She closed her notebook and leaned back in her chair. “You guys picked the four-week marriage prep course. And today was the last day. I would be happy to keep seeing you, as a couple, or individually. Talk about it and let me know.”
“Oh,” I said, having forgotten for a moment the whole timeline thing.
“I think we’re good,” Elijah said. “At least for now. Right, babe?”
“Yeah, right. For sure. This has been great. Thank you so much.”
She stood and walked us out of her office to the lobby. As we reached the door, she said, “Sutton, hold on a minute.”
Elijah nodded and walked out of the building. I turned back. “Did I fail?”
She laughed. “No, of course not. But… what you’re dealing with, it’s a lot. And remember what we talked about a couple sessions ago, it’s okay to need help.”
“Right, my hyper-independence.” I gestured toward the front door where Elijah had just left. “I’m working on it.”
“He’s a good one,” she said.
“He is.”
“And it’s okay to call him yours. Not everyone leaves.”
I wanted to scream,We were strangers and you couldn’t see that so I’m not sure I should trust anything you say. But I wanted to trust her, regardless of her lack of perception. “Bye,” I said instead.
I joined Elijah outside, where he was once again waiting for me at the trunk of his car. “Did you get in trouble?”
“She just wanted to tell me that she knew we were strangers from day one.”
“Really?” he said.
“And that I won the bet because this proves I know everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I was hoping she was telling you that you need to warn me when texts are the result of homework assignments.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, because even though he was joking, it had obviously bothered him. “I wish I was that fun and spontaneous, but I’m not. I think that’s why she gave me the scratcher to begin with and not you.”
“You are,” he said.
“I’m not. But Elijah,” I grabbed hold of his forearms that were crossed over his chest and looked him in the eyes. “The text, the words, were mine, not homework. And I meant what I sent. I wanted to. Bad.”
“Do you still want to? Bad?”
I nodded.
“Will you come to my place for dinner this weekend?”
“Do you cook?”
“I do not. But I’m excellent at ordering food. Maybe even an expert.”
I smiled.
“So will you?”
“Only if you send me a sexy text asking me,” I said.
