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“I think that’s the perfect end to the interview.”
“Anything you two would like to add before I stop recording today?”
Out of the corner of my eye I see Eli shake his head and I mimic his actions. After turning off the recording on our session, Eli and I both stand, shake Tinsley’s hand, and show ourselves out.
“You okay?” Eli asks as soon as we’re in the car.
“Fine. Why?”
“You clammed up in there. One second you were strong and confident, the next it was like you were a deer in the headlights.”
“I’ve never understood what that saying meant.”
“It means you looked like a car was driving straight toward you and you were so scared you couldn’t force your legs to move you out of the way before you got hit.”
“I guess that makes sense,” I state, staring out the window as he navigates his way through downtown and back toward the highway.
“So, what happened?”
“Nothing. I’m—”
“Don’t you dare say fine. The interview went really well. We were able to control the conversation. She didn’t get anything out of us that we didn’t want her to. And surprisingly, she didn’t try and dig any deeper about your father or your mom for that matter. Still, you freaked out at the end.”
Silence descends, the air between us thickening with each passing second. I want to be honest with him. To ask if he really meant what he said. But I’m not sure I’m ready to hear the answer. Because that would mean I’d have to confess my feelings to him. That I care about him more than I want to. When I picture my future, I imagine him by my side. I pray our relationship is strong enough to survive both the demands of this industry as well as the test of time.
“I freaked out because you were talking about our future, and as much as I want to, I try not to picture next week let alone next year or ten years from now.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“But I wish I could let myself. It’s not like I don’t think we’ll be together … I just can’t imagine it the way you can apparently.”
“Probably because I’ve been in this relationship far longer than you have.”
“What do you mean?” My head whips in his direction. He’s staring straight ahead, keeping his eyes trained on the road as he navigates through downtown traffic.
“The first time I saw you I felt something, deep down inside of me. It was instantaneous.”
“You mean when I kneed you in the balls?”
“Before that, but yeah, that day. I thought you were gorgeous, and it was cute how nervous you were, but it was more than that. I wanted to ask you a million questions in the span of five seconds. I wanted to know everything about you but that wasn’t your plan. You had a job to do and that’s all that was on your mind.”
“Not exactly. I may have been a little distracted by the sight of your bare chest. The water running down it. The cut of your hips as they dipped below the towel you had wrapped around your waist.”
“Are you telling me you fell on top of me because you were horny?” He laughs, the tension melting away.
“Something like that. I tripped because you made me nervous.”
“In case you were wondering, I didn’t mind. If you hadn’t kneed me in the balls, you would have been able to tell how much I enjoyed you being on top of me.”
Austin’s text is the first thing that comes to mind, and a string of giggles escape me. After explaining to Eli what transcended from my conversation with the girls, he joins me in my laughter.
“You still owe them a pic it seems,” he states seriously as he pulls his car to a stop next to mine. I was so caught up in our conversation I didn’t realize we were already back to my house. The garage is open, and my mother’s SUV is inside the far-left stall, a clear indication she’s here.
“My mother is here,” I state, ignoring his comment.
“Is that a problem?”
“She never responded to my texts about the interview. She’s going to want to talk about it.”
