I drove us around back of the motel, and when she saw the forest surrounding a huge screen and all the cars lining up in front of it, Murphy breathed out awow.
“Hope it doesn’t disappoint,” I said as we pulled into the gate to pay.
I spoke jokingly, but I wasn’t laughing inside. Here I was, a board-certified surgeon, an app developer, and a self-made man, unsure if I could actually impress a woman.
“Look at all these trees,” Murphy said as I found a good spot to park. “I mean, I didn’t love working in the Kwikshop because some of those customers could be a pain for not a lot of money, but this is cool.” She opened her door and leaned out, turning around to see the screen.
“You worked at the Kwikshop?” I said to her back.
“Yeah, for a little bit, but I didn’t like it.” Bringing her head back into the Jeep, she asked, “How will we watch?”
Deciding to let the grocery-store gig go, I jumped out and went around the hood. Taking her hand in mine, I led her toward the back of the SUV and popped open the liftgate.
“Oh.” Murphy let out a happy sigh. “Fun. And I don’t even know what the movie is.”
“Me either, but it doesn’t really matter.” I pulled a blanket from inside and laid it on the floor of the rear of the Jeep and opened the picnic basket. “It’s really a cooler, but it works.”
She hopped onto the blanket. “I’m sure it’s perfect.”
My pulse settled to a normal pace with Murphy so happy. Was she always this easily pleased, and I didn’t know?
“Wine?” I asked, pulling a glass from the cooler.
“Are you sure we should?” With her head cocked to the side, she took me in, all of me.
Not going to lie, it felt like something I’d never felt before. Golden. Intimidating.
“Not me, you. I’ll get you home safely later.” I winked and gave her hand a squeeze.
“Okay. Sure, that would be great.”
I poured some white wine for Murphy and cracked open a bottle of water for myself. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
Dusk fell around us, and the screen brightened as they played some older commercials before the sky fully darkened.
“This is so nice,” Murphy said, leaning against the doorjamb.
“You look relaxed. Have another sip of wine.”
“Are you trying to get me drunk, Jonesy?” Murphy said, laughing.
“No, that was your game plan years ago,” I said, and this got me more chuckles.
“Hardly,” she said, hiding her face behind a curtain of wavy red hair.
“Let’s not talk about back then,” I said when a screen announcing the movie came on.
Murphy gasped. “Pretty in Pink. Did you really not know? How could we not talk about back then? It pretty much consumes my mind, and this movie is basically us. Reversed, but us.”
Swallowing my confusion and pride, I ran a hand through my hair, wishing I’d gotten a haircut. It was always the last priority on my list. “I didn’t know. Let’s just eat and watch and take it for what it is. A movie.”
“For the record, I’m sure you come from a great family. And not the wrong side of the tracks.”
Murphy scooted closer and rested her hand on my thigh. Her fingers skimmed along the hem of my shorts, and I forgot all about high school and being the scholarship kid.
“We’re here now,” I mumbled, pulling her close.
