“Do you remember when we used to play Ask Five?”
Joy surged through me at the memory.Finally!Some common ground for us to walk on. “Yes, of course.”
He pulled a few pieces of peppermint candies from his pocket and held one up, just as he would have when we were kids. “What’s your favorite food?” he started, his eyes dancing with joy.
“That depends. Meal or snack?”
He chuckled. “Both!”
“Prime rib and chocolate covered almonds.”
“Ooh, yum.” He handed me the piece of candy. “Chicken curry and Twizzlers for me.”
I smiled. “Still love the Twizzlers, huh?”
“It’soneof my favorite snacks anyway. I have a few,” he teased, tilting his head in afollow megesture. “Favorite trip of the last ten years.”
“Singapore,” I answered.
“Really?” He couldn’t hide his surprise.
I nodded. “With the army, but yeah. It was an awesome trip.”
“Wow. Farthest I’ve been is New York, which was okay, I guess. Still not a fan of big cities, though.”
He finished his last three questions and then it was my turn. I asked if he went to college and learned that he took a couple art classes at a community college in Charleston but came back when his anxiety became too much. I also learned he loved going to a good concert every now and then, but preferred smaller venues. When I asked him what his favorite art piece was, he blushed and said, “That’s a question for another day.”
Riley led me down a small ivy-covered walkway when I forced myself to ask the question I wanted to know most of all. “Are you married?”
He trailed his fingers along the vines and slowed his pace. “No, you?”
“No.”
He cast me a sidelong glance, as if he knew what I wanted to ask next, but for some reason, I couldn’t. Instead, I asked, “Do you still like the rain?”
He turned and walked backwards ahead of me a few paces. “Love it, especially watching it fall over the ocean.”
We sat on a bench near a fountain and talked for what felt like hours, much more at ease now thanks to our old game. I was captivated by the stories of his life, pleased to know he had so many good memories. Riley eventually had to leave so he could work for a few hours, but he introduced me to a local fisherman with a lifetime supply of fishing gear before he left.
“Beckett?” he asked.
“Hmm?”
“Will you be here tomorrow? I’d like to see you again. In the afternoon, after I finish work.”
My heartrate kicked up a notch as we stared at each other. “Yeah. I’d like that, too.”
