“Nothing.” She shakes her head.

“Uh, no, you’re not going to get away with that. What were you just thinking?”

She drags her finger over the comforter beneath us, avoiding eye contact. “Just that, you know, you’re pretty mature.”

“Jesus, Scottie. I’m two years younger than you, which is not that big of a difference.”

“I know, I know. I’m just not used to such maturity in a man your age is all. I mean, even Mika isn’t as mature as you.”

I chuckle. “Mika’s on his own path.”

“That he is.” She pushes her foot against my leg. “Seriously though, you know how to say the right thing.”

“I’m not saying it just to say it.” I look her in the eyes. “I mean it.”

She nods. “I know.”

I turn toward her and ask, “So do you want to go home, or do you want to stay? I’m good either way.”

She looks toward the window, and I can see her wavering on what to do, so I decide to help her.

“Please tell me if I’m overstepping here, but it almost seems like after today’s session, you’re considering staying because you might think it could be helpful. I don’t know what happened in your divorce, and I won’t ask because I know that’s personal to you, but if it seems like being here could help weed out some of the negative feelings you’re experiencing or the animosity or anxiety, then maybe it might be good to stay. If anything, staying might break the patterns of behavior for you. I know I can get into them sometimes, and breaking a routine helps break through some of the baggage we hold on to.”

She stares up at the ceiling as she leans back on her hands. “Yeah. I was thinking that, but I don’t want to keep you. The option to leave is there, and I feel like you should be able to get back to your regular life.”

“But do you really think I want to do that?” I ask. “Why do you think I’m here in the first place? Because my regular life is boring me.”

Her eyes meet mine. “You’d really stay an extra seven days with me, knowing that we could leave tomorrow?”

“Gives me an extra seven days to shower with the fleshy poker. I call that a good fucking time.”

That makes her smile. “I’m being serious, Wilder.”

“So am I.”