[it really didn't matter why things had happened that night. certainly her reasons for why she had talked to Adam were not what stayed in mind when she looked back on it. no, it was simply Adam that she thought of. their talk, how cute she had thought he was, and how she liked he'd worked up so much nerve to ask her out on a proper date. something Maria now understood to mean a lot, given his trust issues. all of that mattered more to her than anything else.

and it made her happy to know that he could love her despite how clingy she knew she was at time. desperate to be reminded that he liked her, liked all of her thoughts, and didn't mind she needed that. most of the men she had been involved with had never been able to stand it. Adam was different.]

I didn't think so either. And there's probably some rule for how long you're supposed to wait but I don't care about that. [he could have asked her before he disappeared and she would have said yes.] When you know, you know, right? [and she knew. she always had.]

You think we're letting you go? Listen you thought I was clingy before, I'm not letting you out of my sight even if you tell me I'm annoying you. I don't care. Mr. Whiskers is your guard cat at this point. And he probably won't want to be leaving you either.