Relief softened her face.
I wanted to keep making things easy for her.
“What are you doing tonight?” she asked.
“I have an advanced class until five.”
“And after?”
“Rinsing equipment. Feeding Captain Pancake. Preventing Hank from eating canned soup over the sink.”
“Vital work.”
“Essential.”
She traced one finger through the condensation on her glass.
“I bought too much food.”
“That’s a strange confession.”
“At the grocery store. I panicked.”
“How much food?”
“Enough for a family of four with strong opinions about cheese.”
“That’s serious.”
“I was wondering whether you wanted to help.”
“Help eat the food?”
“Yes.”
“At your place?”
Her eyes met mine.
“At my place.”
The air between us shifted.
Dinner.
Her rental.
No gulls.
No Captain Pancake supervising.
I lifted my glass.
“What time?”
“Seven?”
“I’ll bring wine.”
