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enthusiasm was rather contagious. If exploring meant driving for miles and miles with no real destination in mind and Stephen at his side, Jay would happily be the Lewis to his Clark.
    "I guess I never really thought about it before. I mean, I've driven through this canyon so many times I never even really noticed those other roads."
    "That's why a fresh pair of eyes is always helpful. Did you know your brain doesn't even process the information your eyes send it? It mostly just reconstructs everything from impressions and memories."
    "I didn't know that," Jay said, watching as a semi-truck got over to the left to get around an even bigger trailer, narrowly missing a SUV in the process.
    "So that means that sometimes you literally just see what you expect to see. Your brain is tricking you."
    "That's not very nice of your brain, is it? It happens when people are writing essays all the time. I've seen the craziest things because people tend not to catch their own mistakes. But I guess it makes sense for your brain to take shortcuts where it can and save energy for other tasks."
    "I guess so. Still, I wish seeing really could be believing."
    They reached the top of Parley's Summit, and the valley was so green beneath them, and Stephen's company was just so nice, that Jay felt the last of bad mood evaporate. He didn't spare Amy or Jeni a second thought. He was just happy to be with Stephen and not killing himself in the process. Jay didn't know what Stephen was getting out of the deal, but he wouldn't worry about it. Instead of analyzing the situation to death, he'd just go along with the flow.
    "Is this Park City?"
    "Not really. It's Jeremy Ranch. Park City is still a few miles farther."
    "Are you annoyed with all my dumb questions?"
    "What dumb questions?"
    "Where does that road go? Are we there yet? I should throw in 'Why is the sky blue?' to complete the hat trick of annoyance."
    "I hope you don't, because I can't tell you why the sky is blue. Something to do with the way the light bends through the water molecules? Anyway, I don't think your questions are annoying at all."
    "You probably hear worse in your classes."
    "You have no idea. I have to be quick on my feet to keep the class from derailing on an almost daily basis."
    "I bet you're a great teacher."
    Jay smiled a little. "Well, I am pretty good, I think. My evaluations are always positive, at any rate. But why do you think that? Have I been particularly teacherly?"
    "Teacherly? Do you make up words in front of your students?"
    "Not intentionally."
    Stephen turned in his seat, leaning against the door and facing Jay more directly. "You know on the first day of class when you try to get some sort of handle on your teachers? Sizing them up, I guess."
    "Sure."
    "Well, I had that down to an art form. And my first impression was always right."
    "Always? Don't you think you might be a victim of confirmation bias?"
    "I love that you just said that."
    Jay glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "What? Why?"
    "Because I feel like nobody even knows what the concept is. I never hear anybody casually and correctly work it into conversation. Anyway, no, it's not confirmation bias. I really was right, like, every time. It was a good survival skill to have."
    "So you're saying you sized me up?"
    "Yep. You're one of the good ones, Jay."
    Stephen said it with such finality that Jay's protest died before it was even properly formed. He felt himself smiling shyly, and he tried to wipe it from his face, but he was completely unsuccessful. His face and the back of his neck felt hot, and he muttered a "thanks" that didn't even begin to express his actual gratitude for the compliment. Thankfully, Stephen didn't let the silence settle over them, happily transitioning to the next question on his mind. In that moment, falling in love with Stephen didn't seem like such a stupid idea.

 
Chapter 4
     
    Lunch went very well. Jay felt more in his element than he did at the gym, so it was easy