I sit with the box on my lap as Steven starts the car.
“I just think... maybe it’s too soon. She just lost her father,” he says, eyes on the road.
“And she’s always wanted a puppy,” I counter gently. “She’s responsible, Steve. She’ll handle it.”
He sighs, dragging a hand through his blond hair. “I don’t know. What if what she needs is space, not responsibility?”
“She really needs this right now,” I insist quietly. “The only time she truly smiles lately is when she’s with Percy.”
He exhales, nodding a little. “Okay, V. If you say so.”
I smile faintly. The fact that he even came with me tells me everything. His doubt’s not lack of faith—it’s concern. He loves her too, in his way.
We pull into the driveway of her grandmother’s house. I reach for the door handle, but Steven’s hand closes around my sleeve, stopping me.
“Can we talk?” His voice is low, uneven.
I pause, heart thudding. “Is everything okay?”
He nods quickly. “Yeah, yeah. Nothing bad. It’s just...”
“What?”
He draws in a breath and looks at me. His eyes—usually so clear, so guarded—carry a light I’ve never seen before. “I think I’m love with Nova.”
It’s like a blade crashes down on me, splitting me open. “W-what? Since when?”
“I don’t know.” His voice trembles. “I’ve been feeling it for a few months. And when her dad died... I don’t know, it’s like weconnected. We talked a lot—me about my grandma, her about her father—and she gets me in a way no one else does. And she’s so beautiful, V. Every time she talks, I feel like my stomach flips inside out. Do you know what I mean, right?”
Yeah. Better than he’ll ever know.
I open my mouth to finally tell him about Nova and me, about Seattle, about how much I love her. But then his words stops me.
“I feel ready to tell her about the disease.”
My chest tightens. “So it’s serious?”
He nods. “Yeah. And I wanted to ask you if... if it’d be okay with you if I tried? If I... hit on her?”
My fists clench, nails digging into my palms. “Huh?”
“I mean...” He hesitates. “Is there something going on between you two, V?”
Come on, Vincent. Tell him. Tell him yes. Tell him you’re planning a future with her. Tell him you saw her first, that you’re madly in love with her. Tell him, Vincent. Be a man.
“No.” I say, and the word burns my throat. I can’t bring myself to meet his eyes—he’d see right through the lie in a heartbeat.
The truth screams inside me: something incredible’s happening between Nova and me. I’m in love with her. I don’t want him anywhere near her like that. But I’ve never seen that look in Steven’s eyes before. I’ve never seen him want to open up about his illness, never seen him bare himself to someone like this.
And if stepping aside is what it takes for him to be happy—for Nova to maybe have someone steady, someone who isn’t constantly on the edge of breaking—that’s what I’ll do.
Because what can I promise her? I’m chained to antidepressants and therapy. I relapse. I disappear. I already left her once. Steven was the one who stayed—teaching her to drive,feeding strays with her, pulling her into fantasy books when I wasn’t there. He’s solid. He’s here.
Me? I don’t know how long I’ll last.
“Ready to go?” Steven asks softly, snapping me out of the spiral.
I just nod and step out of the car with the box in my hands.
