Duke nodded slowly. "That's . . . how I feel a lot, too," he said honestly. "Like if I say the wrong thing, it's like . . . setting off a bomb."

He let that sit for a moment, then wiggled his toes at her again.

"When I ask what you're thinking, or how you feel, I try to do it when I feel like I have space for the answer. The real answer. Even if it might hurt. When I'm telling you how I feel -- that's when I need that space. I hope that makes sense."