Page 25 of The Heir

“Well, swim or not, but I have to get in; it’s so hot.” I walked past him and headed for the pool where Ryker and Ash were hanging with a few other kids.

The water felt cold and fresh as I dived in. I popped up in front of Ryker, and he splashed me in the face.

“Hey,” I said, splashing him back. Ash swam over to me.

“Ryker said your pool has colored lights at night,” she said with a grin.

“It does.”

“Maybe, when all these people leave, we can stay a bit longer? You know, because we know the hostess?” Ash asked.

“You are more ‘hostess’ than me.”

We swam for a while and played a few games. I forgot my worries and felt like a normal person. Knowing that Shad wasjust sitting a few feet away brought such peace to my soul, although I wished he would join us.

People started to leave around five. I assumed they went home for dinner as we had run out of food. I got out of the pool and wrapped a towel around my waist, noticing only a dozen people still there. I saw Shad sitting at the picnic table. He leaned back just a bit in his chair. One foot was over his knee, and his fingers were spinning a cup on the table. I heard his song in my head again, and wanted to hum along to it, but thought better of it, because I needed to keep my sanity, of course. Instead, I grabbed myself a water bottle and made my way over to him.

“Hey, having fun?” I asked. He didn’t look up, just kept watching his cup under his fingertips.

“I missed you,” I thought he said. I could barely hear it because he whispered it, ordid I just imagine him saying it?I shook my head, uncertain.

“What?” I asked, taking a sip of my water.

“Oh—” he started, still not looking at me, which seemed odd because I always seemed to catch him watching me. “Looked like you were having fun,” he said, peeking over at me. He smiled and looked at me from head to toe before clearing his throat and widening his eyes. Then I watched as something washed over his face, and he darted his eyes away as if he didn’t want me to notice that he had noticed me standing in front of him in a bathing suit.

Who, on Earth, is this boy?

“You would have had fun, too, if you had your swimsuit on,” I said with a smile. He looked at me, his eyes searching mine. “We are turning the pool lights on; it will be dark soon,” I said, not knowing what else to say. “You should, at least, take your shoes off, roll those pants up, and dip your feet in,” I suggested, tilting my head to the side, trying to beg him with my eyes.

“I could probably manage that,” he agreed, standing up from his chair and undid the knot in his tie. I watched as he folded it with care and precision and placed it on the table. Next, he unbuttoned two buttons from the top of his shirt, and I could not help but let my mouth hang open. My cheeks burned, embarrassed at how I always reacted to him. I gulped down another sip of my water as I watched him fold back the sleeves of his shirt, take his shoes and socks off, place his socks into his shoes, then fold up his pant legs. I stared at him. I wondered if his father was in the military. That had to be the reason he was so formal, so put together, and so in control. I wished I could have been more like that, but I always felt like I was falling apart. He seemed to know exactly what he wanted to do. He held out his arms. My pulse quickened, just thinking about embracing him. I cleared my throat.

“This good?” he asked, smiling at me with his smirking grin.

I nodded because words escaped me. While he looked more casual than I had ever seen him before, he was still one-hundred percent put together.

How? How does someone do that?

The sky changed from blue to pink, and then the stars began to appear. I sat at the edge of the pool with Shad, our feet dangling in the water, side by side.

“So, where did you move from?” I asked, looking at him as he watched the night sky with a frown on his face.

“East Coast,” he answered.

“Wow, that's far from California.”

“Yeah, traveling is something my family likes to do–a lot.”

“I’ve traveled in the summertime, but I’ve lived in this house my entire life.”

“How wonderful,” he said in a low whisper.

“What?” I asked, looking at him.

“How wonderful that you have always been here, in the same place. Having a home is special.”

“I always thought that it was the people who make a home,home,” I shrugged.

“That is very true.” I watched as Ryker swam to the other side of the pool. Ash and him were talking, and I was happy that their conversation was distracting Ryker from noticing what I was doing. I didn't need his attempts to keep me from Shad ruining my night. I wanted to know who Shad was, know everything about him, especially why he wore dress clothes every day of his life. I wondered if he even owned a t-shirt. I laughed at myself:of course he does; he probably sleeps in one.

---