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“And your first date,” Milena added, lest she forget.
Resigned that she was not going to get away without giving them some details, Maureen took a sip of her tea and for the first time in a very long time started to tell the story.
Thirty-Seven Years Ago
The cool lake water soothed Maureen’s aching feet.She let out a satisfactory sigh and laid back on the dock next to Sue Ann.
“I told you not to wear those shoes.”
Maureen didn’t bother opening her eyes.She knew without looking that Sue Ann would have herI told you solook on her face.
“The shoes were perfect with that dress and you know it.”Maureen stretched her arms up over her head and sighed again.“Besides, the blisters are totally worth it.I wouldn’t change a thing.”
After that first dance together, Adam had simply moved straight into the second song by mutual agreement, and then the third.They’d danced their way all around the floor, completely unaware of anyone else.
“It was like something out of a movie.”
Next to her, Sue Ann giggled.The dock beneath them moved as she flipped to her side.Maureen finally opened one eye to see her friend staring at her.“Tell me everything,” Sue Ann said.“I wantallthe details.”
Maureen didn’t have to be asked twice.She’d been dying to talk about the boy—theman—who’d swept her off her feet.Literally.
“Isn’t he handsome?”She flipped over to her side.“Those eyes.”She sighed and squeezed her own eyes shut, remembering the way he’d looked at her as if she were the only girl at the dance.
“Heishandsome,” Sue Ann agreed.“But a little old for you, don’t you think?I mean…youjustturned eighteen, Maureen.He has to be at least thirty.”
Her eyes snapped open, and she stared at the girl who was supposed to be her very best friend.“I turned eighteen over four months ago, Sue Ann.I’m practically an adult.”
“Practically,” her friend murmured under her breath.
“And he isnotthirty.”Truthfully, Maureen didn’t know how old Adam was.It was obvious that he was older than her.Especially considering he’d told her he’d just finished university.But he couldn’t be more than four or five years older, and that was a perfectly acceptable age gap.She told her friend as much.“Besides, I’m very mature for my age.A few years doesn’t make any difference at all.”
Sue Ann didn’t look convinced.She raised an eyebrow and made an annoying clicking sound with her tongue.“You do know what boys that age want from younger girls, don’t you?”
Her stomach clenched, but not in a painful way, and a shot of excitement flew through her body.“Do you really think so?”
“Maureen!”
Sue Ann was thoroughly scandalized, but Maureen could only laugh.
“I guess we’ll find out,” she commented off-handedly, causing Sue Ann to squeal again.“He asked me if he could take me for ice cream.”
“What?”Sue Ann sat up straight on the dock and grabbed her hands.“How could you not tell me that?You’re going on a date?Tonight?”
“Ice cream.”She tried but failed to sound casual about it.Especially because she felt anythingbutcasual about it.“He’s picking me up at seven.”
“What are we doing out here?”Sue Ann jumped to her feet.“We have to pick out your outfit.”
Maureen laughed and let her friend drag her up the dock toward the house.
A few hours later, dressed in stonewash denim shorts and a black tank top with a matching denim jacket that Sue Ann assured her looked very mature, Maureen was ready for her date when Adam picked her up in his uncle’s borrowed car.He rang the doorbell like a gentleman and shook her father’s hand politely.
Maureen was certain she heard her sister giggle when Adam handed her the bouquet of daisies he’d no doubt picked alongside the road where they were currently growing in abundance, and tied with twine.They were the most beautiful flowers she’d ever seen, and Maureen knew without looking that her older sister would be simply green with envy at the handsome young man pickingherup for a date and bringing her flowers.
Not that Maureen bothered to spare Linda a glance.She was far too smitten with Adam, who, as soon as it was polite to do so, excused them so they could go to town for ice cream.
She’d been so worried that the magic from the night before at the dance wouldn’t shine so bright the next day, but she shouldn’t have wasted her time with such thoughts because the moment he opened the door for her and his hand gently brushed her arm as she sat in the front seat, the sparks flew once more.
“You look very pretty tonight, Maureen.”Adam held her gaze.
