“You know you do. I’m feeling like a hillbilly next to you.”
“I can assure you, as someone who grew up with hillbillies, they would not have accepted you as their equal.”
“Oh yeah? Ain’t my English plain enough for ya, mister?”
He laughed. “Take it as a compliment, Jonah Carter.”
“You can call me Joe.”
“Why on earth would I do that?”
“It’s shorter.”
“I promise I won’t run out of breath from saying your long name.”
“Suit yourself.” I glanced out the window to see the ocean as we began to drive up a mountain. We parked a few minutes later on top of a cliff, the silvery moon the only source of light, glittering over the endless water.
“Here we are,” Eliot said.
I looked around. It was just the two of us out here. “It’s dark.”
“For now.”
We exited the car, and Eliot went to the trunk to take out the things he’d brought.
“Need help?” I asked.
“No need. Go look at the view, but don’t fall—you’re not famous enough for the story to be tragic.”
I laughed and walked closer to the edge, the silvery ocean spread as far as I could see. “It’s beautiful!”
Eliot came closer. “Help me spread the blanket.”
There was almost no wind, so the blanket stayed still once we laid it on the grass.
“Now, for the light.” Eliot placed a lantern a few feet from us. Seconds later, golden light pushed away the darkness.
We sat on the blanket next to a big picnic basket. I peeked inside. “Sushi, yummy.”
“I forgot to ask what you like, so I guessed. Wine?”
“Yes, please.” I was still at the stage where drinking wine made me feel sophisticated, as long as I didn’t drink too much.
Eliot pulled out a bottle. “This one’s a bit strong, but it’s from a good winery in Italy.”
“Well, if it ain’t from Italy, I ain’t drinking.”
“Good boy.” He poured wine into tall glasses. “What should we toast to?”
“Hmm, since you’re the host, we should toast to your health.”
“I’m not eighty yet, so let’s toast to your next big role.”
“Oh, I’ll drink the entire bottle to that!”
The wine tasted rich and strong. I hoped to never learn how much it cost. I took off my shoes and socks, and Eliot did the same. His feet were pale and groomed, as big as his hands.
He opened the basket and handed me a sushi roll. “I never tried sushi before I moved here,” I said after eating two delicious pieces.
