"Hey, baby girl. How'd the last final go?" Danny's voice had a flirtatious cadence that I could feel from my head to my toes.

"Good; at least it seemed like all the things I had studied. I believe you are speaking to a high school graduate."

"I'm sure I am. You got plans tonight?"

My heart soared. "Nope, not a thing."

Even though Danny had been showing up late at night to fall asleep with me, he hadn't been coming early enough to spend much time together. I suspected he was trying to give me space to study, but I found him equally distracting when he was not there as when he was.

"How about I pick you up, and we get you out of that basement?"

I stifled the desire to let out a squeal of excitement. Instead, I evenly added, "I suppose I could handle that."

"Okay, I'll be over in a few. Don't eat; I'm starving, so we'll grab some food, too. Sound good?"

"Starve until I see you. Done and done."

"See you soon, Em," the click rang through my ear.

I headed to the bathroom to make myself presentable. My attempt comprised washing my face, reapplying lip gloss, and putting on a new tank top. I stared down at my makeup, tempted to engage, but knew that, in the heat and humidity, my attempt would more than likely flop.

"Emma? You down here?" Danny's smooth voice floated from my bedroom doorway and into the bathroom.

I took a leveling breath before heading out. "Hey, handsome."

Raising to my tiptoes, I gave him a peck on the cheek as Danny's arm wound around me.

"Hey," his forehead fell to mine, causing me to close my eyes to avoid an obvious focus on how close his lips were to mine. "You ready?" He murmured after a second.

"Yes, and starving. Where do you want to eat?" I pulled away from his heady proximity and started to the living room.

"You pick; this is your night."

"Where are we headed after?" I asked as I slipped on my sandals.

"That's a surprise, but it's in Portland."

"Ok, you know where Tappers is?"

Before my grandpa passed, he'd spend every weekend at Tappers, sitting in one of the maroon vinyl booths with Tony, the owner. Sometimes he'd bring me along, and Tony would always come to the table armed with a shrimp cocktail and a Shirley Temple with 'extra Shirleys,' which meant many cherries. When my grandpa passed, I still tried to pop in to visit Tony from time to time. Today seemed as good a chance as any.

"Ah, yeah," surprise washed over Danny's face.

"What? They have a great shrimp cocktail."

I knew what Danny was thinking; Tappers wasn't a teenage girl hot spot, but I didn't feel like explaining. Tony's greeting would be all the explanation needed.

"Tappers it is."

Danny drove a beat-up Geo Metro, always with the windows down. I suspected it was because the car would have an overpowering scent of cigarettes and weed if we left the windows rolled up. The chaotic wind whipped around the car, fitting with my mood in Danny's presence, wild and free. I pulled my hair back in a scrunchie, closed my eyes, and let the wind course over me. A smile spread across my face as the air beat at my ponytail. Danny's hand tugged at my shoulder, pulling me to his side.

"After you." Danny held the door, beckoning me in with a hand flourish.

I grabbed a menu for him and headed straight to my grandpa's old booth without pausing.

"Em, I think we're suppose to wait to be seated." Danny pointed to the sign that said just that.

"Oh," I giggled, "I think we're good."

It was 4 pm on a Wednesday, so there were only a few guys at the bar watching a baseball game.

"We good?" I lifted my eyes to the bartender. It was John, Tony's grandson. John responded with a confused nod as to why I was asking.

"So, good shrimp cocktail?" Danny suspiciously eyed me.

"And I like the company," I teased.

Danny turned to eye the older gentlemen arguing over the game.

"How's the burger?" Suspicion still filled his voice.

"Not sure. Never had it, but I think it'll be decent enough."

There was no need for me to review the menu; I wouldn't get the opportunity to order, which was part of the charm.

"So, what's this mystery adventure tonight?" I poked Danny's arm to pull his attention from the menu.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a mystery, but I promise few people." His warm smile sent a shiver down my spine.

"Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, Peggy Sue," Tony bellowed as he marched out from the back of the bar, sending a flush across my face. He set down my shrimp cocktail and Shirley Temple before glancing at Danny. There was an immediate double-take. "Hey, what happened to Bobby Vee?"

"Oh, we broke up. This is my friend Danny. Danny, this is Tony. He was a good friend of my grandpa."

"Good, that boy was a flop." Tony's voice had one volume, loud. "Friend, eh?" He eyed Danny a bit. "Well, friend, let me give you a tip; I installed the booths so you can tuck in with your girl." He gestured for Danny to come to my side of the table, but Danny just stared back at him. "It's okay; I'll wait. I should warn you, though, I'm seventy and not getting younger."

Danny slid out of his side and in next to me as Tony settled in across from them.

"So, my Bella, tell me what's new?" Tony rested his arms on the table and hunched in to show his interest.

"I had my last final today. I graduate in a few days."

Instinctively, Danny slid an arm around me as I leaned into his shoulder.

"Always a smart girl. Your grandpa used to always brag about you beating him at chess. Of course, he was terrible at chess, but I still knew you were bright." Tony gave me a wink before sitting back and eyeing Danny for a moment. "So, Danny, how long have you and Emma been," he paused as he rolled his hands as though flipping for the right word, "friends."

"Just a couple of weeks," Danny's voice was his usual smooth tone.

"Yeah, and what's it you do?" I immediately wanted to crawl under the table from Tony's suddenly inquisitive persona.

"I just graduated from Deering. I'm starting a job in a couple of weeks." The job was news to me.

"Deering, eh? I was a Portland Bulldog myself. When I was your age, the Deering boys were a bit... softer than the Bulldogs."

Tony gazed at Danny, waiting for a response, but Danny just responded with a passive smile and a nod.

"What's this job you are starting?" Tony continued.

"Mechanic, my Pops taught me a few things growing up, so I figured I might as well put them to use."

"Mechanic, solid profession. We're never going to run out of cars." Tony gave him a smile of approval. "Well, let this old man get out of your hair. I'll be back with your food."

Once he was a few paces away, Danny leaned in close to me. "We never ordered," he whispered.

"Oh, yeah. Tony will bring you something good, I promise." I took advantage of his proximity and leaned my forehead into his.

For a moment, there was something in Danny's eyes that made me think he might push forward and kiss me, but he pulled away.

"I feel like I just met the parents," he mused.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I didn't think about how Tony would react. I've been with Jacob for so long."

"I'm not mad." Danny's free hand fell to my knee and squeezed it. "It's nice to meet him. Is he single? He could be a good match for the Nana." Danny lifted an eyebrow as a teasing smile spread across his face.

"I think that would be a nightmare." I swatted at his chest in jest.

We shared my shrimp and soda as we continued to giggle together. I was teasing Danny with a cherry when John slid a corned beef sandwich onto the table.

"Hey, John." I smiled up at him.

I had known John my whole life. He was five or six years older than me, but he would always let me tag along with him when visiting with my grandpa when we were kids.

"Hey Emma, how ya doing?" John suspiciously eyed Danny.

"Good. This is Danny."

Danny and John went through the motions of a curt handshake.

"I heard you were about to graduate; congrats," John offered.

"Thanks, it's a relief to be done."

It was apparent that John was not as taken with Danny as Tony had been. "Well, Grandpa made this himself, so you must have impressed." John still couldn't soften his glare at Danny. "Hasn't made me a sandwich since I was eight." He added, making me chuckle. "Good to see you, Em." He turned on his heel and headed back to the bar.

"So that guy loves me." Danny stifled a laugh as he pulled the sandwich closer to him. "This is the biggest sandwich I've ever seen."

"Yeah, Tony knows how to do corned beef." I picked up the pickle as I spoke.

"Hey, I think that was for me," Danny protested.

I just gave him a look as I bit down.

"You always get your way, don't you?"

"Not always." My eyes dipped to Danny's lips.

He noticed, pulling away subtly.