To: Elliot P. [email protected]>

Subject: Crazy!

Hi Elliot,

I’m pretty sure that was you being condescending last night, so here is me being mature and ignoring it.

Want to hear something crazy? My friend Nikki got suspended for making out with a guy in the cafeteria today! I was all oh my god what is happening? I told Dad and he asked if I had kissed any boys and I was all no way! Who would I kiss at school they’re all losers!

Anyway that was crazy!

Macy

From: Elliot P. <[email protected]>

Date: January 3, 08:27 PM

To: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>

Subject: re: Crazy!

My friend Christian got suspended last year for building a rocket in shop. I’m not even sure where he got the fuel but it totally flew through the window and hit a car in the parking lot. It was awesome.

So you don’t hang out with guys at your school?

Elliot

From: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>

Date: January 4, 7:32 AM

To: Elliot P. <[email protected]>

Subject: re: Crazy!

I do Doug and Cody have been in school with me since first grade so we are sorta close but kissing close? Uh no they’re nice but I think I’ll probably meet a college guy at some point because the guys at my school are all into video games and skateboards and Danny (another friend) totally tried to touch my butt once at a dance but I was all I don’t think so.

Macy

From: Elliot P. <[email protected]>

Date: January 4, 07:34 AM

To: Macy Lea Sorensen <[email protected]>

Subject: re: Crazy!

Macy,

Punctuation is your friend.

Elliot

now

thursday, october 5

Liz Petropoulos, what a trip.

She’s medium height, curvy, and has the most amazing skin. Also, no fewer than four times have I told her how much I covet her cheekbones. She’s a smiler, saying hello to everyone who walks in the doors to the Mission Bay building and stopping anyone without a badge, beckoning them to sign in.

I raise my badge as I do every morning. Thankfully she was on break yesterday when I burst in, frazzled after my non-breakfast with Elliot, but today she smiles with a little glimmer in her eyes, like she knows more now than she did the last time I saw her.

“Well, hello, Liz Petropoulos,” I say, approaching her, dropping any pretense.

She hesitates only a beat before saying, “Hi, Macy Sorensen,” without having to check my badge. As I get closer, she smiles again. “Boy, have I heard a lot about this Macy person over the past seven years. And to think she’s been the nice, new Dr. Sorensen complimenting my cheekbones.”

“Guess Elliot and George should give up and let us get married,” I say, and she laughs. It’s a round, delighted sound.

Her expression straightens pretty quickly. “I’m sorry I told him when you’d be in.” She holds up a hand when I start to speak, and adds in a quieter voice, “He told me about running into you, and we put two and two together. You can’t know what it means to him that he’s seen you. I know it’s not my business, but—”