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“Leighton, can I ask you a question?”

Leighton turned fully to face Helen, propping her head up on her hand. “Of course.”

“Do you see a future with me?”

Silence. She did. She could. Helen checked the boxes. Things were easy with Helen. Their interactions were fun and simple. Who wouldn’t want to be with her? A smart and pretty ballet dancer. “I do. Yes.”

“Marry me.”

“What? Helen.” Leighton sat up in bed. “I can’t tell if you’re kidding.”

“I am absolutely not kidding.” Her dark eyes flashed with determination. “Listen to me. I’m thirty-two years old, and I know what I want. I don’t need to spend a year dating you, kicking the tires, when you’re right here in front of me. Leighton, you’re gorgeous. You’re successful. You make me smile, and when we walk in a room together, heads turn. I’m proud to be with you. Let’s do this thing fully.”

Leighton believed her, but it felt like a leap. They were surelyskipping a few very important steps. At the same time, she wanted to settle down, didn’t she? It’s all she’d been hoping for. “Can I think about it?”

The wind seemed stolen from Helen’s sails. “If you need to. Of course.” Her voice sounded a touch higher in pitch. “Take as long as you need.” She went back to her side of the bed, though, leaving Leighton wide awake and consumed with this new development.

The next morning, she hadn’t been in her office more than five minutes before she called Jessica. “I don’t know what you’re doing, but I need a sounding board.”

“You got it. Hang on just a sec.” The connection went muffled. “Bentley, can you stall for a few? Take the client on a tour of the office. I’m back.”

“Remember Helen the ballet dancer?”

“I do. You two still seeing each other?”

“She proposed.”

The call went quiet. “I’m confused. Is this a hyperbolic version of a U-Haul moment?”

“I get the confusion. I was floored myself, but the more I think about it, the more it sounds like a really nice thing. I’m not a kid anymore. I don’t need years to go by in this relationship before knowing what I want.” She heard herself echoing the very sentiment Helen had expressed to her during the proposal, but the concept resonated. What were they waiting for?

Another pause. Jessica’s skepticism was okay. In fact, it’s why she’d chosen her to call. Courtney was a forever optimist who would unquestioningly support her in the name of love. Jessica, however, would tell her like it is. “I’m worried you’re rushing into this in the very early stages. Are you sure that she’s your person? The one person put on this Earth that fits with you more than any other person? Because that’s what Brooklyn is to me. I had zero doubts.”

“You sound like one of those rom-com couples come to life. I don’t think your relationship is a realistic goal for the rest of us.”

“Well, it should be,” Jessica said flat out. “Anything less is settling, and that’s sad. You’ve never been the type who shied away from putting in the work, doing things the right way. Why are you settling?”

“You think I’m settling.” A kernel of indignation sneaked in and coated the sentence.Don’t get defensive. A deep breath helped.

“Well. Are you head over heels in love?”

Oh, really? Jessica was bringing out the big guns now. What was love anyway? A subjective feeling people assigned based on their own set of standards.

“I could get there.”

“Not good enough. You asked for my opinion, and I’m giving it, despite how angry I might be making you. In fact, yes, get angry at me. I can take it. What does Jamie think?”

“Jamie? I haven’t asked her yet.”

“You two have been inseparable this past year. I thought she’d be your first stop.”

Leighton tried to assemble an answer that would make sense to both of them. “I just trust your wisdom and wanted your take sooner rather than later.” She nodded, turning over all Jessica had said. “You’ve given me lots to think about.”

“Good. And, Lay? I’ll be happy for you no matter what you decide. Know that.”

“I do. Bye, Jess. And thank you. Hi to Brooks for me.”

When she clicked off the call, Leighton’s stomach dropped. She’d lost some of her momentum and understood that she’d have some soul-searching to do before arriving at an answer to Helen’s very important question.