“I had a lot of fun tonight,” I admit as Lexi and I walk toward her dorm on campus.

“It was really nice of you to walk me back.” She smiles down at the bags of snacks in my hands. “And to carry my stuff.”

“You’re only getting part of it so you have to come back to my place.”

“You’re basically holding me hostage with food.” She pretends to think it over. “I can respect that.”

After we left Costco, we went back to my place, and I showed her my house. It’s similar ...