It feels like an eternity, but then the ringing stops.
“Hey,” she says softly, and her voice comes through the phone and also through the front door.
Before I can answer, it swings open, and she’s standing there, her phone up to her ear.
“Oh,” she says, still talking into the phone.
“Surprise,” I say into mine, and she smiles, closing her door behind her.
“I was about to come say goodbye,” she says, keeping her voice low, clicking her phone off.
She looks away, at the trucks with the guys standing around.
“I didn’t want to leave things like we did,” she starts, then pauses.
“I’m sorry I was an asshole,” I blurt out.“It’s the same bullshit.I can do better.”
Clementine just looks surprised.She pushes her bangs off her forehead.
“Me too,” she finally says.“I can be petty and jealous and insecure, and...”
She shuffles her feet against the porch floor.
“And I don’t really like that about myself,” she finishes.
“I don’twantto be away from you,” I say.“I wish there was a third option, to have this job but come home at night.”
She smiles faintly.
“I don’t care if you don’t know what cryptobiotic crust is,” she says.“You’ve never bored me, which is more than I can say for most people.”
I step forward and put my arms around her.
“This was stupid,” I say.
“Yeah,” she agrees.“I promise to never have stupid feelings again.”
I just laugh, and so does she.
“Same,” I say.
Behind me, I hear a truck start, and I turn my head.The guys are milling around with slightly more purpose, and even though a few of them glance over, they look away quickly, like they’re faintly embarrassed.
“You should go,” Clementine says.
I kiss her, and this time it feels normal, her lips firm but yielding under mine, her arms tight around me.Apropergoodbye kiss.
We separate and I kiss her forehead.
“I’ll call you when I can,” I say.
“Wait,” she says, and reaches into her pocket.She holds up a small, smooth, gray rock.
“We’ve already got plenty of ways to start a fire,” I say.“We’re notactualcavemen.”
Clementine rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling.
“It’s from the waterfall,” she says.“Just fucking take it and think nice thoughts about me once in a while.”
