Nine

He grabs my hand when we step outside and leads me to the center of the square. There’re benches and a gazebo. Most the shops are still open and a lot people are walking around. It’s a beautiful spring evening and too nice to be inside. We stop at a bench across from his studio and sit.

“Well, you must be doing well with your degree choices.” I gesture across the street. “You have your own gallery.”

“My grandma bought that.”

I turn to him. “What?”

“My grandma. She didn’t want me to give up my dream and purchased the building after I graduated with a degree and got a job.”

“That’s generous of her.”

“Yeah, it was.” Sadness lingers in his eyes. I don’t want to ask but I get the feeling she probably died.

“I was her only grandkid, and she left a trust for me. I mean, I’m not rich or anything, but it makes it easier to do what I want and provide for Cam. I still gotta earn a paycheck though.”

“It’s nice that you can live your dream.” I lean back against the bench and look up at the building. Larry’s standing at the window. I’m sure she’s watching us and it creeps me out.

I look away and study Jesse. “Didn’t you ever want to go somewhere else, like New York?”

He shrugs. “At one time, but not now. I want Cam raised here, near my parents. They still live in the same house they raised me in Poughkeepsie. I do shows in New York once in a while, but I don’t want to live there.”

Neither do I. My early childhood was spent in NYC I have no desire to live there again.

“What about you? Where do you plan on living and working?”

“I’ve got to decide on a concentration first, remember?” I laugh.

“That’s right. But, if you could live anywhere, where would it be?”

It’s an easy question to answer. “Not far from here. I want to be close to my family. It’s what’s important. At least to me.”

He’s smiling and nodding his head. I like that he gets it.

I could sit here all night talking to Deirdre but it isn’t exactly practical. I could ask her in, but that’d be uncomfortable, especially with Larry there. I could send the girl home, but then I wouldn’t have anyone to watch Cam so I could walk Deirdre home. He’s probably already asleep. It’s going on nine.

“What are you doing tomorrow night?”

She shrugs. “I have no set plans.”

“Why don’t I try and cook you dinner again?” I’m not much of a cook, but it solves the sitter problems.

“That’d be nice. I just hope nobody ruins it, again.”

“Seven?”

She’s grinning. “Sounds good to me.”

“Just ring at the back door.” I hate that I can’t pick her up like I should. But, I don’t want to be taking Cam out after his bedtime. Whenever it’s screwed up he turns in to the crabbiest child on Earth.

“What can I bring?”

“A bottle of wine?” I can’t think of what I’ll need and at least now I know she’s old enough to buy one. The first time I asked her to dinner I figured she was still twenty. I don’t even know what I’m going to cook yet. I’ll have to figure that out tonight so I can get to the store before I have to open the gallery tomorrow. That had been my plan on Thursday, before she texted me about the water damage.

The door of the gallery opens and Larry steps out. She isn’t supposed to leave Cam alone. “Is Cam okay?” I call over.

“Oh, of course.” She smiles as if to assure me. “It’s just that my mom called and wants me home.”

“Sure.” I glance back at Deirdre. Should I ask her up?

No. It’s too soon. It’s not like she’s coming to dinner and a casual thing. That’s different. Not like asking a girl up after a date. That insinuates a different kind of ending to the night. At least in my mind it does and I’m not sure I’m ready to go there with Deirdre yet. I want to, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right time. “Can you stay just long enough for me to walk Deirdre home?”

Larry bites her bottom lip and shifts from one foot to the other.

“That’s okay. I grew up here and I’m perfectly safe walking home,” Deirdre says.

I hate that she has to do that. This is supposed to be a date and honestly, I wanted to do everything right, including a good night kiss at her door. Okay, I’m fucking old fashioned, so sue me. “Are you sure?”

She practically rolls her eyes at me. “Yes! I’ll be fine.”

I reach out and grab her hand but I can’t very well kiss Deirdre in the middle of the square and with Larry watching us. It just wouldn’t feel right.

We cross the street, stopping just at the gallery door.

“Thanks for the dinner.”

“Until tomorrow.”