She smiled. “I’ll vote for you.”
“You’re not in my district.”
“Huh. I can’t believe you slept with me for nothing.”
He barked out a laugh. Russ had a great laugh. He really should run for office. He was that rare brand of charming that didn’t seem thin or false.
They were done with dinner. Cherry was sitting across from him, winding her cloth napkin around her fingers.
“You look nice tonight,” he said.
“Oh,” Cherry said. “Thank you.” She was wearing a snug knit fit-and-flare dress, dark purple, with big blousy sleeves. It was the most sweatery outfit she owned. (Cherry would have worn one of her old rockabilly dresses tonight if any of them still fit.) (Maybe she should try one on; she’d lost weight since Tom left. She was solidly a size eighteen at the moment.) She’d worn gray cable-knit tights and calf-length boots, but she’d taken off her boots at the door. She felt like a little kid, in her stocking feet.
“You also look nice,” she said. “I like your cardigan.”
Russ looked pleased. “Thanks.”
“You always look nice,” Cherry said. “I mean... in my distant experience. I always liked the way you dressed.”
“You did?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. You know you’re a snazzy dresser.”
He laughed. “Snazzy.”
“I’ve always liked your glasses,” Cherry went on. She couldn’t helpherself—she neededsomeoneto talk to about him. “I’m glad you haven’t switched it up.”
“This is going really well,” Russ said.
“What is?”
“Our date.”
She laughed. “It’s going okay...”
He shook his head. His eyes didn’t leave hers. “No. I think it’s goingreallywell.”
Cherry’s voice was soft—“Are you trying to hypnotize me again?”
He shook his head more slowly.
“I should tell you,” she said, still soft, “that I don’t stay over on the first date.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Cherry said, “but thatwasn’ta date.”
“Huh...” Russ suddenly dropped from the chair to his knees.
“What are you doing?”
He was knee-walking over to her. “Well...” He put his hands on her hips, pushing between her knees (she opened them). “If you’re not staying over, we better get to it.”
Cherry shook her head, laughing.
“I’m just kidding,” he said, wrapping his arms around Cherry’s waist. He craned his neck, lifting his chin up to her.
Cherry leaned over to kiss him.
