“Electric Feel” was one of our favorite songs the summer after Mel moved to Blue Fields. We’d played theOracular Spectacularalbum over and over in my grandparent’s basement, feeling like proper hipster kids.
I smile at her, watching her sway to the music. I’ll takethissong playing atthisexact moment as a sign that fate approves us finally on our intended path.
As Mel pulls into my driveway and cuts the engine, I’m suddenly self-conscious of every piece of furniture and home decor that I own. Not to mention the Godzilla collection that hasgrown considerably since the last Mel was inside any space of mine. This is her first time at my house, and I’mnervous.
I hop out of her car and wind around the front to Mel’s side to open her door. She takes my outstretched hand and hops out, giving me a sexy smile. I keep her hand tucked in mine as I lead her into the house and flick the foyer light on.
“Well, welcome to my home, Mel,” I say, sweeping my free arm out before me. “After you.”
She rolls her eyes at me with a smile and I follow her into the great room, which spans from the entryway to the living area on our right furnished with a sectional couch and TV, to the kitchen on the left, and the dining room in between.
“Wow, this is so nice, Ro!” Mellie turns in place to take in everything.
While I head into the kitchen to open a bottle of wine, she wanders around the living room, picking things up and peering into picture frames. I pop the cork on the bottle of white I had chilling in the refrigerator and pour us each a generous glass.
Meeting her in the living room, I hand her one, which she thanks me for as she takes a small drink.
“Holy shit Ronin, is that what I think it is?” She strides over to my fireplace and grabs a small trophy off of my mantle.
I hide my grin as I sip my drink. “Oh, you’re referring to my most prized possession? The physical proof that I beat you atMonopoly?Yes, yes it is.”
Mellie doubles over, laughing. She holds up the plastic trophy of Mr. Monopoly complete with a small piece of paper slid into the opening on the front that says “Ronin beat Mellie” with the date scrawled underneath. It came with theChampionship Editionof the game, and it was the one and only time I have ever managed to win. Naturally, I will lord it over her for all eternity.
“I can’t believe you still have thisandhave it displayed on your mantle.” She laughs, putting it back in its place and wiping at her eyes. “You’re such a dork! I can’t take it.”
“If I’m a dork, you’re a dork too, remember that,” I tease. “The day we met, you wiped the floor with me playingMagic. I’d never been so intimidated by a girl in my entire life.”
“Ah, well, I’m sure that was short lived, especially when I got my braces a month later.”
We chuckle at the memory, me with my big glasses and Mellie with her mouth of wire. We made quite the pair in middle school.
As we settle onto the stools at my kitchen bar, Mellie sets down her glass of wine and pulls out her phone, connecting to the Bluetooth speaker sitting on the countertop. She scrolls through her playlists. “We need music. Are we feeling nostalgic tonight after that walk down memory lane? Or just looking for somechillvibes?”
“Definitely nostalgic.”
“Angsty teen playlist it is then,” she says as Fall Out Boy starts playing through my speaker. It comes out blaring loudly, which makes us both jump. She turns the volume down as she laughs, and I lean on the counter, picking up my wine and tipping it toward hers.
“A toast,” I say.
“What are we toasting, then?” She lifts her glass up to mine.
My gaze holds hers and her amber eyes flash. “To your dad,” I begin. Mel starts to giggle, opening her mouth to protest, but I hold up a single finger to shush her with a smile. “To your dad for dragging his family from New England all the way to a tiny, insignificant town in the Pacific Northwest. For if he had not willingly tortured his poor teenage daughter by accepting that amazing promotion, my life would be all the more empty.” I pause, taking in her steady focus. “To finding my other half in the moody, nerdy new girl who stole my heart in a bookstore.”
Mellie’s eyes glisten as she holds her glass still. I swallow, my throat suddenly feeling thick, and clink my glass against hers. Our gazes remain locked as we each take a sip.
“Well,” Mellie starts, setting her glass down. “I wasn’t expecting to be toasting my dad on our first real date, but Iguess here we are.”
“I’m full of surprises, you just wait,” I promise.
Mellie spins her stool to face me, her feet coming to rest on the foot rail of my stool. I place my own on the bottom of hers, caging her in with my legs. My fingers tap against the stem of my glass, and Mel’s eyes dart toward them momentarily. A memory of her writhing under them in the darkness of our tent flashes in my mind.
She gives me a tiny smile that makes her irises sparkle and her dimple pop out. I love her dimple so fucking much.
“I love when you smile at me like that,” I say softly. “It makes your dimple show.” I reach out and gently press her cheek where her dimple usually is, and she grins again in response. “See? There it is again.”
I move my finger, sliding my whole hand onto her face to cup her cheek. “It drives me absolutely crazy, that dimple.”
Mellie’s breathing changes, her chest rising and falling more quickly. Pulling her head toward me gently, I place a soft kiss on her cheek, right over her dimple, before landing a chaste kiss on her lips and pulling away. All of the things I’ve wanted to do for years, and now I finally can.
