Page 17 of Marriage is a Shore Thing
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“No. Look.” Noah points above my head, and I glance up to see a cluster of fireflies.
My brow furrows. “Lightning bugs? What’s weird about that?”
“No. They’re— Maybe you can’t see it from your angle.” Noah pulls out his phone and quickly snaps a picture of me before showing me his screen. “They don’t usually do that for mainlanders.”
“What in the—” I lean forward, seeing how the fireflies hover above me in a heart outline. “That’s—” I glance up at the flitting insects. “Are they still doing it?”
“Yeah.” He laughs, running his hand through his hair. “Honestly, you don’t need the lightning bugs broadcasting your emotions when they’re written all over your face.”
I should probably protect my pride here, but I’ve never bought into that macho nonsense. Another byproduct of being raised by strong-willed women is that I’m not afraid of talking aboutmy feelings. After having to lie through my teeth all night, it’s refreshing to be given the opportunity to tell the truth. I open my mouth, but Geneva swatting violently above my head surprises me.
“This crazy island.” The words are hissed through clenched teeth. “Like tonight wasn’t enough of a spectacle.”
“Come on,” Noah goads. “Aren’t newlyweds supposed to be surrounded by cosmic signs of love?”
“That’s it. We’re going home.” Geneva grabs my hand and starts to drag me toward the road.
“Hey,” I start at the same time Noah says, “You can’t leave. You’re the guests of honor.”
“Tell everyone the guests of honor needed to get to bed.” Her steps falter slightly when she realizes the alternative meaning to that sentence.
“But you still haven’t told me what’s going on,” Noah says, voice low. “You’ve sworn off men, Geneva. I know this can’t be something you planned.”
She groans, looking skyward. “Fine. Come over tomorrow, and I’ll explain everything. Just don’t mention anything to your mom.”
Noah hesitates a breath. “Okay.”
Once we’re a few blocks down the road, I ask, “Are you going to explain the light show?”
“Stupid island magic.”
I didn’t think it was possible for Geneva’s scowl to deepen.
“Island what? I’m going to need more details.”
“Not tonight, you don’t.”
Her jaw is so rigid I worry about her dental work, but her steady grip on my fingers hasn’t decreased. I wonder if she’s even aware of it. So instead of poking, instead of trying to lighten the situation with a joke, I stay silent and let my gorgeous wife hold my hand and lead me home.
seven
Geneva
The sound of a deep voice yanks me from sleep, instantly putting me on alert. I jump out of bed, grabbing the baseball bat I keep tucked behind my bedroom door. It’s only when I’m on the landing that my sleepy brain registers Noah’s voice. It sounds like he’s downstairs, clanging around in the kitchen. Relief shifts to annoyance in an instant, and I reach up to pull the heatless curlers out of my hair before I confront him. My half-brother likes to poke at my “primping habits” even though his skin could really benefit from a ten-step routine.
“So, boom, she just elbows this guy, making it look all nonchalant.” Noah’s voice climbs artificially high in a—frankly, offensive—imitation of me. I don’t even have that high of a vocal tone for a woman. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were there.”
Then I hear a sound that stops me in my tracks—Van’s laugh. In my sleepy state, I’d forgotten that he’s here.
Sleeping on my couch.
For the nextthree months.
When he chuckles again, a fizzy sensation slips to my toes. I’ll never admit how much time I’ve spent contemplating what it is about Van’s laugh that sends energy teeming through my body. The sound is deliciously low and velvety, but it also tumbles free easily, in an almost unbothered way. Like his natural state is bright smiles and effortless laughter. He definitely charmed everyone at the party last night without even trying. There’s something that’s so…annoyingly genuineabout him.
“She did the same thing to me when we first met,” Van says. “I was trying to keep her from getting clobbered by two drunks, and she elbowed me right in the solar plexus.”
