Brooke had left her last class of the day at the University of Virginia and was on her way back to her dorm when her phone rang with the special tone she’d set for Nate. As she dug it out of her tote bag, she wondered why he’d be calling in the middle of the day. They usually talked by FaceTime at night, sometimes for hours. At some point over the last few months, his calls had become the most important thing in her life.

“Hey,” she said, breathless by the time she located the phone at the bottom of her bag.

“How’s it going?”

“Good. You?”

“Very good.”

“Uh, why are you calling me now?”

“Because I have news.”

“What kind of news?”

“The kind where I might’ve gotten word to your aunt that we’ve become friends and found out she has no objection to it.”

“Wait. You told my aunt?”

“Indirectly. Elijah actually told her.”

“You did this without talking to me about it first?”

“I, uh… It’s been really weighing on me, Brooke. I worked so hard to have this job, and I’ve been afraid of screwing it up.”

“We’ve spent hours on the phone, and you never mentioned anything was weighing on you.”

“I didn’t want it to weigh on you, too.”

“That’s not how this works, Nate. I know you love to remind me that you’re older and wiser and know best, but I’m not cool with you outing this to her without talking to me first. Do you understand that this news is now burning its way through my family?”

“Shit, Brooke. I’m sorry. I should’ve said something. The conversation with Eli just kind of happened, and I didn’t really think it through.”

“I’m getting a call from my mother. Wonder what that could be about?”

“I’m really sorry. Will you forgive me?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Brooke… Don’t forget the good news—your aunt doesn’t mind if we see each other. And I’m not going to get fired for any of this.”

“You haven’t done anything that would get you fired.”

“But I want to. I really want to.”

Her blood went hot in her veins at the way he said that. “I’m not sure I can.”

“I told you… Anything that happens between us will happen only when or if you want it to.”

“What if it never happens?”

“I think it will. In time.”

“What if you get tired of waiting for me to get over my shit?”

“I’ll never get tired of waiting for you.”

“You say that now.”

“I’ll say that always.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Act like this is a forever kind of thing.”