I checked behind me. She still wasn’t there. My little picnic basket was sitting on the bench. Fortunately, it was a weekday, and no one seemed to be around. Most people preferred not to hike at night. A horrible thought crossed my mind. I was putting the woman on a path in the fading light all by herself. Maybe not the best idea. I thought about meeting her at the bottom of the trail.
I heard footsteps and hoped it was her. I spun around to see her making her way up the trail “Hi,” I said and walked toward her.
She was wearing a pair of shorts and a light jacket. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. There was a vulnerability about her that pulled at my heartstrings.
She smiled. “Hi.”
“You look beautiful,” I told her. “Damn, you are so fucking gorgeous. I swear you grow prettier by the day.”
“You are being very charming,” she said with a forced laugh. “I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.”
“I brought some snacks,” I blurted out and immediately felt like a jackass. “I mean, I brought a picnic. Of sorts.”
“Snacks? I thought you said you wanted to talk. Why did you want to talk here?”
“Because this spot is special to us. I brought a picnic because I wanted to create a whole thing. I wanted us to enjoy a picnic with the sunset in our special place.”
“You keep calling it our special place,” she said warily.
“It is special. I will always remember the first time we came here. It was really the first time I got to see you for the woman you are.”
“I appreciate that, but I feel like this is a lot of pomp and circumstance.”
I shrugged. “I wanted to show you I can treat you right.”
“So you brought a picnic?”
“I did.”
“How long do you anticipate this conversation going?” she asked with a great deal of skepticism.
“I figured I would hope for the best, and maybe if things went well, there would be some star gazing.”
She was being standoffish. “I’m not sure what you expect to happen here. I don’t want to keep doing this. I keep showing up and you keep walking away.”
She was killing me. “I know.”
“Then I’m asking you to please, just tell me what’s going on.”
“I want to talk. Sit please. Can I pour you some wine?”
“You brought wine?”
I grinned and opened the basket. I pulled out the little bottle and poured two glasses, emptying the bottle. “I did.”
“Why do I feel like I’m being seduced?”
“I’m not trying to seduce you.”
She was still holding back. I could feel her trying to distance herself from me. “This definitely feels like a seduction.”
I sat on the bench beside her. “I might be seducing you a little but not in that way. I want you to be willing to talk to me and I suppose that takes some seduction.”
“You could have texted.”
“Definitely not,” I told her. I looked out over the park and remembered the first time she showed me her favorite viewpoint. “It is such a nice night.”
“It is. What’s going on Xander?”
“I’m coming back,” I told her.
“What does that mean?”
“I’m moving back home. Into my house. I’m staying.”
“For how long? You were home a couple of weeks ago and you left.”
“Good point. But this time, I’m staying.”
“What about the ghosts you didn’t want to deal with?”
I shrugged. “I think ghosts can be a good thing.”
“How so?” she asked softly.
“The memories I have of him here are good. They are some of the best memories I have of him. Running away from them was wrong. I need to be here. I need those memories to keep him near me.”
“I think that is a very good idea,” she said, a real smile spreading over her face. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“I’m sorry I ditched you. Repeatedly. I’m the world’s biggest asshole. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m hoping you will give it to me anyway.”
“Xander, I want to believe you, but I’m hesitant.”
“I know. I expect that. It isn’t just the memories of Kade that brought me back. You. Memories of being with you. Thinking about this place and our time together. Those are all really good memories. I want more memories like that.”
“You are saying all the right things,” she said with a smile. “You know I can’t resist you.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“I’m glad you are back,” she said.
“Me too. Does this mean you will entertain the idea of having a relationship with me?”
“I could be convinced,” she said.
“I am going to work very hard to convince you,” I vowed.
She sipped her wine. “How are you doing? Like really doing?”
“I’m doing a lot better thanks to you.”
“Thanks to me?”
“You are a sneaky little lady,” I told her.
She raised her eyebrows. “Me? Sneaky?”
“I got a call yesterday.”
“Congratulations.”
“Oh, you’re cheeky too.” I laughed. I opened the picnic basket and pulled out the small cheese tray and peeled back the plastic. “You hold that.” I reached back in and grabbed another tray of an assortment of nuts and fruits and peeled the plastic back.
“Wow, you come prepared.”
“It’s not exactly a meal, but I wanted to wine and dine you while we watched the sunset in our special spot.”
“I think I like this romantic side of you.”
“Good.”
“Tell me about your phone call.”
I popped a grape into my mouth. “It was my dad.”
The look on her face was one I would never forget. It was surprise, guilt, and dread. “Your dad called you?”
“Yes, he did. He told me you paid him a visit.”
She looked sick. “I’m so sorry. It was a total spur of the moment thing. I’ve been worrying about it for a week. I shouldn’t have stuck my nose into your business. I was wrong and I apologize. I made it very clear you didn’t know I was there. I told him I was acting of my own volition and you didn’t put me up to anything.”
“Are you done?” I asked with amusement.
“Um, I don’t know. Am I?”
“My dad and I talked yesterday. Actually talked.”
“You did?”
I nodded, grabbing a few cashews. “We did. We are going to go fishing soon. I’m going to hire a charter and we are going to do the one thing Kade worked so hard to make happen.”
I thought I saw a tear slide down her cheek. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“I’m so happy for you.”
“Me too. He apologized. He told me he was proud of me. I think that is probably the first time he has ever said those words to me.”
“I’m going to turn into a hot, blubbering mess any second,” she said as she laughed through her tears. “I’m so happy for you.”