I walked over and opened the door. Peter and Kirsten stood outside.
"Marlin, what the hell is going on with you?"
"Is this because Kirsten and I are together now? Is that why you've been acting like this?"
His tone softened halfway through, half-probing, like he was trying to play it off as a joke.
Kirsten's gaze locked onto my face, waiting for my reaction.
"You're overthinking it." I managed a smile. "The company's putting together an aid construction project. I'd been on the fence about it for a while, but I figured it'd be good to get out and see the world. So I signed up."
"Where?" Kirsten asked immediately.
"Africa."
They both froze.
Peter's brow furrowed.
"How long?"
"Three to five years. Depends on how the project goes."
Kirsten's lips parted, then closed again.
Peter's frown deepened. "How come you never mentioned this before?"
"It was a last-minute thing from the company."
My voice was perfectly steady when I said it.
Then came another stretch of silence.
Peter sighed and reached over to clap me on the shoulder. "At least have dinner with us before you go. Just the three of us. And don't you dare say you're working overtime."
I nodded.
When I walked them to the door, Kirsten trailed behind.