Page 11 of Malibu Rising

“You know if we ever make our way into the two-sinks world, those two-sinks people are gonna call us New Money.”

June laughed. “I don’t know. They might be too busy tripping over themselves for your autograph.”

Mick laughed, too. “Cheers to that,” he said. And June lifted her drink.

For dessert, Mick handed the decision to June. And so she nervously perused the menu, trying to pick the perfect thing, as the waiter looked on. “I’m on the spot!” she said. “Bananas Foster or baked Alaska?”

Mick gestured back to her. “It’s your choice.”

She hesitated a second longer and he leaned over and stage-whispered to her. “But get the bananas Foster.”

June looked up. “The bananas Foster, please,” she said to the waiter.

When it showed up, the two of them tangled their forks over the same plate.

“Watch it, mister,” June said with a smile on her lips. “You’re hogging the whipped cream.”

“My apologies,” Mick said, leaning back. “I have a mean sweet tooth.”

“Well, so do I, so I guess we’ll have to compromise.”

Mick smiled at her and pushed the plate to her side of the table, giving her the rest of dessert. June took it.

“Thank you for finally being a gentleman,” she said.

“Oh, I see,” Mick said. “You just wanted me tosaythat I would split the dessert but then let you eat it all.”

June nodded as she continued to eat.

“Well, I’m not that kind of guy. I want in on the desserts. I want my half. And if this thing has legs, you’re gonna have to get used to it.”

If this thing has legs.June tried her best not to blush.

“All right,” she said, handing the rest back to him, content to give it up. “Fair’s fair.”

When the waiter put the check down on the table, Mick picked it up immediately.

“Do you want to freshen up before we go?” he asked her.

“Yes,” June said, hopping up from the table. “Thank you. I’ll be out in just a moment.”

She went into the bathroom, where she reapplied her light pink lipstick, powdered her face, and checked her teeth.Was he going to kiss her?She opened up the bathroom door to find Mick waiting for her.

“Ready to roll?” he said, putting his arm out for her to grab.

As they hastily made their way back to the car, June got a sense that Mick might have skipped out on the bill. But she put the thought out of her mind just as quick as it had come in.

That night, after they left the restaurant, they parked on the side of the road by the beach. Mick took June’s hand and pulled her out into the cool evening air, the two of them running their bare feet through the chilled sand.

“I like you, June,” Mick said as he held her close, wrapping her tight in his arms. He wanted a woman he could make happy. “You’re one in a million.”

He began to sway with her, as if they could hear music.

June wasn’t quite sure what Mick thought was so exceptional about her. She hadn’t played it as cool as she’d meant to. She was sure she’d made it obvious how charmed by him she was. She was sure he could sense how naïve she felt about all of this—about love, about sex. But if he believed she was special, then maybe she could dare to believe she was, too.

“Can I sing to you?” Mick said.

June grinned and said, “I get to hear this great voice?”

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