Chapter 3

On the third afternoon, Julian finally had time.

He ate with me, took me for a walk, and instinctively drew me to the side away from traffic when we crossed the street.

Maybe he still cared about me.

That evening, Professor Brennan arranged an impromptu dinner for the lab.

"Want to come?" Julian asked. "You're always saying you want to meet the people in my life."

"Would that be okay?"

He pinched my cheek.

"You're my girlfriend. Why wouldn't it be?"

When we arrived at the restaurant, Nora had only a thin strip of gauze wrapped around her right hand.

She smiled as soon as she saw me.

"Elise, I'm so sorry about yesterday. It was barely a scratch, but Julian insisted on staying until the nurse took out my IV. He wouldn't listen to me."

Julian pulled out my chair.

"Why explain all that?"

"I don't want Elise getting the wrong idea," Nora said with a smile.

Julian glanced at me.

"She won't."

His navy planner lay in front of Nora.

She was writing in it with his pen.

Back in college, I'd used that planner as a writing pad for an assignment once. It was the first time he'd ever snapped at me.

"That's my planner. Don't just touch it."

I went over.

"What are you writing?"

Nora immediately put down the pen.

"The project schedule. Julian's been so busy lately. I'm afraid he'll forget something."

She looked at me and lowered her voice. "Does it bother you when other people touch his things? I'm sorry. I didn't know."

But Julian handed the pen back to her.

"It's fine. Keep going."

"I thought you didn't let anyone touch your planner," I said.

"She's helping me organize my work schedule."

He squeezed my hand.

"It's different with you."

Nora turned the page.

"My follow-up is next Friday. You don't have any meetings after three, right?"

"I'm free after three."

"Should I put it down, then?"

She looked at me again.

"You don't mind, do you, Elise?"

Before I could answer, Julian said, "Why would she mind?"

Nora smiled.

"True. You two have been together for six years. I'm the outsider who has to watch her step."

A colleague beside her teased, "You? An outsider? Getting Julian to make time at the last minute used to be harder than getting funding approved."

Nora hurriedly waved them off.

"Don't say that. Elise will get the wrong idea."

Julian didn't deny it. He just pushed the planner closer to her.

"Write it on the right. Leave Saturday alone."

I'd spent six years learning to follow his rules.

She'd been here less than a month, and she could change them with a stroke of his pen.

During dinner, someone mentioned my exchange program abroad.

Julian immediately looked up.

"You haven't accepted, have you?"

"Not yet."

He relaxed.

"Then don't. A year is too long."

Nora smiled.

"True. Elise can barely stand being away from you. If she went abroad for a year, she'd miss you every single day."

Then she turned to me.

"But it's such a rare opportunity. If it were me, I'd probably hate to pass it up."

"Do you want to go?" Julian asked.

Before I could answer, he ruffled my hair.

"But I know you couldn't bear to leave me."

Laughter rippled around the table.

After dinner, Nora caught up with me outside.

"Elise, does it bother you that I've been asking Julian for help so much?"

"I don't want to trouble him, either. But he said your relationship was solid. You wouldn't fight over something this small."

Her eyes crinkled with her smile.

"I'm actually a little jealous. He trusts you so much."

"Didn't you used to hate it when he put me last?"

Her smile froze for a moment.

"That was then. People change."

Just then, Julian came out and handed her his planner.

"Keep this for now. Remind me tomorrow morning to move Thursday's meeting to the morning."

Nora took it and glanced at me again.

"Don't be upset, Elise. It really just makes things easier for work."

Did it?

Was that really all it was?