Page 20 of River
Noah looked over and waved at Peter, who lay leaning back on his elbow with the children working around him to bury his entire body in sand. Maximum sat next to him and waved back as well.
“It’s fine. Peter loves children, and Maximum doesn’t look too upset about you stepping away for a few minutes.”
“Where are we going?” I asked after Noah had picked up his surfboard, and we were walking down the beach.
“To my hut. I need something to drink.”
I followed him a few minutes until we reached five small huts with tiny porches in front. Noah placed his surfboard against the railing and grabbed a towel that hung on a clothesline.
“Come in.” Noah opened the red door, and we entered the hut, where he went straight to the tiny tea kitchen and opened a fridge under the counter. “Soda or water?”
“Water, please.”
Noah handed me a bottle of water and grabbed a can of Coke for himself.
“Want a tour?” he asked.
I smiled. “It’s like one of those tiny houses I’ve seen on TV.”
“Kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom.” He opened the door to a bathroom long enough for me to see that it was the size of a broom closet. “I sleep in that end of the house, and Peter is here.” He pointed to a sofa bed that was messy with clothes and pillows.
“It’s… ehh… nice.”
Noah opened his can of Coke, which made a loud whizzing sound. “It’s everything we need, and nothing beats getting up in the morning and stepping out on the sand to see the sunrise.”
“Thank you for inviting me inside.” I smiled and took a sip of my water.
“Is he rich too?” Noah frowned and looked down.
“Excuse me?”
“Maximum. When I looked you up last night, I got the feeling that you only date rich guys.”
“Oh.” I wet my lips, not sure what to answer. Noah definitely didn’t fit the category of men I’d ever date, so why did I feel bad about being honest?
“It’s just that most men in my circle of friends are wealthy. I don’t typically…” I looked around his hut.
“Hang with people like me?”
I didn’t answer but lifted my water to take another sip.
“Are you happy with him?”
“Who, Maximum?” It was stupid that I didn’t just admit to Noah that Maximum and I weren’t together, but there was no doubt Noah was attracted to me, and having a boyfriend served as a buffer. If he knew I was single, he might turn up his flirtatious energy, and for some reason, that worried me because I was already feeling confused around him.
“Yes. Are you two happy together?”
“We are. He’s good to me and always wants what’s best for me.”
“Hmm…” Noah looked at me for a long time like something was burning on his tongue, but then he lifted the can of Coke to his mouth and emptied it in one go.
“Are you going to tell me what has you in such a bad mood today?” I asked, although I had a feeling it was related to his research of me.
“You don’t want to know.”
I should agree and leave it, but we were standing close in the small house, and I could feel the heat radiating from him. The strangest pull made me want to reach out and touch him, but that made no sense because I’d never been particularly interested in the physical part of my relationships with the men I’d dated.
The door to the house was still open with a breeze coming in from the sea, and I could feel him brooding next to me.
