“I’m not sure. I think—I think you triggered me.”
Sage held up his hand. “That’s different.”
“How?”
“You weren’t playing. You were watching. Aware. Just being you. And I love that suit you wore. Maybe I have a thing for suits.” He flushed and grinned.
“And all that made you feel like—like?—?”
“Like safe to be completely vulnerable. In that moment, I didn’t care if other people saw. Because you were there.”
“You had no idea of me, though.”
Sage winced. “I don’t know. I just felt it. Like safe because you were there. You were a stranger so I don’t know why.”
“To be honest, I saw you through the window and that’s why I went in.”
“You felt it, too.”
“Maybe we bring that out in each other,” I said.
“Like we triggered each other””
“That’s an interesting thought.”
“I want to hope for that.”
My heart melted at his words. I wanted that, too.
9
Sage
We’d triggered each other’s inner self. That’s what I said at dinner. Except Preston’s daddy was unknown to him. He’d never explored it.
But I wanted to assure him it was there.
“I haven’t ever met anyone like you,” I said.
We walked into the kitchen, carrying our dirty plates.
“I haven’t met anyone like you,” he responded.
He took my plate, rinsed both of them and put them in his dishwasher. Then he opened the fridge.
“I have dessert.”
He brought out a box of ice cream treats. It said Snickers on the box. He opened it and handed me two.
“Take these to the table while I put the leftovers away.”
I couldn’t believe it. Snickers and ice cream. Together.
I set the treats down, one on his side of the table, one on mine. Ponce had fallen a little with his face in his saucer. Itwas okay, though; he didn’t make a mess because his food was invisible.
I heard running water and some cabinets opening and closing. Soon, Preston came to join me for our treat.
Together, we opened our packets. Our dessert was in the shape of an ice cream sandwich, but on a wooden stick. I held mine up. “This looks awesome.”
