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“Even better, I'll bring her over soon.”

“We'd all love that.”

Outside, Soph links her arm through mine, her energy practically vibrating. “So,” she begins in a tone that promises absolutely no mercy, “you slept with Ollie.”

I close my eyes briefly. “We’re not starting our conversation with that.”

“Oh, we absolutely are sticking to the topic of Ollie, though, because such a development should be treated as the headline.”

I should've known Soph would sniff it out before I'd even sat down for lunch. The woman could probably identify freshly slept-with energy from across state lines.

“It just happened,” I finally say, which is technically true and also the least informative explanation in human history.

“And I’m the fucking Pope,” she jokes. “Peyton, honey, tell me everything before I explode. Start from the moment you realized you wanted to climb him like a tree.”

I press my lips together, but there’s no point pretending I’m going to win this battle. “Let’s get to the lunch spot first.”

We reach a small café tucked between a florist and a vintage shop. Once we've ordered sandwiches and iced matcha, we settle at a table by the window. People wander past outside while the scent of freshly baked bread drifts through the café, but Soph barely notices any of it.

She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table, her eyes fixed on mine with laser focus. “Talk.”

Unwrapping my sandwich, I try to buy some time to think about what to tell her. “It’s…amazing.”

“That’s not enough information. Try again.”

I shake my head in amusement. “I don’t even know where to start. So much has happened since I arrived in Brooklyn.”

“How about the beginning?” she suggests.

I think back to the first moments when I realized my developing feelings.

“It’s just so easy with him,” I admit. “I never feel like I have to second-guess myself. There’s no wondering if I said the wrong thing or whether I’m being too much. I can just…exist.”

My friend’s expression softens. “Given everything you’ve told me about your ex, that kind of care is new for you.”

“So new. Nathan always made me feel like I had to censor myself before speaking. With Ollie, it's the opposite. He actually wants to know what I'm thinking. All of it.” A lump forms in my throat. “I've never felt this safe with another person.”

Soph clutches her chest. “I love this for you!”

I laugh through the sudden sting in my eyes. I’m so glad I get to finally share my feelings with someone who isn’t Ollie. It makes them more real.

Her grin turns knowing. “You like like him,” she says.

“So damn much. It feels like we skipped all the exhausting parts and landed somewhere steady. Like I've known him longer than I have.”

“That's because you've spent the past few weeks raising a baby together. Nothing speeds up emotional intimacy quite like shared sleep deprivation,” she points out.

I snort at her mock serious expression. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“And?”

“And…” I smile into my drink. “He's thoughtful. He remembers the little things I tell him. He makes tea exactly how I like it now without even asking. Yesterday he noticed I'd been rubbing my lower back and brought me a heating pad before I even said anything.”

Soph lets out the dreamiest sigh imaginable. “Oh, honey.”

“What?”

“You're totally gone.”