“Yeah, that makes sense.” My shoulders hiccup. “People say stuff like that to me all the time.”
“Really?” Amusement glides across his face. “People say you smell like carrot cakeall the time?”
“You’re the first to use that specific description,” I admit. “But I’ve gotten other food comparisons. Especially fall-themed. Like caramel apples. Cinnamon cobbler. Pumpkin pie. And it’s not like I go around wearing spice-rack perfume. I think it’s because of my hair color. The power of suggestion can be pretty strong.”
“Wow.” His mouth slants into a half smile. “This is all brand-new information I’m learning about you.”
I tilt my head. “If we’re going to convince your mom we’re legitimately in love, we really should get to know each other better.”
He meets my gaze, quiet for a moment. “Honestly, I thought we already knew each other pretty well.”
“I mean, yes, but there’s still so much more to find out. Like, I’m aware that you’re Bill Nye, my secret-billionaire science-teacher friend. That’s big news. But there are gaps in between.” I tuck my leg up under me. “I’m missing basic facts a wife would be aware of.”
“All right.” His eyes study me, like gray steel, laser-focused. “Go ahead. Ask me anything.”
“Anything?” I huff a laugh. “That’s kind of broad.”
“Your idea.”
“Okay, fine.” I furrow my brow, thinking. “Who’s yourfavoritescientist?”
“Galileo,” he says. Zero hesitation.
“Wow. You had that answer locked and loaded.”
“Because no one else comes close.” He glances over his shoulder at a row of leatherbound encyclopedias. “Galileo is the reason I became a science teacher.”
“Really? Why?”
“He’s the father of modern science, for one thing.”
“Interesting.” My lip quirks. “I wassurethat was you.”
“Don’t I wish.” He chuckles. “Galileo's the one who reinforced the Copernican model.”
“Copernican what?” I fake a grimace, even though I’m having fun. “I don’t remember that model.”
“The fact that the Earth revolves around the sun?”
“Sounds vaguely familiar.”
“Ha ha.” Bridger nudges my shoulder, grinning at me. “Copernicus also established the physics of motion.”
“Which is?—”
“That all objects fall at the same rate.”
I shake my head. “Nope. I’m pretty sure I fallwayfaster than most people.”
He takes a beat, studying my face. “Not according to physics.”
“Oh, come on. You’ve seen me fall plenty,” I say. “And we couldn’t orbit around each other if we tried.” I let out a laugh. “There’s not enough room on this couch.”
Also, I’m deliriously tired.
Bridger’s quiet for a moment, and I wonder if he’s tired too. “What about you?” he finally asks.
“My favorite scientist?” I nudge him back. “You. Obviously.”