he who hesitates is toast

"I know you haven't."

She can be absolutely certain about that. He doesn't lie to her. Which doesn't necessarily mean he volunteers information.

Neither does she. She's as unused to and leery of offering unasked-for information as he is; it's part of who they are, the way they've been trained. But that's not what she meant and she has no idea how to say it in a way he might understand.

She's never had trouble talking to him before. It makes her feel even more out of sync, knots tying themselves in her stomach. "Anyway," she says, veering off.

"I liked it. I think," she amends, frowning a little. "It's hard to say. But it's definitely got a lot going for it."