Page 59 of River
CHAPTER 16
Date on the Beach
Noah
I loved how easy it was to make River laugh. It was like she and I were humor soulmates. Not only did we enjoy many of the same TV shows and movies, but over the last two weeks, we’d also developed a lot of private jokes between us.
In my heart, I’d no doubt that what I shared with River was more than just a vacation fling. The way she’d opened up to me and was becoming comfortable in her own sexuality was incredible to witness, and I was proud to have been her guide in discovering how pleasurable sex could be.
We still hadn’t gone all the way, but I’d slept in her bed for the last thirteen nights, and each time we made out, I could feel her grow braver.
On our last night together, none of us wanted to go out for dinner. Instead, we bought street food and a bottle of the finest wine they had at the kiosk closest to my house. We brought a blanket to sit on the beach at a safe distance from the water and drank from plastic cups.
River took several selfies with us. I liked the ones where we were kissing the best and made her send me a few of the photos.
“What did you want to be when you were a kid?” I asked her.
“A dancer. I trained hard, but the truth is that I started too late. I was twelve before I discovered my love of dancing, and by then, the other girls were already six to eight years ahead of me in training. I’d like to believe that if I’d started earlier, I would have been among the best, but when I was a few years into it, I had a reality check and came to terms with the fact that dancing wasn’t my professional future.”
“But before you began dancing… I mean back when you were six or seven, what did you want to be then?”
“Oh.” River thought about it. “Good question, but I can’t remember. Back then, I was being pushed hard academically, so I probably wanted to be some scholar. Who knows?”
“Tell me about your art degree.”
River smiled and rolled to her stomach eating noodles and greens out of a box with a plastic fork. “Most people think of me as a blonde who knows only fashion, but I actually graduated with honors from Oxford University.” There was pride in her voice when she added, “You can ask me anything about art history.”
“Sure, but you could just make up your answers since I have no clue about art. Do you use your degree?”
She shrugged. “I had this idea that I’d have my own gallery and help clients select art for their houses and companies. Some people adore nature while I’m the type who can lose myself in paintings and sculptures.”
“Is that why you always stop and admire the fountains and sculptures here?”
“Yes. There’s such depth and soul in art, don’t you think?”
“It’s not something I’ve given much thought, to be honest.”
“What kind of art hangs on your walls?”
I laughed. “The kind you can buy at IKEA.”
“There’s nothing wrong with mass-produced art. It makes it available to people from all walks of life. That’s a good thing.” River’s hand with the fork stalled mid-air as she asked, “If you had lots of money, do you think you’d fill your house with art, or is it not important to you?”
“Hmm.” I thought about it. “Do you mean as investments or simply to enjoy it?”
“To enjoy it.”
“Actually, there’s a Danish artist called Jeppe Eisner whose work I love. I imagine that an original would be at least a few thousand Euros, but I’d love one of his paintings.”
“So, you do appreciate art?”
“Yes, I guess you could say that. It’s just not something I’ve had the means to pursue.”
“Do you prefer colorful pictures or neutral?”
“Color.”
“Abstract or classic?”
