“I did. Like to tell me any more about yours?”
Evie thought about the missing girl, then back to the arson fire with fatalities she’d worked before the task force began. Neither added anything useful to the evening except to bring the weight with her. “No. Thanks, but no.”
“Okay.” Rob gave her shoulder a squeeze and let the silence linger, giving her room to suggest a topic. They often spent evenings just talking, time together they both enjoyed. When she’d finally realized she could truly relax with him, it had moved their relationship a long way forward. She didn’t feel she was “onstage” with him, like she needed to put her best foot forward, fill silences with confident, sparkling words. He gave her room to be herself, and she loved that about him. Some nights they’d end up reminiscing about high school or sharing jokes they’d heard; other times they would talk about what was happening in the lives of mutual friends or make plans for things they would enjoy doing together. Simply life shared, and she loved the freedom that gave her with him.
Now he asked lightly, “Have you thought any further about my question?”
Marriage. The big question. “Yes, I’ve thought about it.” She considered following his lead to that conversation, but decided against it. Some subjects weren’t addressed well when one was tired. So she bent the conversation slightly in another direction. “Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot about us. What do you like best about me?”
“Are you asking for a list?”
She would have stirred, but he ran a comforting hand down her arm. “I’ve actually got a long list, so it’s a good question,” he responded, and she heard the smile in his words. “I’ll mention the first handful. I like the fact you’re not dazzled by ‘stuff’—by my world, that you have your own world you get lost in, one that’s meaningful to you and to others. You’re never going to be a wife who’s pressing her husband for the next gift of jewelry, the next big house, or chasing another rung up the ladder. You’ll let me build a home I’d like, and you’ll appreciate it without craving more. You have the ability to appreciate my world, genuinely enjoy it, and yet be content. I like that about you, Evie. You have what you need, and that’s enough for you.
“I’m a man of ambition in my own way, with a vision of what I want for a home and family. Wealth is part of that, a legacy I can pass on to my children and grandchildren, as well as quietly distribute to causes and individuals crossing my path. You give me room for all of that. I like the fact there’s not competition between us.”
Evie wasn’t sure how to respond, so she didn’t try to find words. She did feel out of step with his wealth, but it was beautiful, his home and the flow of his life. Rob was gifted at knowing how to put together a life that worked for him. There was comfort in that she didn’t feel pressured to fit herself into his world—simply invited to join her own with his, finding parallels and intersections along the way.
“Want a few more?”
“Sure.” She laughed. “So far we’re good.”
“I like your smile,” he said simply, “the way your face lights up when you see me. I like that you enjoy the simple things, like fussing around in the kitchen, running with your dogs, and curling up to watch a movie, even one you’ve seen before. You know how to enjoy yourself.
“I like how you’re kind to my parents, even though they haven’t been all that welcoming to you.” He turned to face her as he continued. “And I admire you for being a cop. You have a sense of right and wrong in you that runs deep and doesn’t waiver. You’re a good compass for me. When you don’t like something, I think about it twice, because there’s a reason it’s rubbing you the wrong way. You keep me far away from trouble.” He paused. “I told you it was a long list.”
She smiled her thanks. “You’re being particularly kind to me, Rob,” she whispered.
“You’re drained emotionally right now, giving the truth a particular impact,” he replied gently. “Let me mention another big one. I like that you have a passion for God. It’s different from mine and expresses itself differently around people. I’m more about the certainty of God, the fact He cares about our decisions, how we’ve lived. You seem more relaxed about that, confident in God’s grace. You easily interact with people who come from criminal backgrounds, accept them as simply as you do victims who have lost faith because of what occurred. You seem able to reach both extremes, to live in a place where God is bigger than the particulars of how life happens to unfold. Those are all good things, Evie.”