control
Like he wasn't just waiting for his turn to speak but genuinely processing what I was saying.
This was new. Most people listened to me the way you listen to data—absorbing information, categorizing it, moving on. Eli listened the way you listen to someone you're trying to understand.
"You're nervous," he said after our food arrived.
"I'm not," I said, which was a complete lie. I was approximately 47% nervous and 53% terrified and all of it was showing on my face.
"Yes, you are," Eli said gently. "You keep doing that thing where you straighten your fork when you're thinking about what to say next."