Prior to dating Gideon, it'd been almost two years since my last one."
I watched him set the stylus down and start typing quickly.
Something about his somberness made me anxious.
"I love him," I blurted.
Gideon stiffened beside me.
Dr.
Petersen's head came up, and he studied me.
He glanced at Gideon, then back to me.
"I don't doubt it.
What made you say that, Eva?" I shrugged awkwardly, hyperaware of Gideon's gaze on my profile.
"She wants your approval," Gideon said grimly.
His words rubbed over me like sandpaper.
"Is that true?" Dr.
Petersen asked me."No."
"The hell it isn't."
The rasp in Gideon's voice was pronounced.
"It's not," I argued, although I'd needed him to say it aloud for me to understand that.
"I just .
It's just the truth.
That's the way I feel."
I looked at Dr.
Petersen.
"We have to make this work.
We're going to make this work," I stressed.
"I just want to know that you're on the same page.
I need to know that you understand that failure isn't an option."
"Eva."
He smiled kindly.
"You and Gideon have a lot to work through, but it's certainly not insurmountable."
My breath left me in a rush of relief.