"I don't make it easy? I had to force it out of you!" Nico jumps to defend herself, adding after a beat: "... Even if I didn't know you meant it that way."

Her voice comes out a little subdued there, so she clears her throat. "Seriously, 'I like spending time with you'? Could you get more ambiguous than that?! I like spending time with my mom, what does that mean?"