Page 88 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
Phoenix left me then so I walked over to Julian. With the ocean behind him, he looked like he belonged in a magazine ad for beach living. He didn’t look up when I came over, clearly focused on his work. I sat down quietly, not sure if I should leave without saying anything at all.
He lifted his head finally then jolted. “Alatheia, how long have you been here?”
“A second.” I leaned forward. “Are you writing?”
“I am, but it’s weird. I want to write plays, but I think this might be more of a book, so that’s what I’m doing right now.”
I loved the idea. “Maybe you’re just a writer in general. You go where the muse takes you, so to speak.”
“Cool. We’ll go with that,” he said then leaned back in his chair.
I put out my hand. “Want me to read it?”
He couldn’t have shaken his head faster. “Not yet. Maybe not ever. No.”
Point taken. I understood the sentiment, too. I don’t know what I would have done if anyone sawPoor Relationin the early days. As it was, I was viewed by strangers.Until now. If they hated it, they didn’t have to watch anymore. They could leave a mean comment, and it would hurt my feelings, but I wasn’t required to witness them hating the work personally. Even that seemed rare these days. Sometimes they disagreed with the direction of a storyline, but no one seemed to trash it anymore. Most of the people who really hated it had moved on to hating something else.
Aloud, I said, “I’m going to go inside and do some work for your granny.”
Julian grabbed my arm. “Come back out here and do it. I know it’s secret work, and I won’t ask. But do it, here, with me. I missed the whole day with you because I was an idiot last night.”
“All right.” I touched his hand with my own. “I’ll bring it out here, but you can’t look or ask.”
“Promise.” His smile was huge. “By the way, those pearls are gorgeous on you. Which one of them got you those? No, wait. It was Jer. He is so good at knowing what to get people. They’re beautiful on you.”
I squeezed his shoulder on my way to get my computer and the notebook I was reading for their gran. I would have to leavehim for a little while if I wanted to get anyPoor Relationdone, but I could put that off for a little bit, at least.
But I wanted to work with him … so long as he didn’t break his promise and snoop. Entering my room, I stopped abruptly. Two futons had appeared in my room. They were pretty much exactly where the guys slept on the floor the night before. Plus, it looked like the bed had been stripped and remade. The sheets were a light blue instead of ivory. I swung around to look at the laundry basket and it was empty of my clothes, which were hanging on hangers from the door.
Someone cleaned my room. I cringed at the idea of a maid being forced to deal with the mess I left behind. Who did I need to apologize to and thank? I would have cleaned up more if I’d known someone else would get stuck with it.
I hated being a bother for whoever dealt with the mess.
I grabbed my stuff and headed back outside. “Someone cleaned up my room.”
“Yes, there are a couple of maids who work here.” He smiled. “We’re really spoiled, but you already know that.”
I sank into the chair with a grunt. My aunts had maids, but they hardly cleaned up after me. They might vacuum, but I always had everything ready for them.
“I didn’t expect anyone to clean up after me. I feel bad. The room was a mess, but someone dragged in futons?”
I settled back into my chair, enjoying the cool breeze coming off the ocean. As night approached, the temperatures dropped fast at the coast.
“Not me. I didn’t even think about it, but good idea. Think that was the maid?”
It would be kind of weird if it had been. “Maybe Phoenix did it and forgot to tell me? Or Jeremy and Barrett, when they got back after their meeting.”
“I can’t see Phoenix dragging futons, and Barrett would check with you first.” He shook his head. “Maybe Jeremy. Or …” His voice trailed off.
“What?” I needed him to finish the thought.
“Maybe Gran told the maid to do it, but I don’t want to think about my grandmother preparing your room for us to all sleep in there. I think I’ll just put that thought away. Maybe we can just let it be a mystery, so I don’t have to have thoughts I don’t want to have.”
It seemed like a good idea, I thought, amused at him. I preferred to think she was clueless about them being in there, sleeping and kissing me. It just seemed wrong somehow.
“Okay. It’s a mystery.”
He winked at me before he went back to writing.
