Hopefully, after tonight, I won’t have to.
“I wish it could go on forever,” she continues with a dreamy sigh as she kicks off her ballet flats and plops down on the edge of the dock to stick her feet in the dark water.
“That’s going to be freezing cold,” I warn, chuckling as she squeals when her feet hit the water.
“Sheesh. Yeah, it is,” she agrees, but she continues to paddle her feet back and forth. “Good thing I’m too wined and dined to care.”
“Are you saying you’re drunk, woman?” I ask, keeping my tone light even as I mentally curse myself for ordering that last glass of wine. I don’t care if she’s feeling a little loose, but I don’t want her drunk when this goes down.
I want us both to remember every moment of tonight.
“No, just tipsy. And happy.” She leans back on her hands to stare up at the pink-and-blue-streaked sky. “The only thing more exciting than a wedding rehearsal dinner is the wedding itself. Don’t you just love weddings?”
“Weddings are pretty great,” I agree, my pulse speeding again.
My throat goes tight, and my stomach cramps around my mushroom ravioli. Melody isn’t drunk, the sun is setting like something out of a postcard, and the families of the bride and groom will be finishing their supper and heading home soon. There’s no time to lose.
It’s time to man up, calm down, and set this plan in motion.
“Hey, do you think it’s cool to take this rowboat out?” I try to sound casual—as if I didn’t make a special trip here yesterday to ask the restaurant manager to reserve the boat for us tonight—but the words emerge weird and stilted.
Thankfully, Melody doesn’t seem to notice.
“Oh, yeah. You totally can.” She kicks one foot through the water, sending up a spray of drops that sparkle in the golden light. “Nana and Pop-pop used to take it out all the time. They were so cute. Pop-pop would steer, and Nana would hold her blue parasol.”
“Let’s go for a row then,” I say. “Before it gets dark.”
Melody hops to her feet, snagging her shoes in one hand as she rises. “Okay, but I think we have to check it out at the front desk first. Just to make sure no one else has a reservation.”
I glance over my shoulder at the restaurant on the hill. “It’ll be dark in an hour, and there’s no one else here. I say we go for it and ask forgiveness later if anyone notices we took it out.”
“Okay.” She grins as she drops her shoes back onto the dock and takes my hand. “Forgiveness is more fun than permission anyway.”
I cluck my tongue in mock disapproval as I help her into the boat. “I remember when you used to be a sweet girl who followed the rules.”
“I’m still a sweet girl. I’m just more…open-minded than I used to be.” She settles onto the wooden seat of the rowboat.
Between the peeling blue paint and her bright retro-inspired dress, she looks like a World War II pinup come to life.
On impulse, I pull out my phone and snap a quick picture before I unwind the rope tying the boat to the dock, hoping we’ll both want some pics to remember this night by.
“Careful.” Melody poses for the camera as I get a second pic for good measure. “You’re on your third phone this month. If you drop that in the water, you’re going to be very annoyed with yourself.”
“No, I won’t.” I sit on the other bench facing her and take hold of the oars before shoving away from the dock with one foot. “The shop has been doing so well lately that I bought the waterproof, drop-proof, apocalypse-proof case. Like you told me to do the first time.”
“Ah. Good.” She nods before closing her eyes and tilting her face back to catch the last of the sun’s warmth. “It’s about time you started listening to your girlfriend. She’s a smart girl.”
“And humble.”
“Very,” she agrees without opening her eyes.
“And beautiful,” I add so shamelessly cheesy that an earlier incarnation of myself would have cringed.
But I don’t.
I don’t have to play games or play it cool with Melody. It’s okay to show how much I love her, which is good. I’m so gone on her that I couldn’t hide it if I tried.
She opens her eyes, her smile softening at the edges. “You’re pretty nice to look at yourself. I had such a good time with you tonight.”
“Same,” I say, the last of my jitters giving way to anticipation.
Tonight has been pretty perfect, but hopefully, it’s about to get even better.
I dig the oars deeper into the water, pulling hard toward the diving platform at the center of the lake.
She sighs. “Totally worth missing a night at the mic. But I’ll be glad to get on stage next week. I’m becoming so addicted to performing. It’s starting to scare me a little.”