I bit my lip, swallowing all the questions I still had. What did not sure mean? A few days, a week, a month? It didn’t matter. He had to do what was necessary, and he didn’t have to consult with me. This was one of the things I loved about our relationship, that we didn’t pressure each other to figure out every detail.
So I resolved to do something else: help him relax for the rest of the afternoon. After all, one could decide better with a clear mind than under stress.
He went back and forth with emails while we were on the train, making two calls as well. I overheard everything, of course, but since I was only privy to his side of the conversation, I didn’t get the bigger picture. To give myself something to do, I pulled out a study I’d been wanting to read for a while on my phone. Before long, I was completely lost in it, able to tune out Rob’s voice.
“What are you reading?” he asked after a while.
“A study about music and concentration, how it impacts brain waves.”
“What’s the result?”
“I don’t like to talk about the results until I finish the whole thing.”
“Wait, you’re reading the actual study?”
“Yes. What did you think?”
“I don’t know. I usually just read an article summing up the findings.”
“I like to know the stuff articles don’t include, especially details on how they gather data.”
He just stared for a few seconds, blinking. “I thought you did that just for the study about exercising.”
“I know, I’m a geek.”
“You’re a fucking sexy brainiac,” he whispered.
My cheeks instantly felt hot. Peeking around, I realized no one was sitting close enough to hear. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything else, his phone rang, and I dove back into the study.
“All in all, a successful day, I’d say,” I announced once we reached his house, playfully shoving my hip into Rob’s. He’d slid his phone in the back pocket of his jeans.
“And very informative.”
“Meaning?”
“Between your mom and Tess, I’ve got a pretty good rundown about... everything.”
Right. I still had no clue what he and Mom had talked about. And he’d also spoken with Tess?
“Okay, first things first. Why were you and Mom so secretive?”
“No secrets, just exchanging information. She told me a bit about your life in Boston.”
“Wow. I’m surprised Mom would even tell you about those times.”
“She just told me about you, in general.”
“Oh yeah? Find out anything new?”
“Just confirmed a few things. You’re a lot like her.”
“Thanks.” I loved the compliment. And because he seemed to be in sharing mode, I seized my chance. “What did Tess tell you?”
“That if I want to plan a surprise for you, I should consult her first.”
I adored my sister to bits!
“And you’re going to listen to her.”