I scored it in my head. Zero. Retake the test.
"You know," I lifted my head, chin on his chest, "normal people say something to that."
He glanced down, mouth quirking in that infuriating, irresistible half-smile. "Like?"
"Like 'Oh my god, really? Where we celebrating?' or 'What do you want for a gift?' Anything over two words, and I'd skip the zero."
"Happy birthday."
I sat up. "It's not till tomorrow."
"Oh."
"Paul, 'oh' is one word. I gave you three for happy birthday, but that 'oh' docks it back."
He laughed for real, pulling me closer, chin on my head. "Fine, happy birthday tomorrow. Total score?"
"Six. Passing grade."
"Where's the other four?"
"Pending. Based on follow-up." I propped on my elbow, eyeing him. "Like asking where I wanna eat—that initiative bumps it to ten."
He thought it over, drawling, "Charge whatever on my card, pick the spot, you decide."
I rolled my eyes inwardly.
Charge my card. So my twentieth birthday ranked as a business expense in Paul Vincent's world. Line item: Employee perk. Note: Birthday bash. Amount: As incurred.
"You know the problem?" I said.
"You don't wanna charge it?"
"The problem is, you didn't even ask where I want, just dumped the emotional work on me." I poked his chest. "That's dodging, Mr. Vincent. Emotional dodging."
"I'm respecting your choices."
"Wow."
"What?"
"You can MBA-explain anything. It's impressive," I said. "If I cried, you'd call it 'investing in your emotional equity'?"
His hand toyed with my hair, absent. "Where you wanna eat?"
"Too late now. Minus five."
He tilted his head, eyes a mix of exasperation and indulgence, the kind that always made me swallow my arguments.
Phone buzzed again, twice. Texts.
I felt him tense, just a flicker—so subtle, you'd miss it unless you'd studied the guy for years like I had.
I looked up, ready with something sassy to yank the vibe back from HR memo territory, but his eyes stopped me.
He stared at the ceiling. Not dreamy, lost in thought. Distant, mind elsewhere, soul checked out to some place that had zero to do with me.
I swallowed my words. Then the phone rang a third time.
