Page 49 of Same Time Next Summer

“I don’t have a plane.”

“I bet Missy has a plane.”

“Carlyle has a plane, that’s it.”

“Ah,” I say. I want him to tell me what comes next.

“What comes next?” he asks. “I mean, what are all the wedding details you need to deal with?”

I take in a quick breath. “Okay, yes. There are a bunch of things.”

“How much work could a wedding be? Do you have a dress?”

“It’s in the city,” I say, and scrunch up my face.

“What’s that face?” He laughs. “Is it yucky? Smelly?”

“It’s fine, it’s sort of big and stiff.” I don’t know why I’m telling him this. “It’s so fun that you’re here. Want to go to Chippy’s?”

“Sure. But don’t you have a million things to do?”

“Not really. I mean I do, but all the appointments are tomorrow. I think my mom just wanted me here early for fun. What do you have to do for your mom?”

“It can wait,” he says. “Let’s get something to eat and then go look for waves.”

“You want to go surfing?” I ask. I feel a current of excitement move through me. A whole free day on the ocean with absolutely nothing I have to do. A whole free day with Wyatt.

“Grab your stuff,” he says. “What else are we going to do all day?”

When we’re seatedat Chippy’s Diner with pancakes and a shared order of bacon, a comfortable distancefrom our usual table, I ask, “So are you going to write songs for that movie?”

“Have you been googling me?” Wyatt looks up from his plate and locks eyes with me, like he’s caught me. I have to look away.

“A little. It’s kind of addictive.Varietysays they want you to write the whole score.”

Wyatt laughs. “You’re finally googling me, when we’re in touch and you can just ask.”

“I feel like I have to go back to the beginning and rethink who you are. It’s like if I found out you were in a cult. Or a vegan.”

“I swear I’m not so different.”

“So do you own a house?”

“Wow, this really got personal.”

“Seriously.”

“Yes, I have a house in Malibu.”

“Swimming pool?”

“No. But I can see the ocean.”

“Nice.” I’m picturing Wyatt at his house, looking out over the ocean. I imagine standing next to him there, looking at a beach that faces the wrong way.

“Michael lives with me, and there’s enough room so we don’t drive each other too crazy. Did you know he’s becoming a therapist?”

“No. That’s great.”

---