Chapter 42: Moonlight and Roses

Brad didn’t move and Nori thought that she’d made another foolish mistake.

She turned her head and looked out toward the lake. She sighed and absorbed the steady swish of the waves.

“I have a confession to make,” said Brad.

Nori’s eyes popped open. The sense of peace she’d been trying to cultivate filtered through her grasp like fine sand.

“You remember when we were at the hospital?”

Nori nodded, playing with the corner of her t-shirt.

“And you told me to turn around while you changed?”

“Yeah,” Nori’s mind tried to connect the dots, “You peeked didn’t you?”

“No, no,” Brad paused, “Well kinda, sorta.”

“What! You crispy dill weed, you know what the penalty for peeking is,” Nori turned the corners of her mouth down and widened her eyes.

Brad sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, “Please don’t tell me you have a knife.”

Nori paused and scooted closer to him until their shoulders almost touched, “Well, no, my collection is back in NYC.”