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still need another coat of varnish then a beeswax treatment, so I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow and Sunday.”
    “Can I help?”
    “No, no.” She seemed utterly shocked at his offer, and he wondered if that was because she wasn’t nearly as used to receiving help as he had assumed. Her oblique references to her ex had him curious as to whether he was the kind of guy who’d given her a hand when she needed it or if he was more self-centered. He couldn’t imagine taking someone like Nadine for granted, but he had noticed that often the best kinds of girl were treated the most poorly.
    “Well, can I come watch?”
    She looked at him quizzically.
    “I’ll be good. I promise. I can bring my guitar and entertain you,” he said, because if playing the hippie philosopher was a way to insinuate himself into her presence, he was happy to do it.
    “Serenade me while I varnish in my coveralls? Hmmm. Well, that would be a first.”
    David could tell that Nadine didn’t know how to answer. She pulled away and sat up in a stiff manner.
    “Look, I’m on a mission, kick-starting a new life for myself, and if I’m going to turn my dream into reality, I can’t afford to get distracted.”
    David understood her intention completely. He’d also had similar spurts of ambition and he knew that it took total concentration to achieve the stuff worth striving for.
    “I respect that,” he said. “I wouldn’t get in your way. I’d just hang out and play music for you.”
    “David, I’m flattered by all this…attention, but I…”
    “Okay,” he interrupted. He didn’t want to let her finish the sentence that could very well exclude him forever. “Well, what about next Friday? I have a Criterion collection edition of Vertigo . I could bring it over—or you could come to my place.”
    David pictured himself bribing his roommates. They’d clear out if he let them take his car and if he gave them twenty bucks each to go to the all you can eat Japanese buffet downtown. Then all he’d have to do was clean the place from top to bottom. No sweat.
    “Yeah, why don’t you bring it over next weekend?” she said. He breathed a sigh of relief. The longer he could delay her seeing his place, the better for him.
    He took this conversation as his cue to leave. It would serve him best in the long run to be gentlemanly and considerate. She’d just agreed to see him again. This was it. They were dating.
    “Nadine,” he said, taking her hand in his. “Thanks for having me over.” He got up. She followed him as he went to the door. He started to put on his shoes and jacket. He was thinking about how he might be able to steal a kiss.
    Nadine opened the door for him. He was about to go without a kiss when all of a sudden, he knew he’d kick himself if he didn’t make it happen.
    “Nadine?” he asked.
    “Yes?”
    “I had a really nice time tonight.”
    “I’m glad,” she said. “Me too.”
    She motioned to hug him, and he opened his arms to her and without any hesitation, he kissed her. As soon as their lips touched, he closed his arms around her and held her tightly, his lips firm against hers. Kissing her felt so right. Nadine felt almost limp in his arms, as though she wanted him to hold her, take her, keep kissing her. Her eyes were closed and her arms were around him.
    After a couple of minutes of unbridled passion had elapsed, they both simultaneously pulled back. David noticed that Nadine looked dizzy.
    “Wow,” she said. “I was not expecting that.”
    He took her hand again and this time he pulled it to his lips and kissed the back of it. He hadn’t felt that kind of uncomplicated connection in ages.
    “See you next Friday,” she said.
    “Yes, Friday.” He took a step into the cold. “Goodnight, Nadine.”
    “Goodnight, David.”
     

Chapter Ten
     
     
     
    Nadine went back to her living room and flopped down on the loveseat. She hadn’t experienced anything like that kiss in years, especially the way