Page 84 of Upon an April Night

They walked to the customer service desk to return the scanner, then paid for the onesies and headed to his car.

“What’s your favorite Star Wars movie?” he asked.

“Empire. No contest,” she replied.

“I would have to agree with that. Second favorite?”

“Return of the Jedi.”

“Not A New Hope?”

She shook her head. “What can I say? I love the Ewoks.”

“Who can resist the Ewoks? I would say mine are Empire, A New Hope, then Return of the Jedi. What about the prequels?”

She snorted. “Never happened.”

He eyed her as he opened her door. “Not a fan, I take it?”

“I mean, midichlorians? Jar Jar Binks? Come on.”

Duncan laughed heartily, and they spent the drive to her studio debating the merits of the prequels and the downfall of Anakin Skywalker.

They arrived at the studio in a blink, and he felt disappointed, wanting to continue their conversation, so he followed her into the building. “Despite all the ridiculousness, there are plenty of redeeming qualities to the prequels. Don’t you at least like knowing the history of the characters? How they got from that point to where they are in the original trilogy.”

Jamie shrugged. “I guess. But I could’ve done a better job, and I’m not even a writer.”

“Are you talking about Star Wars?” Shannon asked when they walked in.

“Jamie doesn’t like the prequels,” he explained.

“I don’t mind them,” Shannon said, “but the originals are the best.”

“We’re not debating that,” Jamie said.

“Don’t you have a senior picture session at four, Jame?” Shannon asked as she shut down her computer and gathered her things.

“I do. I didn’t think registering was going to take all afternoon.” Jamie took her camera from the cubby behind her desk.

“I’m outta here!” Shannon announced. “See you tomorrow.”

“See ya,” Duncan said.

“Bye.” Jamie waved her arm without looking back, too focused on getting ready for her photo session.

Duncan followed Jamie into the studio space at the rear of the building. Afternoon sunlight flooded the room through a row of windows that were covered with white shades to filter out the harsh light.

Jamie spun around suddenly and ran into him.

“Sorry.” He let out a nervous laugh.

“I forgot my other lens.” She grabbed his forearms and turned them both so she could pass.

His skin tingled where she had touched him, and he shook it off. Friends.

When she returned, he watched in silence as she made sure the room was ready for her next client. She was in the zone until she stopped and stared over at him.

“Are you staying?”

---