Page 25 of Friends with Benefits

“Your premiums must be ridiculous.”

Sixty bucks, taken out of each biweekly paycheck. “Not really.”

“Can I see your EOB?”

Theo opens the healthcare app on his phone and clicks on the link to his plan’s Explanation of Benefits. Evelyn reads and scrolls and reads and scrolls past preventative care, past testing and imaging, to hospital care, and then to prescription coverage. Care and medication that she needs. Evelyn attempts to keep her expression neutral, but Theo knows her too well and notes every subtle reaction—the twitch of her lip, the flare of her nostrils, the ever-so-slight widening of her eyes.

“I—” she begins, then pauses. “Theodore. Insurance like this would change my entire life.”

Theo smiles. “Yeah?”

Evelyn hands his phone back to him and he registers the tears pooling in her lash lines. “I can’t.”

“Ev—”

“I love you so much for the offer, but you don’t want this with me.”

“It’s my idea.”

“It’s not necessary. I’m positive Pep and Mo will agree to cosign the lease.”

He shakes his head and waves away those words. “You want to live together?”

Evelyn nods.

“Then stop overthinking this. Marry me. Accept the fellowship.”

She runs a hand through her hair and exhales a shaky laugh. “I’m kind of spinning out.”

“You don’t have to,” Theo insists. “It’s just a signature on a piece of paper that would buy us some time to breathe.”

“Just a signature,” she repeats, bemused.

He nods. “We keep my apartment. You take the dream job and become a working Foley artist. Once you’re in the union, which, correct me if I’m wrong, also has excellent benefits,we’ll sign another piece of paper and return to our regular platonic-soulmate life.”

“You’re serious.”

“Incredibly.”

“Theodore.”

“What? It’s a great idea. Unless you’re secretly in love with me…” His eyes widen. “Holy shit. You’re secretly in love with me.”

“Head over heels,” she deadpans.

“Knew it.”

Then they’re laughing. Well, he’s laughing and she’s snackle-ing. It always feels so good, his ability to say the exact right thing to get Evelyn out of her head. Once their laughter subsides, she stands and shoots her ice cream cup into the trash can nearest to their table. “Can I take a beat to process?”

That isn’t a no.

“Sure.”

“Cool.”

“I’d be a fantastic husband.”

Evelyn’s nose scrunches. “I know.”

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