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I ditch the trash and move to stand beside her. ‘There’s a lot less artificial light here. Do you want another drink?’
She shuffles an inch so her shoulder is pressed to my arm. I have no idea whether it’s an intentional move, but her touch warms me, even through my shirt.
‘That would be nice.’
I bring us each a glass of red wine and move two reclining lawn chairs to the edge of the deck. Mostly, we sit in silence, staring at the stars.
‘If you had one wish, only one in the entire world, what would it be?’ she asks.
‘One wish?’ I turn my head so we’re looking at one another.
In this moment, I’d wish I could give you more than one night. I’d wish you weren’t running from a long-term relationship. I’d wish that we could spend one night together and still be friends the next day.
‘I’m not sure. What would you wish?’
She stares at me, her expression unreadable. I wonder if she had any of the same thoughts as me. Eventually, her eyes wrinkle as her lips tip upward. ‘I’m not sure.’
She moves the hand that isn’t holding her wineglass and rubs her opposite arm.
‘Let me get a blanket,’ I say, happy to break the intensity of the moment. Trying not to wonder what she was just thinking.
I open the storage unit on the decking, which usually has blankets inside but tonight is empty.
‘Damn it, they’re usually in here.’
‘That’s okay. I’ll be fine.’
I stand behind her and notice the small bumps on her skin. ‘You have goosebumps.’
I take a seat in my lounge chair and recline a little more. ‘Come here.’
Without hesitation, she climbs onto my seat and nestles her head in my shoulder. Maybe it’s the wine. Maybe it’s the night sky. Maybe it’s being here that brings home how lonely the city can be sometimes. Whatever the reason, I’m more than happy to have Becky in my arms.
At some point, we must have fallen asleep because I wake as dawn is breaking. I’m cold but not unbearably so. Becky is snuggled tight into my chest and her face is nothing short of divine. Her eyelids are closed. Her cheeks are relaxed. Her hair has fallen across her shoulder and rests on her chest. Knowing she’s asleep, I don’t fight the urge to press my mouth to her skin. I hold her tighter and bring my lips to her temple.
I lie awake, wondering if it would be so bad if I tried more than one night with this woman.
The problem is, I’m starting to think the risk of losing her is worse than the possibility of being distracted by her.
And she is looking for a friend. Only a friend.
For now, I rest my cheek on her head and let myself drift again.
* * *
‘Rise and shine!’
I open my eyes, and Becky darts upright on my lap at the sound of my dad’s too-loud-for-this-time-of-day voice.
‘I’d bet you two could use a hot drink,’ he says, holding out two cups of coffee. ‘Your mother put the machine on especially.’
Becky twists on my lap as she takes hold of a mug. I take the other from him but with my free arm, I stop Becky from leaving my lap. I sense her eyes on me but I decide to ignore them.
‘Christ, Pops, what are you wearing?’
He looks down over his blue striped, two-piece pajama set. ‘Ah, I knew it.’ He looks at Becky and shakes his head. ‘Maggie said they looked good on me.’
‘Christ.’
