When he grinned at her, she nearly swooned.For a second, his twinkling eyes robbed her of all reason. Maybeshe couldn’t tell him much about herself, but she definitely wouldnot mind getting to know him in far more intimate ways.
Her toes curled in her shoes as her musingsturned to more carnal pleasures. If she didn’t start talking aboutsomething else soon, she might drag him out of here and back to herapartment.
“Are you and your sister close?” sheasked.
“Yes. We’re twins, so we’ve been close sincecreation.”
“Oh, wow. I always wondered what it would belike to have a twin.”
“It’s a combination of awesome and annoying.But she’s my best friend, and as much as I’d love to strangle hersome days, I wouldn’t do it because I love her. Or at least that’swhat I tell myself every day.”
She laughed as she set her pizza down.
“My family is all extremely close,” Kylesaid. “From my parents to my siblings, to my adopted uncles, who wecall the Stooges. There was never much privacy, but there wasalways a lot of love.”
“That sounds… amazing,” she admitted.
She couldn’t imagine growing up in such a bigfamily with so much love. Her father was about as loving as a rabidporcupine. If it hadn’t been for Lucy, she wouldn’t have had anyonegrowing up in the facility.
“Most of the time,” he said. “And at othertimes, you’re stuck trying to figure out the difference betweencoral and blush while two of your sisters give you the deathstare.”
Melanie laughed and picked her pizza upagain. As they ate, he told her more about his family before theconversation steered into the type of music they liked. Hepreferred alternative and musicians like Billy Joel. There wasn’tany type of music she didn’t like, and she could never pick afavorite book, but his wasMisery.
They get so lost in conversation that Melaniestopped stressing over what to discuss and didn’t realize an hourhad passed until her phone lit up and she saw the time. She glancedat the text message from Lucy, asking how it was going, but didn’trespond.
“Want to go for a walk?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said. “There’s a parknearby.”
They rose from the table, and as they madetheir way outside, his hand slid easily into hers. Melanie gulpedas her eyes flew to their joined hands. She’d never held hands withanyone before. It felt so right tears pricked her eyes, and shelooked away from him.
As they walked, he told her about the barwhere he worked and how his sister sang there. They made their wayinto the park and settled on a bench near the lake, where theywatched an older man feeding the birds while kids laughed and ranaround them.
Though she’d intended to keep theconversation far from her, she ended up telling him how she hopedto stay in the city after graduation. She had to figure out themoney situation first. Right now, she waited tables a few days aweek for spending money, but her father covered most of herexpenses, and Lucy’s mother did the same for her.
She didn’t know what would happen aftergraduation, but she hoped to find a job that would allow her to beon her own while pursuing her master’s degree. The only problemwas, she didn’t think it was going to be likely. Even with Lucy asa roommate, the city was too expensive for an entry-level positionto cover her expenses.
She didn’t tell him this, but if she had toleave the city, she would, but she was determined to get out fromunder her father’s thumb. She hadn’t discussed it with Lucy yet,but she suspected her friend felt the same way. They could alwayslive in Quincy or maybe another commuter town. That would help keeptheir costs down.
However, she’d decided to wait until afterthe summer before sitting down to figure it out. Maybe she was indenial of how easy it would be to support herself, but so be it asshe planned to relax and enjoy this summer as much as shecould.
After a little while, they rose and startedwalking again. Holding hands with him felt as natural as breathingas they made their way around the park and back onto thestreet.
“I have to leave for work soon,” Kylesaid.
Melanie had spent the afternoon walkingaround in a bubble of bliss, and she didn’t want it to pop. But sheshould have been prepared and should have known it would. Ofcourse, he had to get to work.
“I’d like to see you again,” he said.
She couldn’t stop herself from smiling like akid seeing their birthday cake. For so much of her life, she wasdenied the simplest of things and any real happiness. Kyle made herhappy, and she wasn’t ready to let that go.
She had no idea how she would handle thingsgoing forward, but another date wasn’t marriage or anythingserious. It was just another date.
“I’d like that too,” she said.
They arrived at her building far faster thanshe would have liked.
“I’ll walk you up,” he offered.
