she only looked at me.
I felt the silence rush into all the places my confidence had occupied.
“You can say no,” I added. “I don’t want what happened Thursday to make this feel like something you owe me.”
Her expression changed.
“Wesley.”
I waited.
“I’m not saying yes because you caught the box.”
Something in my chest loosened.
“I’m saying yes because I’ve been hoping you’d ask.”
I stared at her long enough that she started laughing.
“That was the part where you were supposed to look pleased.”
“I
