"I don't expect her to feel it or say it back, I just want to know where we are. Kind of... get an idea of the trajectory we're on, you know?"

That's one hell of a way to find out your partner loves you back, though, and he wonders what it would be like to find out that way. Especially when you were thinking of breaking up because you'd never heard it. He doesn't think the words are so important... that if they were together that's all that would matter to him.

He draws breath to say that when he notices Tex's smile is gone.

"Hey. What's wrong?"