"That is not what you asked."
I laugh. "It's like that, is it? Squabbling over wording?"
He hangs his head for a second. "She's an ex."
"Jakob. Stop stalling."
"You're asking me to…" he shakes his head. "You don't know what you're asking."
"No, obviously not. Thus the reason for the question."
Another long silence—the line of cars has moved several whole feet and is creeping along steadily, now. The bridge is in view.
"I don't know how to explain who she is to me. There's a lot of…context…that's required."
"So contextualize me, hot stuff."
He arches a wry eyebrow at me. "Hot stuff?"
I shrug. "Just go with it."
A shake of his head. "Isabel is…was…" Another head shake. "No. It's impossible."
"Jakob."
"You're pulling on a single thread, but that thread is part of a Gordian knot. There simply isn’t a single, pat, easy answer."
"She's really not just an ex, is she?"
His gaze, when I meet it, is heavy. "No, she isn't." A frown crosses his features, then. "I don't have anything so prosaic asjust an ex."
"What a strange thing to say."
He shrugs. "I'm not a simple man, Brys."
"So I'm gathering." I sigh. "Fine. I'll take pity on you for now. I'll ask a different question. But you're not off the hook forever.I'm going to ask that question again. So, you know, be thinking about the answer."
"It's my turn." He shoots a sideways look at me, thoughtful and deep. “Why are you single?"
"Who says I am?"
"You haven't so much as mentioned a boyfriend, fiancé, or husband. I feel like it would have come up if one existed, especially after that kiss."
"Which one?" I mumble.
His answering grin is superheated. "Exactly." The grin fades a bit. "So. Why are you single, Brys Bennett?"
"Because I don't have a boyfriend."
He snorts. "Remember your caveat? No vague nonanswers."
“You want the deep, uncomfortable truth?"
"Clearly."
"What was it you said about going right for the jugular?" I shift in my seat, starting to regret this game already. "Because I'm just not girlfriend material."
He looks at me without speaking for a long moment, absorbing my answer. "What does that mean?"
