The Boy Who Has No Belief - Victoria Quinn Page 0,6

communicate with people because that’s just how he thinks. So, if he were helping Lizzie with math homework or something like that, it would probably be less daunting to him. He would have something to talk about and be in an environment he’s familiar with. And hopefully, that would make them bond because he’d care about her grades and want to know her progress, just like he does at the university. Just an idea.”

“Yeah, it’s a good idea.” When I pictured the three of us meeting over dinner for the first time, I imagined it would be incredibly awkward—for everyone. But when I pictured him sitting beside her at the dining table with the textbook open as they worked on problems together, it didn’t seem that odd. “I’ll talk to him about it.”

“And can I add something else?” she asked. “Only because my husband and all my children are incredibly gifted and sometimes awkward… Maybe don’t tell Derek that’s what you’re trying to do. Just say your daughter is really struggling with her math or science homework and she’s just not getting it, and then let him take the bait. If he does, great. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t.”

I nodded. “That’s probably smart.”

“Does your daughter struggle with those things? Because if she doesn’t, then it might not work. You’d have to ask her to go along with it, which might be weird for her.”

“No, she’s like me,” I said with a chuckle. “We aren’t good with numbers. She asks me to help with her studies now, and I always tell her she needs to learn how to figure it out on her own. But in reality, I just don’t know. She’s doing geometry right now. It went over my head at her age, and it still goes over my head.”

She chuckled. “God, geometry. I hated that shit.”

I laughed at her profanity.

“Thankfully, my brainiac husband did all the tutoring throughout the years…except literature. Not his thing.”

“I think Derek might go for it. But he’s already so busy as it is that I’m not sure how he would find the time.”

She shrugged. “We make the time for things we care about. I’m sure having a girlfriend doesn’t exactly fit into his schedule, but he makes time for that.”

Not really. We saw each other at work all day, and at the end of the day, we got it on in his bedroom, but we didn’t do other fun things like normal relationships. That wasn’t his fault. It was actually my fault because I had a daughter waiting for me. “Yeah…true.”

3

Derek

I had so much shit to do with the new rover that I had to design, but I had to take a break from it and open my laptop.

I sat at the dining table, the penthouse quiet because I didn’t listen to music or the TV while I worked. I preferred total silence because anything else was too distracting. I stared at the blank Word document that was untitled at the moment…because I didn’t know what to call it.

I usually picked a title after I wrote the book, but I knew my publisher wanted that sooner rather than later. Why did I decide to publish that first book when I barely had time for anything else?

I stared at the blinking cursor before I started to type.

A minute later, Emerson texted me. Looking good…

I stared at her message for a while before I picked up my phone and typed back. You can see me type?

Yep. And I like what I’m seeing.

I smiled as I heard her voice in my head, my personal cheerleader. She had been a total stranger months ago, but now she was the person who ran my life, pushed my boundaries, convinced me I could do anything.

By the way…I’m still waiting for you to sign those books.

I put them away because I couldn’t think of something good enough to say. But then I’d forgotten about them after I found out about Lizzie. They’d left my mind completely. Want to make sure they’re good enough for you.

Just your autograph is good enough for me, Derek.

I stared at her message and saw the dots disappear. I suddenly felt her absence hard in my chest, felt lonely in that penthouse by myself. I didn’t need her help anymore, but I wished she were seated at that table, like old times. Times like these made me frustrated with the parameters of our relationship, that I couldn’t have her in the evenings like other relationships. I never