Page 99 of Friends with Benefits

“I know.”

Concern wrinkles her brow and she opens her mouth to say something else, to probably ask him why he looks like he’s on the verge of a panic attack, but then Annabelle calls out, “Ms. Evie!” and she’s pulled back toward his students. Theo reopens the email and clicks the link to the job listing. It’s an incredible opportunity. A coordinator role under the director of literacy for the New York City Department of Education? Theo can’t process this. The job. A random email from Caro. Not when he’s Mr. Cohen. So he stands and checks in with how the kids are doing with the assignment. Before it’s time for them to present, Evelyn plays the video of his Foley attempt.

“So it won’t take much to impress me!” she assures his giggling students.

During their performances, Evelyn’s nose crinkles a super specific way when a sound surprises her. It delights his students, who so obviously want to impress her. Theo spendsthe rest of the afternoon trying to imagine a world where he moves back to New York. If he’s okay with saying goodbye to his life exactly as it is. He’s unsure. But if he’s so content here, he shouldn’t care about the email in his inbox. Right?

Right.

Theo’s still ruminating on this after the students leave, as he’s wiping down their desks and tidying up for tomorrow.

“I’m exhausted.” Evelyn collapses into a clean desk. He feels her eyes on him. It’s only a matter of time before she can hear his thoughts and maybe he should just show her the email. Maybe he can work through these complicated feelings with the person who has always been the best at quieting his anxious brain. “You do this every day?”

“That was a good Tuesday.”

“Theodore, they shit-talk the way you uncap a water bottle.”

“They keep me humble.”

“You love it.”

“Being harassed daily?”

“Teaching.”

His response is immediate. “Yeah. I do.”

He does.

Theo loves teaching.

But.

His classroom now smelling like antiseptic lemons, he returns to his desk and sits. Gathers last night’s homework as Evelyn walks over and sitsonhis desk. His eyes flicker toward the door, nervous before he remembers the wedding band on his finger. That Foothill Elementary School is the one space where they’re still married. So.

“Annabelle says I’m too cool to be married to you.”

“She’s not wrong.”

Evelyn smirks. “I know. I hope the kids don’t take it too hard.”

“What?”

“The divorce,” she says.

His heart stutters at those words, her casual delivery. Then she kisses him and it’s a mindfuck. Is this casual? Theo isn’t sure he knows the definition anymore. He breaks the kiss after a moment because he’s at work and a two-hour-old email is eating him alive. “Ev, I—”

Her mouth is back on his before he can utter the sentence.

Ev, I… might have a job opportunity in New York.

Theo should tell her, but it’s easier to kiss her. Easier to process this on his own. Later that night, he googles “foley artist nyc” and learns to his delight and relief that there are opportunities in New York. At 2:00 a.m. he submits an application and forwards his résumé to Caro because he’ll regret it if he doesn’t even try. Continuing education is a highlighted benefit. Theo could go back to grad school. Evelyn could freelance in New York. It surprises him how much he wants it.

Them in New York.

Together.

In a not-at-all casual way.

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