“Lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, salmon, and nuts.”
“Is that the Mediterranean diet?”
“Yeah. Maybe. That sounds familiar.”
I nod as if this is critically important information I’ll be tested on later. We cross the grass side by side. Our arms brush, just once, barely, and my entire nervous system jolts awake. I pull my arm away on instinct, but not before she glances up at me. Not quite a smile. Just… a look. Like she felt it too.
When we reach the blacktop, I start kicking at a few loose rocks, because I’m a grown man and, apparently, the appropriate response to emotional tension is to assault gravel. “I just want to say thank you again. For coming as my date.”
“It was fun.” Her gaze flicks back toward the pavilion, the balloons, and the noise. “I haven’t been to a big family get-together like that in a really long time.”
“That’s pretty normal for my family.”
“I will say,” she adds, turning back to me, “you did an excellent job showing me off as your date.” She lifts her fingers in loose air quotes on the last two words. “And making me feel welcome.”
“It’s… easier when it’s my family. And you.” I clear my throat, attempting to keep the conversation going. “It helped my nerves settle a little.”
Her head tilts, her expression softening. “If you can do that in other settings, you’ll have girls swooning. Including Maggie.”
My heart dips at the sound of her name. “Yeah.” The response comes too fast. “Definitely.”
“I think she’d ask for several more dates after that,” Nora continues, casually lobbing the emotional equivalent of a grenade at my feet.
“Great.” I clear my throat again. “That’s… the goal. But the real test will be doing it without the safety net of my own family.”
“You’ve got this. Just pretend you’re an actor on stage and picture everyone in their underwear.”
My eyes widen in immediate horror.
A laugh spills out of her. “Or don’t,” she adds quickly.
“I don’t think that would help.”
“Probably not.” She smiles. “But you’re heading in the right direction.”
I swallow. “I still think I need more practice. Two dates are not enough for sufficient experimentation and data collection.”
She snorts. “Of course you’d phrase it like that. This is me.” She points to a black SUV. It chirps when she clicks the key fob.
As she reaches for the handle, I’m already there, catching the door and pulling it open wider. The motion is so automatic I don’t even register it until Nora pauses, one foot halfway inside, and looks back at me.
“Oh.” The word comes out soft with a hint of surprise tucked into it. “Look at you.”
Heat crawls up my neck. I shrug, brushing it off, even though my hand is still on the door. “What?”
She smiles—small, surprised, almost pleased—and slides into the driver’s seat. “Nothing. Just… thanks.” Once she’s settled, she turns toward me. “You did really good today.”
“Thanks.” I hesitate, then admit the truth. “I owe that to you. You made it easy.”
Her lips press together and her gaze drops to the ground, as if my words land somewhere she wasn’t expecting. Then it smooths over. “Alright,” she says, voice lighter again. “I’m heading out. See you later.”
“Bye, Nora.”
“Bye, Miles.”
I close the door. The engine starts, and I stand on the edge of the blacktop while she backs out. I don’t stop watching until her SUV disappears out of the lot. And only then do I exhale.
As the party winds down, I help my sisters clean up. I’m stacking paper plates when Mallory sidles up, wearing a conspiratorial grin.
