bar full of friends. After a few days of calling our kiss inconclusive, she may also want to see what happens when her brother isn’t standing twenty feet away.

Whatever she decides, I want to pick her up if she’ll let me.

I open our messages.

Dominic: What time should I pick you up?

Her reply arrives less than a minute later.

Elena: We can meet there.

Dominic: We can.

Elena: Well, that was simple.

Dominic: I’m still picking you up.

Three dots appear immediately.

Elena: That isn’t what agreeing means.

Dominic: I agreed we can meet there. Not that we should.

Elena: Of course you didn’t.

Dominic: I’ll have my driver take us. No worrying about parking, and we can both relax.

Elena: I can arrange my own ride.

Dominic: I know.

She doesn’t answer. I picture her staring at the screen, irritated because I haven’t questioned her ability to take care of herself. I simply want to be the one who arrives with her.

Dominic: You invited me to your birthday. Let me pick you up.

The response takes longer this time.

Elena: Seven-thirty.

I smile.

Dominic: I’ll be there.