The woman who did make his senses light up still hadn’t called him.

If Leah cared about him, she would have called him by now. Right?

Sebastian had been certain that she cared about him, but maybe that had been wishful thinking. At times his ideas and opinions on a subject were so strong that he could project those onto other people.

It could be he was the guy that girls like Ellie had crushes on and that women who hit on him in bars wanted to sleep with. But he was not the guy that women like Leah cared about.

If so, how much of that was his fault? How much of that could be chalked up to the fact that he hadn’t let anyone care?

He’d made an error with Leah.

“My affection can’t be bought,” she’d said to him. It had been clear the day he’d given her the necklace that accepting presents didn’t come naturally to her, yet the gifts he’d purchased had served their purpose. They’d convinced her to go out with him.

He should have stopped there, while he was ahead, because he’d clearly crossed an invisible line when he’d made that phone call on Dylan’s behalf. In doing so, he’d insulted her.

If he wanted her back, which he did, it looked like he was going to have to make the first move.

What would work with her? How could he win her over in ways that went beyond wrapped packages and expensive dinners?

Long ago, she’d told him she appreciated it when people spoke to her directly. He was a blunt person. Even so, the thought of speaking to Leah about his emotions left him feeling unprotected.

Which was worse . . . losing Leah or feeling unprotected?

He was going to have to get over feeling unprotected, because losing Leah was much worse.

The pastor read from 1 John. “‘See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.’ The most meaningful thing about you,” the pastor said, “isn’t your job. It’s not your status as a father, a mother. A husband, a wife. A son, a daughter. A sister, a brother. A friend. We’re all tempted to try to plant our identity in those things. Ultimately, they won’t satisfy, because that’s not how God created us to find meaning.”

Hands down, the most meaningful thing about Sebastian was his profession. He definitely had planted most of his identity in it. His degrees and accomplishments had given him his truest sense of pride. Really, his only sense of pride. Yet as much as he loved his work, as committed as he was to it, it hadn’t brought him peace or wholeness.