"Do you like her?" Kent inquired, his attempt to conceal a smile evident.

"Why? Does it matter?"

"It'll give me an idea of how much I'll have to tolerate her in the future," I responded, feigning the end of our conversation. Kent licked his lips, and for a brief moment, my thoughts became muddled, my stomach churned, and the hairs on my neck stood on end.

"You'd put up with her," he raised an eyebrow and asked, to which I sighed.

"Well, now that you mention it, that ...