I laughed in the light, in the practiced way I always laughed.
I was happy for her.
"Oh, you know my boyfriend. He likes to take his time," I said with a fake smile.
Luke squeezed my knee under the table and quickly changed the subject to football. He was good at that.
My boyfriend was charming, attentive, and always quick with a joke that made everyone forget what they'd asked.
***
Later that night, when we were brushing our teeth side by side, I tried again. Gently.
"Sarah's wedding got me thinking," I said. "Have you put any more thought into us? About, you know, the next step?"
"He likes to take his time."
Luke spat into the sink, rinsed, then met my eyes in the mirror.
"Em, we've talked about this. I want to do it right. We need more savings. A house would be nice first. The timing isn't there yet."
"But it's been eight years, Luke."
"And it'll be the rest of our lives," he said, kissing the top of my head. "What's the rush?"
I wanted to push, but I didn't.
Instead, I nodded, the way I always did, and told myself he had a point.
"I want to do it right."
Houses were expensive, and his promotion wasn't final yet.
