“Okay, what happened?”
I glance up at her, deadpan. “Nothing.”
“Oh,come on.” She steps closer. She’s about to drag the details out of me by force. “Youneverpull out of campaigns because other firms are better suited, especially not million dollar ones. And you never askme to send gifts unless it’s to thank a client, apologize to a board member, or—holy shit.” Her eyes widen. “You slept with her?”
“I didn’t.” I say it firmly, but not fast enough.
Tammy narrows her eyes. “But something happened.”
I sigh. “Define something.”
She crosses her arms. “You’re giving brooding statue with a side of unresolved tension vibes. So either you didn’t sleep,orrrryou slept in a tangle of emotional consequences.”
I swipe a hand over my face. “You’re confusing this early in the morning.”
“You deflect too well for someone who’s obviously spinning.”
“I’m not in the mood for a debrief right now.”
She tilts her head, studying me like I’m an alien in a Nolan suit. “I don’t care. You have that look.”
“What look?”
“TheI-just-got-hit-by-a-truck-and-loved-itlook. You’re smitten.”
I smirk despite myself. “If a truck wore red lipstick and smelled like orchids and trouble.”
“Nolan…this is–”
“Don’t worry,” I say. “I still have all my faculties. I’m not writing her name in my will. Or tattooing it on my chest.”
She huffs. “Yet.”
“Just send the gift. And make it good.”
“Flowers?”
“No. Not her style.” Two fingers clutch my chin. “Something different. Something smart. Something... her.”
She smirks. “You want her to swoon?”
“I want her tofeel.” I gesture vaguely, like that explains anything. “Just… make it count.”
She taps her pen against her planner, thoughtful. “Something that says I can’t stop thinking about you without screaming Hi, I’ve lost all grip on reality.”
An idea strikes. I open the calendar on my phone, lean forward, adrenaline humming. “A framed star map. For this date.” I show her my phone. “The night sky as it was when?—”
Tammy’s head tilts.
“When everything cracked open for us,” I finish.
She blinks. “You want to gift her… thecosmic alignmentfor–”
“Tams.” My voice drops. “Please. No more questions.”
Tammy blinks again, but this time, the teasing fades from her eyes.
“I want it to tell her I remember,” I add quietly, “without saying a word.”
