When Luke saw me, a smile filled his whole face.
My stomach somersaulted. He’d trimmed the beard, so I could just make out his one dimple. He was wearing red shorts, those impossibly weathered boat shoes, and a white golf shirt with blue and red stars on it. A half-drunk Corona bottle sat on the counter next to the tray of hummus, carrots, and pita chips he was creating. Relaxation wafted off of him.
“Hey, you made it!”
“We did. Thanks for inviting us.”
“Of course. Do you want something to drink? I grabbed another bottle of that rosé.”
I bit down on the smile tugging at my cheeks.
“What?” he asked.
“It’s just nice that you keep getting it for me.”
He shrugged. “Or there’s lemonades and iced teas and stuff in the coolers outside if you aren’t trying to get after it yet.”
I leaned my hip against the counter. “It’s the biggest day-drinking day of the year, so who am I to resist?”
He grinned and pulled the bottle out of the fridge. I poured two glasses: one for me, one for Mimi. I took a sip and said without thinking, “Does, um—Nevermind.”
“Tell me.” Luke looked up from the tray where he’d added some cucumber spears.
I pursed my lips.Will he be insulted if I ask?
He stared at me expectantly.
“Does Luna have sunscreen on?”
His mouth quirked up in the corner. “Yes, covered head to toe.”
“I figured. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. The times I’ve forgotten and she’s gotten burned, I felt so bad. She’s fairer than I am, so I have to be super aware of it.”
He had a way of doing that: never making me feel bad for saying what I was thinking, even when I thought it might not come out right or land well.
He returned the wine bottle to the fridge. Then he held up his finger, opened it again, and removed a plastic bag with half a banana in it, still in the peel, hopelessly browned. My cheeks flamed.
“Why do I always find half bananas in the fridge in plastic bags? Does Luna not want the other half or something?”
“Oh, um, that’s me. I don’t think I can eat a whole banana,” I said as shame continued to rise to the surface of my skin. It was ridiculous that I regularly tried to save the other half. This one was from several days ago.
“You can’t eat a whole banana?” Luke asked, dark eyebrows raised, a smirk spreading over his face.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I always think I want one, but then I get sick of it before I can finish it. Maybe I just don’t really like bananas?” I raised both my palms up, like I still wasn’t sure.
He laughed, full-bellied, supporting himself on the counter. When he stopped he shook his head, smiling at me with a glimmer in his eyes.
I shrugged sheepishly.
“Sorry, that’s…hilarious. What a quirk. And I live with an eight-year-old. I think you don’t like bananas, Val. Do we need to expose you to some other fruits?”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “You’re probably right.”
“There’s apples, grapes, all sorts of berries…”
He thinks he’s so funny.
