You Can't Exclude Me
The first he left his tie at her place, Brennan laughed at his forgetfulness.
The first time he left his wallet, she told him to increase memorization skills through puzzles, like she did.
She started dating Paul in March. "Paul the Banker" Booth had taken to calling him, although, technically he was in trades.
At the diner:
"He's very clever you know," Brennan said one night at their usual table.
"Oh I'm sure he is."
"You would like him I think."
"I'm sure you do."
Then he left his jacket on a night of snow.
In her office:
"It was snowing, didn't you realize you were cold and needed your coat?" she asked.
"I knew I could come back and get it."
"What?"
He never answered.
Paul invited her on a weekend away in December.
In the car:
"I think we're going skiing."
"You do love to ski."
"Paul also said we may watch movies and drink hot chocolate."
Sarcastically, "Not hot chocolate, he's so romantic."
"Booth you love hot chocolate."
When he left his socks one Monday night she knew something was up.
In her living room:
"Booth, why do you keep leaving stuff here?"
He looked away from her and gave no answer.
"Booth, you can tell me."
"Because if I leave something here, I have to come back and get it."
"Yes…" she wasn't following.
"You can't get rid of me if I'm always here."
"Get rid of you?"
"What I mean is…" What do I mean? He thought.
"If I am always here, you can't exclude me from your life."
"Exclude you? Booth, I could never do that."
She dumped Paul the Banker two days later.