Page 34 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
Glass and steel rose above the tree line, sparkling and glinting, reminding me of the city so close. Manhattan’s heartbeat might be hidden, but it still rang vibrant in the secret space. Dina’s uncle was a glass man, I remembered. The towers he built might have fallen, stolen by violence, but I wondered if his glass still stood in the buildings looming above us. I chewed on my bottom lip. Maybe I could ask their grandmother?
“Here.” Jeremy took his hat off then handed it to me. “You’re a redhead. I should have thought about sunburn. It’s morning but we’re in the middle of the water. I should’ve mentioned sunblock since I was surprising you.”
I took the offered hat, tugging it over my curls. “Thank you. I didn’t even think of it.”
His smile grew. “I’m going to take us a little farther, then we can just float for a while.”
Just floating. What a novel idea.I love that.I let my fingertips glance across the surface of the water as it glided past, the chill coolness soothing against my skin.
The sun warmed me, a gentle embrace, but I was grateful beyond words for the baseball cap. Hopefully the brim would keep me from getting a bright red nose, but I couldn’t even say I would mind the price in exchange for the moments of stolen peace.
Jeremy guided the boat into position then set the oars aside. We drifted in the quiet together, the sounds of the city barely a whisper around us.
The moment stretched timeless, as if everything I recently experienced could be put away for a while and we could just breathe together. I sighed, thinking the water had that ability—to erase everything but peace. I could see why they spent somuch time swimming or in the water. I inhaled again, finding something inherently good about the place and the moment.
He asked softly, “So what were you going to say before? I haven’t forgotten.”
I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply through my nose. My lips curled into a smile despite my intention to keep my expression neutral. I doubted very much that Jeremy ever missed a beat. “I didn’t say it because it was sort of judgy, so I chose to keep my thoughts to myself.”
Jeremy lifted his eyebrows, a slight smile curling his handsome lips. “Judgy? Now I for sure need to know what you were going to say.”
I sighed. “Look, I don’t know your parents. I’ve never met them, but I get that your life is very different from mine. I really have no right to pass any judgment on them or their choices at all. Despite those obvious facts, when you guys talk about your parents, you sound like you can’t wait to get away from them. Of course, that makes me wonder what they could’ve done to make you so pissed. Maybe they’re horrific? Although Julian seemed to love your mother. Only you know, but I …”
He sighed, holding up a hand to stop me. “You lost your parents and want me to remember that I still have mine.”
“We only get one set each, right?” I shrugged. “Feel free to ignore me, though.”
He shook his head. “Not everyone. Sometimes, we get more than one each.”
I supposed that could be true, so I conceded the point easily. “Sure. Stepmoms, stepdads, or whatever. Families come in all shapes and sizes.”
He almost laughed. “Right. I see why you would think that.” He nodded, as if I confirmed something for him. “Your point is the same, and I get it. You’re right, I could lose them, and it probably would destroy me. Granny lost her husband and hisbrothers in a car accident.” He looked away, staring up at the sky. “All together, one Sunday afternoon, a few years before I was born. I don’t know how it didn’t destroy her. I know it hurt my father and his brothers.”
I touched his arm. “It sounds like there’s a lot of men in your family, but I didn’t know that about your Granny.”
“She’ll tell you about it eventually, but yes, for several generations we’ve had nothing but boys. It’s just one of those things. Maybe we only produce male sperm.”
I giggled then covered my mouth. “Sorry, it’s so stupid but I’ve never heard anyone say the word sperm out loud outside of health class. It just sounds ridiculous.”
His smile grew, genuine amusement lighting up the remaining shadows in his gaze. “Well, if I knew all I had to do to make you giggle was to saysperm, I would’ve said it last night.”
We smiled at each other for a long moment, and it felt like I could fly. My heart thumped so hard, and such joy filled my chest, I could hardly breathe around it.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t take my family for granted. I’ll work on it.”
I sucked in a breath, reminded myself of his shoes, and bluntly I said, “So I know you play water polo, hook up with more girls than Julian, and don’t mind if people mistake you for your brother, but I don’t know much else yet about you.”
He leaned forward on his elbows, the boat shaking a bit, his face closer to mine and his body in my personal space. “Did he tell you that?”
I continued, ticking things off on my fingertips as if I made a list. “I know you’re not impressed with the library or the jazz club as dates, and I know you love the water. I know that you notice everything. I’ve noticed you’re ambitious and responsible, a rule follower … to an extent. I noticed that you were inclined to dislike me, but for some reason, you’ve changed your mind.”I didn’t mention I wanted to knowwhyhe changed his mind. I also didn’t mention how sweet he could be when he wanted. I certainly didn’t mention how handsome or funny I found him. “So, Jeremy, tell me other things about you.”
He nudged my foot with his own. “I’ll talk if you will. Let’s turn it into a game, sound fair? One truth for one truth, back and forth. How about that?”
I leaned forward on my own elbows, refusing to give up ground to him. “There has to be a time limit. We’ll get too personal otherwise.” Not to mention I could use the standards to protect myself if things started to get hairy.
“I like personal, but I see your point. Okay, ten minutes work? Afterward, we’ll go back to rowing so I can admire how beautiful you look in the sunlight.”
My cheeks heated up, and I swallowed, my mouth going dry at the heat in his too close gaze. “You’re pretty beautiful yourself.”
