Page 68 of The Dating Contract

Over the past few weeks, he’d collaborated with a bunch of people and done some fun things. Seen his lettering on large signs hung from buildings, on hockey masks and met some fascinating people.

And he’d been able to share all of these things with Leah.

Something he never thought he’d be able to do.

And yet there he was, out of his mind and thrilled. Even more so when Leah arrived at his apartment.

And she did. Jeans that fit her curves, a top that matched her eyes and a pair of sneakers that sparkled and matched her shirt.

He was more than just thrilled; he was mesmerized. “Hi,” he managed. “You look gorgeous.”

“Hi, yourself,” she said as she came in, oddly awkward, oddly adorable. He hadn’t seen this Leah in a long time and he wondered what it meant.

“Do you want to come in?” he asked, as if it was an option. It was barely an option but it broke the ice, gave them space.

She nodded. “Thank you,” she said. And then shook her head. “This is awkward, isn’t it?”

He laughed. “Yeah. It kinda is. But we’ve been through awkward before.”

She nodded, and this time she didn’t bristle at the merest mention of their past.

What did that mean?

As the silence between them stretched, he realized he was going to have to speak, or nobody was.

Which was different.

“What’s going on?”

She shrugged, and he wasn’t sure what territory they’d entered, because they clearly had embarked on some new phase of their interactions. Because she hadn’t taken steps to hide her emotions yet like she usually did when she seemed remotely vulnerable.

He didn’t know what to say either; nothing that came to mind could fall anything other than flat.

“Thinking about a bunch of things. You know?”

He nodded. He did, in fact, know about what a bunch of things rolling around in his mind actually meant. Especially since he’d taken care of one earlier in the day. But she didn’t need to know that. Not yet. “I do know.” He paused. “Do you want a drink?

“How much time do we have before we go?”

He checked his watch. “Not long,” he said.

She looked down, looked anywhere but at him. Still letting her emotions and her vulnerability show.

“Do we have time to talk?”

He swallowed. “We don’t have much time. But of course. About?”

“Can we talk about amendments or extensions or…”

She’d fought against extensions. Now she was asking about it? Victory. Vulnerability.

His heart pounded “Or?”

The moment extended, as if they were on a precipice, about to go somewhere new and better.

But the tension. The silence.

And then Leah swallowed. “High school.”

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