Page 105 of Problematic Summer Romance

Eli looks utterly lost. And Conor…I’m not looking at him, but I can feel his eyes burning a hole through me.

“Where?”

“In Austin.”

“You’re staying in Austin?”

I nod.

“Is this about…” He glances at Conor, and boy, do I have to take another deep breath.

“No, Eli. But it’s nice to know that you think I’d upend my entire life for some guy who barely knows that I exist—”

“No, I—” He spreads his hands. White flag. “You’re right. That was uncalled for, and I’m sorry. I guess I just don’t get…You never mentioned wanting to…Why?”

“Because. Because I…I want to try. Because it sounds rewarding andfun. Because the world needs teachers. Because I like kids. Because I love the idea of helping them get excited about somethingI’mexcited about. Because I want to feel like every day has meaning. Because…Listen, I don’t know if that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I mean, it looks hard. I may end up being terrible at it, but—”

“No.”

I blink. “No?”

“No. You’d be great at it.” Eli sounds certain. Almost dismissive. “Were you afraid that I wouldn’t think so? Is that why you didn’t bring it up earlier?”

“No, I would have told you. After the wedding. If”—I glance at Paul, who’s at least still looking mortified—“someonehadn’t outed me.”

“ ‘Outed’ feels like the wrong word to—”

“Shut up, Paul,” Eli and I say in unison. Then I explain, “I would have told you. I just wasn’t sure whether you’d be disappointed, so I was going to wait until after the honeymoon.”

“Maya, howcouldI be disappointed?” He steps closer, looking genuinely amused. “Have I ever given you the impression that I don’t find teachers valuable, or praiseworthy, or sincerely heroic?”

“No, no. But you said it yourself, you’re always bragging about my research. Sometimes I feel like you want me to be what you weren’t able to. And it scares me, the idea that if I don’t become a scientist—”

Eli laughs. Comes close enough to wrap both my shoulders in his palms. “Maya, Iamproud of you. But not of your degrees, oryour awards, or your titles. I’m in awe of who you are—the key word is, who youare, not what you do. It doesn’t matter if you win a Nobel Prize for physics or become a javelin thrower, you’re still going to be the same person.” He pinches my cheek like he used to when I was a kid, and…

I don’t mind too much. Actually, it’s kinda nice.

“I wanted to be a scientist, and it didn’t work out. But ifyoudon’t want to be a scientist…I don’t care. Knowing that you’re doing whatyouwant is all I need. You should make decisions with your own happiness in mind, as opposed to some vicarious wish fulfillment centered on me.”

“Really?”

“Really. And Iwantyou to stay in Austin.”

“You do?”

“Yes. When you were in Switzerland, Rue and I kept saying how much we missed you.”

“You did?”

“Yes. Not because we love you, or you’re fun to have around, mind you. But we do need someone to walk the dozens of dogs we’re in the process of acquiring. And to take care of the plants.” He grins. “Cheap labor.”

I nod. Hope warms my stomach. “So, we’re good?”

“We’re great.”

I smile. Eli does, too, pulling me in for a bear hug.

A throat clears. “Okay, well, I’m so happy that my accidental screw-up led to you guys having such a beautiful heart-to-heart, but—”

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