Page 26 of You, with a View

“Wow, the whole summer?” Thomas interjects.

Paul nods. “Since he was six. It was a deal I worked out with his parents. He came to us the week after school ended and left the week before it began.”

“That’s intense. I’m surprised his parents let him go.” I hold up my hands. “I mean, I’m sure it was great. It’s just a long time to be gone.”

“It was a good setup for everyone involved,” Paul says simply, his gaze moving back to Theo’s picture.

I always wondered where he went, though I pretended not to care. The momentum of the school year and all of the energy I expended to be the best—better than Theo—fizzled into a melancholic lack of direction during the summer. Sometimes I felt lost without something (or someone) to direct my ambitions toward.

Paul picks up the thread of the conversation, pulling me out of my memory. “At any rate, your name would come up during conversations about the school year. You played tennis as well?”

“Yes, I played number one singles on the girls’ team. Theo was the same on the boys’ team, but you probably knew that.”

Paul nods. “I was his number one fan. Always have been, even though I couldn’t make it up north to watch his matches but for every once in a blue moon.”

“Some people tried to organize a head-to-head match between Theo and Noelle their senior year to raise money for charity,” Thomas pipes up, “but the principal shut it down. He knew it would end in bloodshed.”

I toss him a glare. “That was the official story. I think Theo was afraid I’d win, and he paid Principal Reyes off. He still owes me a head-to-head match.”

“I actually would pay to watch that,” Thomas says. “As long as bloodshed was guaranteed.”

“Noelle would wipe the court with him,” Sadie says loyally. “Respectfully. She’s a beast on the court.”

Paul laughs, shaking his head. “I have no doubt it would be entertaining.” He sweeps an arm toward the sliding door. “Should we continue on with our current adventure? You and Teddy can discuss your match next time you see each other.”

I’m actually shocked he isn’t here now, although Paul did promise no more “mix-ups.”

I have to squeeze my brain like a fist to crush my curiosity about what he’s doing on such a beautiful Saturday morning. Is he still sleeping? Is he alone, or is there someone warming the other side of his bed?

Gah.Shut it down, Noelle.

I give Paul a carefree smile, towing Sadie with me. “Adventure time it is.”

Thomas and Sadie take the seats closest to the door, their backs to the house. They lean toward each other, headsbowed over the photographs I’ve already seen. Meanwhile, Paul digs through the box, presumably to grab the letters he promised we’d read.

I fiddle with a stack of photos, trying to figure out how to bring up the map. My plan. What I need from Paul. It’s possible he won’t care and say “here you go, good luck.” But it’s also possible he’ll think it’s odd, or he won’t approve. In that case, do I go? Will he still tell me the rest of the story? I don’t know how I’d feel going on their aborted honeymoon trip if I didn’t have his blessing. It’s a weird enough idea as it is.

Sadie keeps sliding me looks, then darting her eyes purposefully at Paul. I widen my eyes back at her, a clear invitation to chill out.

My clammy fingers wrap around a worn envelope with mementos—ticket stubs, old flyers from school, a note that Paul and Gram seemed to pass back and forth. I show it to him and he laughs softly.

“Even after we started dating, she wrote me notes in class.” His thumbs smooth over the wrinkled paper. “Probably trying to distract me into failure.”

“An elite tactic.” Wish I’d thought of that in high school, though I have no idea what I’d have distracted Theo with. Cassidy Bowman’s ass, maybe? God knows he looked at it enough.

A foot connects with my ankle under the table. “F—” I cut off my curse with a cough.

“Are you all right?” Paul asks, placing a hand on my back.

“Fine,” I croak out, communicating with a glare that Iwillmurder Thomas when he least expects it. He mouthsdo it, though he’s talking about the map.

One corner of Paul’s mouth pulls up, revealing his dimple. “Another bug?”

My cheeks blaze as I remember how I reacted to a shirtless Theo. As I remember shirtless Theo, period. “Yeah, I guess they love me.”

Paul walks over to the corner of the deck, where a mini fridge is set up. Theo’s been busy this week. There are railing planters lining the perimeter of the deck, all filled with flowers and herbs, and the raised planters Theo was working on earlier this week are now filled with greenery, the soil black with fresh moisture.

All of this had to have taken more than one day; is his schedulethatflexible? Seems a little unusual for a CFO.

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