Page 118 of Backslide
But no matter where I am, I find myself stealing peeks at Nell from across the space. And it’s only when I approach the bar solo to grab myself and Ben another scotch that I lose sight of her. From the other direction, she sidles up next to me and taps me on the shoulder, catching me off guard.
“Hey, you,” she says, smiling. She seems relaxed, loose, happy.
“Hey,” I say, feeling a grin spread across my face. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going good,” she says. Then she looks me up and down. “I feel like I haven’t seen you at all.”
I shrug. “I’ve been around.”
“Notaroundme.” She is clearly a bit tipsy—and, frankly, so am I.
“Gotta keep my distance,” I say quietly. “Stay well behaved. Keep my hands to myself.”
“As it turns out, well behaved is not as fun.” She scrunches up her nose.
A breeze blows past, billowing Nell’s skirt. She catches it like she’s Marilyn Monroe—but not before I catch a glimpse of the curve of her upper thigh and ass.
She sees me see. Giggles. Sighs.
“You look pretty incredible tonight,” I say.
“You look pretty incredible yourself.” She tilts her head, looks up at me. Bites her lip. I wish it was me.
The bartender crosses over to us. “What can I get you?” he asks.
We straighten up like respectable citizens, and I gesture to Nell like,after you.
“May I have another glass of that orange wine? It’s kind of amazing!”
The bartender peeks under the bar, picks up a bottle, shakes it, holds it up to the light. “I’m so sorry, but it looks like we’re all out,” he says. “I can grab some more bottles in a bit, but the other bartender is on break right now, so I can’t leave my post until she gets back.”
“You know what?” Nell says. “It’s just in the pool house shed, right—beside the barn? The overflow fridge? Cara pointed it out to me. I’ll grab them myself.”
“Really? Thanks so much,” the bartender says.
“No prob.”
She looks up at me again, shoots me a wistful smile. Like another place, another time, and heads toward the shed, humming some song as she goes.
I watch her leave. I survey the scene. Everything is… less without her.
“Whatcha getting?” Lydia asks, suddenly beside me out of nowhere.
“Nothing,” I say. “Just running to the bathroom.”
And that’s truly my intention. At least I think it is. Until I find myself stopping by the pool house, afterward, to see if Nell needs help. I’m not sure how much wine she has to carry, and I don’t want her to re-aggravate her shoulder. It’s been feeling better.
I find her just outside on a path between the shed and the back of the barn, struggling with a box.
“Hey, need some assistance?” I ask.
“Oh, thank God,” she says, and sets the carton carefully down in the grass. I try not to watch her bend over, but I definitely watch her bend over.
And she sees me do it. Stares at me long and hard. Leans back against the barn wall behind her.
She looks up at me, standing in front of her, hands in my pockets.
“Hi, Noah,” she says.
