More than anything, I wanted to pull over and look Murphy in the eye, but we had to make it on time to the movie. With Vermont roads, you never knew what type of obstacle you could come upon.
“Murph, you should tell her. Listen to you—you love this idea. I’ll bet Hunnie will too.”
“I don’t really know enough to suggest it. I’m not sure I’m equipped to figure it out.”
As I cleared the emotion from my throat, my heart beat overtime. “You are more than equipped. You could and should figure it out. And yes, it would work with syrup. I’d love to know more about it.”
Running her palms over her thighs, Murphy stared straight ahead. “Well, I’m not sure you’re qualified to say what I’m equipped for, Doctor Ben. Ha, I’m just kidding. All of this makes me nervous. It’s all new to me, sticking up for what I want. I’m not Hunnie.”
Now my heart went into triple time. I knew I should tell Murphy about the apps and the business stuff I handled on the side, but I couldn’t stop being cautious. Inside, I was a poor boy looking for approval from the rich girl.
“Of course you’re not Hunnie. You’re you. Think about it, okay?”
Murphy nodded.
The rest of the drive passed quickly, filled with mindless chatter and music. I learned Murphy loved Ed Sheeran and refused to turn him off when he came on my satellite radio. I pretended to protest, but anything that made Murphy smile was good with me.
“Look at all this green,” she said, staring at the trees as we zipped past. “It’s so . . . I’m not even sure of the word. I don’t think I appreciated the surroundings when we went to Pressman.”
“Definitely seemed like most didn’t, except when it came time to ski.”
“I’m sorry about that,” she said, turning as much as she could to focus on me. With her green eyes blazing, she almost looked like she was going to cry.
I reached over to grip her knee. “It’s no big deal. I could ski, but I didn’t have all that fancy equipment. But enough about that.” We were heading into dangerous conversation territory, and I didn’t want to spill how I felt the need to provide Branson with more.
“Well,” she said, “it’s like I’m seeing this part of the country through new glasses this time around. The unfiltered beauty. I’m sure that was a selling point of Pressman to my parents, but it went over my head.”
“Lucky for you, you’re having a second chance to see it. And lucky for me that I’m getting a second chance with you.”
Murphy’s eyes widened as she stared at me, looking surprised. Even luckier for me, we pulled into the parking lot for the Fairlee Drive-In.
“So, this is it? A motel?” Murphy asked, cocking an eyebrow at me.
“Just you wait.”
I drove us around back of the motel, and when she saw the forest surrounding a huge screen and all the cars lining up in front of it, Murphy breathed out a wow.
“Hope it doesn’t disappoint,” I said as we pulled into the gate to pay.
I spoke jokingly, but I wasn’t laughing inside. Here I was, a board-certified surgeon, an app developer, and a self-made man, unsure if I could actually impress a woman.
“Look at all these trees,” Murphy said as I found a good spot to park. “I mean, I didn’t love working in the Kwikshop because some of those customers could be a pain for not a lot of money, but this is cool.” She opened her door and leaned out, turning around to see the screen.
“You worked at the Kwikshop?” I said to her back.
“Yeah, for a little bit, but I didn’t like it.” Bringing her head back into the Jeep, she asked, “How will we watch?”
Deciding to let the grocery-store gig go, I jumped out and went around the hood. Taking her hand in mine, I led her toward the back of the SUV and popped open the liftgate.
“Oh.” Murphy let out a happy sigh. “Fun. And I don’t even know what the movie is.”
“Me either, but it doesn’t really matter.” I pulled a blanket from inside and laid it on the floor of the rear of the Jeep and opened the picnic basket. “It’s really a cooler, but it works.”
She hopped onto the blanket. “I’m sure it’s perfect.”
My pulse settled to a normal pace with Murphy so happy. Was she always this easily pleased, and I didn’t know?
“Wine?” I asked, pulling a glass from the cooler.
“Are you sure we should?” With her head cocked to the side, she took me in, all of me.
Not going to lie, it felt like something I’d never felt before. Golden. Intimidating.
“Not me, you. I’ll get you home safely later.” I winked and gave her hand a squeeze.
“Okay. Sure, that would be great.”
I poured some white wine for Murphy and cracked open a bottle of water for myself. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
Dusk fell around us, and the screen brightened as they played some older commercials before the sky fully darkened.
“This is so nice,” Murphy said, leaning against the doorjamb.
“You look relaxed. Have another sip of wine.”
“Are you trying to get me drunk, Jonesy?” Murphy said, laughing.
“No, that was your game plan years ago,” I said, and this got me more chuckles.
“Hardly,” she said, hiding her face behind a curtain of wavy red hair.
“Let’s not talk about back then,” I said when a screen announcing the movie came on.
Murphy gasped. “Pretty in Pink. Did you really not know? How could we not talk about back then? It pretty much consumes my mind, and this movie
