Page 52 of Falling Off Script

She clasps her hands like she’s praying to the Church of Alpha. “He just told the waiter, ‘We’ll do the salmon and the Syrah.’ Like it was the most natural thing in the world. And I didn’t even mind.”

I blink. “You like salmon?”

“Ihatesalmon,” she says cheerfully. “But the way he said it? Iwantedto like salmon.”

Okay.

“And he paid,” she continues. “Just—no debate. Card already out. Said, ‘My treat. You’re my guest.’”

I try not to flinch.

Rachel leans in. “And then—get this—he said, ‘When I’m with a woman, I lead. Not because she can’t. But because I want to.’”

I stare at her. “That’s... a line.”

“It’s agoodline.”

“It’s asuspiciously practicedline.”

Rachel waves a hand. “Who cares if it’s practiced? So is Broadway. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.”

Touché.

She pulls out her phone. “He sends me these little voice notes in the morning. Listen to this one.”

I brace myself as she hits play.

Matt’s voice comes through, low and slow, like he’s narrating a meditation app for men who lift.

"Morning, beautiful. Today’s intention: you’re worthy of pursuit, not performance. I’ll be thinking about you... while I conquer my goals."

I pause. “Is that a pep talk or a Peloton ad?”

Rachel giggles. “It’s hot!”

“It’s... heavily branded.”

She shrugs. “So is everything. At least this one comes with abs.”

Okay. Deep breath.

“He also gave me this little speech about how women are the prize, but the right man earns the privilege of pursuitthrough ‘energetic congruence.’”

“Energetic... congruence,” I echo.

Rachel beams. “Isn’t that beautiful?”

“It’ssomething,” I say.

She sighs. “I feel safe with him. But also, like, super turned on. Like I want him to pin me to a wallandrespect my boundaries, you know?”

“I do. I... deeply do.”

“And he never interrupts me. Not once.”

“That’s good,” I say carefully. “Though... do you ever feel like he’s waiting for his cue instead of actually listening?”

She tilts her head. “He does say ‘that’s valid’ a lot.”

---