Levi: Every day except the ones ending in Y.

Easton: You have no idea how much I missed this nonsense.

I’m staring at the screen and grinning like an idiot when George brushes his knuckles over my shoulder. “You’re awfully attached to that phone this afternoon.”

Shame washes over me. George isn’t anti-technology, but he doesn’t like when people are glued to their screens, and he’s been known to pull out his old typewriter from time to time to pound out a draft of an article. I’d blame his aversion to technology on his age, but he’s only ten years older than me. The guy’s been forced to use computers since high school.

I roll my shoulders, shrugging off the guilty feelings. “Easton was just updating everyone on his plans and my brothers were going back and forth, giving each other shit.”

He arches a brow, waiting for more.

I wave a hand. “They’re just being idiots.”

“Hmm.” He dips his head and grazes his lips across the crook of my neck. I pull away without thinking, and his expression cools. “What’s going on with you?”

Good question. “Nothing. I’m just . . . There’s a lot on my plate right now. I’m still feeling a little lost about the future.” We haven’t talked about it since last week in his office. I haven’t wanted to bring it up again.

He straightens and folds his arms. Gone is seductive George. He’s pulling out his Dr. Alby face. “You’re a defense away from completing your dissertation, and you have half a dozen interviews lined up for jobs.”

“So?”

“So why aren’t you excited? You’ve worked for this for years.”

“Why are you so excited? Doesn’t it bother you at all that I might not even live here next year? That I might be on the other side of the country?” What the hell was that ring in your coat pocket? And who the hell is Buttercup?

His eyes flicker. I don’t think he actually moves, but I can feel him retreat. “Shay, this is the nature of academia. We have to take what we can get. New PhDs in this field are lucky to find a tenure-track position at all. We don’t get to be picky about where we live.”

“I know that.”

“Then please explain what’s going on in your head.”