Page 20 of Last Minute

“Where did you learn to bowl like that?” Erik asks as we slip out of our rented shoes. I know I put it on my list that I wanted to rent the shoes, but although the experience was authentically American, I’ll be sticking to my own bowling shoes from now on. “It was on your list. I thought you had never bowled before.”

We walk our borrowed balls back to the rack. “I’ve never bowled publicly before. Bash got on a kick when we were teenagers and had my parents install our own personal bowling alley in the game room in our palace.”

I finish the end of my sentence in a near whisper. The alley is still mostly empty, but I want to be cautious. I haven’t been recognized yet, but if I go around spouting off, “I’m a princess, I live in a palace,” someone is bound to recognize me eventually. Luckily, the alley remains mostly empty, and I’m grateful that staying off the beaten path is working.

Even though I won, I let Erik pick where we go to dinner. I’m not picky, and my real victory is making Erik watch me pay for our meals. He still grumbles when I take the check but stays true to his word and lets me cover the bill.

When we get back to our hotel that night, I’m not quite ready to call it a day. I should be exhausted from everything that happened today. I went to Target. I planned a road trip. I learned a lot about Erik. And then I destroyed him at bowling. It feels like a lifetime has passed in less than twenty-four hours.

I settle into bed and roll over to face Erik as he turns out the lights.

“Erik,” I whisper into the dark.

“Yes, Ellie?”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to go to sleep yet.”

“Just close your eyes, the jet lag will do the rest.”

I close my eyes for a few seconds but am too impatient to wait for sleep.

“Erik,” I whisper again.

I hear rustling as he shifts on his bed. As my eyes adjust to the dark, I can see his outline, laying on his side facing me.

“Yes, Ellie?” he responds with a quiet voice. I know I’m being a little annoying—I’m preventing him from getting to sleep—but his response is patient and filled with warmth.

“Thank you for everything today.” I pause, mulling over my next words. “I know you’re just doing your job, but thank you for being my friend, too.”

“You’re welcome, Ellie.”

I wait for him to say something else, but after a few minutes, I hear Erik’s breathing slow and deepen. So I close my eyes and wait for the jet lag to do the rest.

“Okay, so we still have fifteen questions left,” I announce as we get back onto the interstate the next day.

Erik looks over at me with raised eyebrows. “Eight. You used seven to ask about my tattoos.”

I think back to yesterday. So much has passed since that car ride where Erik let me explore his artwork in what felt like a very intimate way. “I don’t think I actually asked. It was more like you freely gave away the information when I did this…” I reach over and softly drag my finger across his forearm.

Erik is fast, and his left hand comes across his body to snatch mine off his arm, momentarily interlocking our fingers as he pulls my hand away and gently pushes it back toward me.

“Okay,” I say as I reel my hand back to myself, “eight questions. I can narrow my list down to eight questions.” I tap my phone against my thigh.

“You have a list?” Erik asks, glancing at me, then back to the road.

“No,” I laugh. “I make them up on the spot. Like this one: What is the longest you have ever gone without a shower?”

Erik barks out a sharp laugh. “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that question.”

“Two weeks.”

Erik turns toward me with a horrified expression on his face. “That’s disgusting.”

I shrug. It was, and when I finally got back to running water, I showered three times to get the grime off my body and the dirt out of my hair. But as gross as being unshowered was, I was grateful for the opportunity that particular trip gave me to meet some amazing people. It showed me that stepping outside of the usual comforts of my title is a worthwhile use of my time, especially when it opens up experiences that would otherwise be denied to me.

“Worth it.”

Erik shakes his head, refusing to answer the question.

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