“Listen,” she said, giving my hand a squeeze, “I really appreciate you coming tonight, and I don’t want to make things awkward.”

I squinted, my mind working quickly, trying to track where this was going.

“But I think you and I are probably better as friends.” She looked at me, waiting for a reply. “And I think you might feel the same way too?”

I did feel the same way. Exactly the same. But this announcement, here, was still not what I was expecting.

“I do think that, actually. Yeah,” I said, processing my surprise. “I think you’re great, but I’m just not…” I’m not here, I wanted to say. Even when I’m with you, in my brain I’m always with someone else.

“Feeling it?” she finished, smiling.

I smiled back, appreciating her bluntness. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”

“Look.” She placed a hand on my forearm. “I don’t want to waste your time, or my time, if this isn’t working. And I was thinking about how I was going to introduce you to my friends tonight, and I realized it didn’t feel right to say ‘boyfriend.’ And that got me thinking.”

I nodded. “How about ‘guy your coworker set you up with that didn’t totally work out’?”

“That has a nice ring to it.” She released her hand and sighed. Even though the conversation was drama-free, it was still awkward. I shifted in my shoes, which suddenly felt a half size too small.

She pressed her lips together, her face serious. “I’m sorry if I’ve made this night uncomfortable for you. I’d totally get it if you want to leave.”

“It’s not, and I don’t. I really appreciate your honesty.” I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled.

“You’re a good guy, you know that?” She tilted her head, gave me a kind smile.

I shrugged her off with a smile. “It’s the tux.”

“Well, we’re still sitting together, so”—she looped her arm through mine—“shall we?”

As we moved through the hallway, we passed small exhibits set up along the way: a giant chunk of jade in a glass case, some fossils immortalized in stone. But nothing could ever fully prepare you for the moment you stepped into the Hall of Ocean Life, which was a stunning, mind-blowing place at any time of day. The walls were full of exhibits, but the real showstopper was the life-size blue whale that hung from the ceiling of the massive room, looming over everyone and everything below.