He runs his palm along the side of my face. ‘Of course I’ll be your boyfriend. I’ve been your boyfriend since the night we met, haven’t I?’
‘Yeah,’ I tell him.
We kiss again, snuggle tighter, and eventually drift off to sleep.
*
I wake to the feeling of James kissing my cheek. ‘Good morning,’ he half whispers.
I kiss him on the lips. It’s freezing, so I roll in closer. He’s so warm. Like my own personal heater. The light streaming in through the square window beside the bed is bright, as though it’s possibly mid-morning.
‘Shit, what time is it?’ I pull myself up and look down towards the clock in the kitchen. ‘It’s ten-thirty! I told Lucy I’d help her clean up. I’m supposed to be there now.’
James kisses me again. ‘You’d better go then, hey.’
‘Can I make you some coffee before you go? And a shower?’
James jumps in the shower while I put coffee on the stove. He walks out of the bathroom, wearing the same outfit he had on last night. We play swapsies—James takes over pouring our coffees, and I have a hot shower, closing my eyes and letting the warm water run all over my face for an extra long time. James looks over at me while I get into jeans and a T-shirt.
‘Would you like to come and have lunch with me on my boat today?’ he asks me. ‘I can drop you back in for work tonight.’
I walk up to him and put my arms around his waist. ‘Tonight’s my night off. I could…’
‘Come and have lunch and stay over?’ he asks. ‘It’s small, and—’
I kiss him on the lips. ‘I’d love to. I’d love to.’
We kiss again for a long time, and I lean into his lovely body, holding him tight. ‘You can hang out here while I help Lucy pack up. The Sunday paper is over there. Does that sound…’
‘Perfect,’ he says.
‘I’ll only be an hour or so.’
I finish my coffee, clean my teeth, and cuddle in next to James on the couch for a moment. He’s already completely at home, tucked in under the crocheted blanket, flipping through the paper.
‘Bye,’ I tell him.
We kiss, and kiss again. He holds my hand, and I slowly walk away, until it’s just the tips of our fingers touching.
‘See you in a bit,’ I say, as I step out on the front verandah and close the door.
On my bike, riding down Darling Street, I take in all the familiar sights. Sandstone cottages, Victorian windows, leafless wisteria vines, all flashing by. My heart beats, and it’s a love beat. Louder than the sound of the car that overtakes me. Louder than the sound of my breath as I pedal up the hill. James, James. James. Hang on, I don’t even know his surname.
I think back to the day after I lost my virginity and laugh out loud, my hair flying in the breeze. My gravestone. If I died today, I know what it would have inscribed on it, and it makes me smile, and it makes me feel full to the brim.
Joni Johnson, aged 21
Died after having hot, dreamy sex with her beloved boyfriend James (surname unknown).
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Annette Barlow, Genevieve Buzo, Hilary Reynolds, Rebecca Allen, Sarah Baker and everyone at Allen & Unwin. I’d also like to thank Eve Nachin for talking with me about all things French, Susanna Hoffs for igniting the spark, Holly Throsby for fueling the fire with her words of encouragement, Darren and Judy for all their love, Lara Meyerratken, Sarah Scheller and my friends and family.
Extra special thanks to Richard Walsh for his support and guidance.
Lastly, I’d like to acknowledge John Keats, as the first few lines of his poem ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ (1819) are recited by both Joni and James when they are on the swings.
About the author
Sally Seltmann is the award-winning Australian singer-songwriter behind the intoxicating albums Hey Daydreamer, Heart That’s Pounding, Somewhere, Anywhere, and The Last Beautiful Day. She is the co-writer of the hit song ‘1234’, performed by Feist. She previously went under the stage name New Buffalo, and is a member of Seeker Lover Keeper, along with fellow Australians Sarah Blasko and Holly Throsby. Sally is currently working on a new solo album. This is her first book.
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