“At least let me help clear dessert. I didn’t do anything but watch you peel potatoes and take second to last place in cards.” I stand and start collecting plates from the women, catching a look shared between them. There is a lot of unspoken communication between this mom and her daughters, and I can’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Imagine having that—a mom who doesn’t comment when you eat a slice of chocolate cake, and sisters who know you so well you can have a full conversation without speaking?
“What?” I can’t help but ask, because it’s obviously something.
“Nothing, nothing,” Sarah answers. “Girls, help clear so Joe and Indie can get out before it gets even later. We all have work in the morning.”
Sarah and I beat everyone to the kitchen while everyone removes the dishes and the rest of Sarah’s incredible fudge cake off the table. She drops her dishes in the sink and puts a warm hand on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
“For what?” She just fed me and entertained me, plus I’ve been sleeping on her property and using her hot water for days. I’m the world’s biggest moocher right now.
“My son. I have him back, and it’s no coincidence that it happened around the same time you came into town,” she whispers as she starts rinsing dishes.
“Oh, I don’t think it’s me. Maybe—” I’m cut off by Joe and the girls bringing in their dishes. “I should be thanking you. You’ve done so much for me, and you don’t even know me.”
“I know you better than you think.” She smiles at me over her shoulder, just as Joe nudges her out of the way. He pushes up his rolled shirt sleeves and takes over rinsing dishes. “What happened to ‘cheaters do the dishes’?” She mimics her son's deep voice.
“You didn’t cheat, and those lazy bums sure aren’t jumping in to help.”
“How do you know I didn’t cheat?”
Joe gasps in pretend shock, but finishes rinsing and loading the dishes anyway, while his sisters and I put away the last of the food. After wiping down the counter, he folds the dish towel into perfect thirds and hangs it on the oven door handle. I almost faint with attraction.
“Ready?” he asks.
To marry you? I thought you’d never ask.
“Sure. Where are we going?”
“Just a walk.”
Ten minutes later I'm in the middle of a sandy trail that weaves through the desert with nothing but the full moon for light and Joe by my side. This is something I would have never done even a month ago, but now it is the perfect ending to a huge meal and a sedentary day. I’m not worried about nocturnal desert creatures with Joe here, plus he assured me when we left the sidewalk that this trail is short and basically amounts to a literal walk in the park. We’ve walked incompanionable silence thus far, listening to crickets chirp and our own footsteps on the hard-packed sand. All I can think about is,Why isn’t Joe trying to hold my hand? Get on with it, man!
I also can’t get over how bright the moon is. At first I wondered if we should’ve brought flashlights, but now that my eyes have adjusted I realize there is no need. Between the moon and the stars we have plenty of light for whatever Joe has in mind. And I'm looking forward to whatever he has in mind.
“Do you do this a lot? Hike at night?”
“I like to run this trail, but not usually this late at night. It’s nice during the day.”
We have enough light that I can see that it would be postcard-worthy during the day. “It’s nice at night, too.”
“I’m glad you like it. Are you enjoying yourself here?”
“So much. It’s good to get away from my usual life. Turns out, I like hiking and I love being outside. And I like your family.”
“They can be a lot for some people.”
“Not me. I’m a little jealous of you, actually.”
“Why is that?”
We stop at a fork in the trail before I answer. One path is dark, surrounded by boulders and a few tall trees I can’t identify. The other path cuts through the sagebrush, well lit and clear, but boring. We pause while I collect my thoughts. I can feel his stare, even in the moonlight.
“I think I’m jealous of your family because of how happy you are together. You tease each other. You work side by side and you still manage to like each other. Not all families are like that.” My tone is flippant, but I know I accidentally let my damage show. I feel vulnerable and I hope he doesn’t try to dig too far into this.Let’s stick to light banter with the possibility of kissing, thanks.
“You’re welcome to borrow my family any time.” He bumps my shoulder with his and we start down the darker path that issurrounded by boulders. “In fact, please, take them off my hands.” He couldn’t have offered a more perfect response. He reads me so well it makes me smile like a goofball.
“You know you have a house full of women back there who adore you. You don't mean that."
“No, I don’t. And I happen to know they adore you, too. While you were in the kitchen with my mom, my sisters basically told me that if I drive you away they’ll off me.”
