“Probably.”
She leaned back, slumping against the cushion. “I—I can’t, Noah.” She closed her eyes, wishing... For what, she didn’t know. Just...wishing.
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Both.”
“Because you don’t want to marry me? Or because you don’t want to put me out?”
She sat up and frowned. “Both, I guess.”
“Wow. Okay.”
“Noah, you’re my best friend. I love you, you know that. But I don’t want to marry you because it’s not fair to you. And because it would be too much of a burden.”
“So, it’s all because of how you think it affects me? It has nothing to do with hating the idea of being married to me? Or because you’d be embarrassed to introduce me as your husband?”
“Of course not,” she said, surprised he’d even think that. “I’d be proud to call you that. But we’re friends. We’re not in a relationship. It’s...weird.”
“Lots of people get married in name only.”
“Is that the marriage you’ve always envisioned for yourself? A fake one?”
“Is this the life you’ve always envisioned for yourself? In a job with no potential for growth, while your dream of improving childhood nutrition passes you by?”
“I hate it when you do that.”
He stilled. “Do what?”
“Answer a question with a question.”
“Well,” he said with a shrug. “This is about you, not me.”
“It’s about both of us!”
“It’s really not.” He stood and walked around his desk, then sat in the chair beside her. He took her free hand, and she dropped her eyes to his large warm fingers encompassing hers. A tingling sensation traveled up her arm. “My mind is made up. I want to do this for you. You just have to let me.”
She stared at their hands for a moment, then lifted her eyes to his face. His ice-blue gaze was concentrated, but gentle. He pulled the corner of his lower lip between white teeth, waiting.
His desk phone rang, the tone piercing through the air. Noah released her hand and leaned over to look at the caller ID. “I need to get that.”
Mia leapt to her feet. “Sure. We’ll talk later.” She went for the door.
“Mia.”
She stopped with her fingers on the handle and kept her back to him.
“Do one thing for me.” The phone kept ringing.
“What is it?” Her voice wavered like it always did when she was uneasy.
She rarely felt that way around Noah.
“Do me a favor and consider both options. One, be my wife for a little while so you can start your career as Colorado’s best registered dietician. Two, don’t be my wife and stay in a job you think is just okay, forever. It’s your choice.” He paused for a second. “You always say you value my opinion, and that’s why you tell me everything. So here it is: if I were you, I’d think about the one I’d regret less, and pick that one.”
4
Mia avoided him for the rest of the day. Which was a feat in and of itself, since they worked mere feet from each other. But somehow she managed, and Noah didn’t find himself near her again until that evening at dinner.