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Chapter Seven

I twirl my phone in my hands, pretending to watch the baseball game on the screen while my mind remains consistent, overthinking.

"Go call him," Veronica demands, sitting down next to me with her third slice of pie.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to seem eager."

"But you are?" she says, rolling her eyes. "Fucking call him. Some other girl will if you don't."

"It's Thanksgiving though and still pretty early."

"So what? You can say you butt-dialed him if he doesn't pick up," she replies, laughing.

"Hey, no boy talk in the den," Dad grumbles distractedly without tearing his eyes from the screen. I look to Veronica who rolls her eyes and gestures to the door.

"Go on."

I smile and stand up, looking for his number in my recents. I shut the door quietly and press call, suddenly nervous.

He picks up on the third ring. It nearly went to voicemail.

"Hello." His voice is warm, thankfully and I realize only now how much I wanted... needed to hear it.

"Hello there," I reply cheerfully, taking a seat on the stairs. "Happy day of thanks." Damn, refrain from jokes, Simone. I hear a soft chuckle on the other line. I press my lips together and shrug to myself. "I thought I'd know what to say when I actually called."

"So, you've been thinking about me?" There's no innuendo or flirtation at all in his tone. He's simply asking the question, which makes me even more nervous. Maybe I should have waited to call.

"More than I'm willing to tell you."

"You've crossed my mind quite a few times today as well, Emma. There's no need to feel embarrassed to say it."

I smile to myself. "How was your day? Eat a lot?"

"No more than usual," he replies nonchalantly and I hear the shutting of a piano. "I'm leaving the studio."

"At this hour?"

"Yes."

"Did you have dinner-?" I don't even realize it. It suddenly occurs to me that he's probably not been with anyone all day. Shit. I feel my heart drop.

"Yeah, ordered some take-out. Worked on the new program."

"Oh." I bite my lip. "I'm sorry, I feel stupid. I would have invited you-"

"No, Emma. I don't do well in family settings. I'm grateful you didn't."

"But today means something. It's the day... to be thankful for the people in your life."

Yep, Emma. Just dig the hole deeper.

I close my eyes, pressing my head to my hand.

"I'm grateful to have met you, then."

My eyes reopen slowly, in shock at his words. I try to open my mouth to say something but can't seem to produce sound. "Uh-"

"Too soon?"

"No. No, not too soon," I whisper gladly, clearing my tight throat. "I'm grateful for you too."

                                              * * * *

"Knock, knock," Veronica announces, opening my childhood bedroom door. Everything's still the same, complete with photos of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.