“Just Pari being Pari.” I hope he drops it.
“About what?” Of course he’s not going to drop it. “Is it about the show? Should I be worried?” he asks with an exaggerated eyebrow wag.
“Yes, you should be worried. Because I’m better than you. But no, that was unrelated to the show.” I try to hide how little I want to answer the question.
“Then what was it?”
I must not be hiding my discomfort well, because the humor is gone from Gavin’s voice now. Stubborn Gavin is making an appearance. It’s not a side of him I see very often, especially not after we graduated high school. It’s so rare I thought it went away to be entirely replaced by his carefree playboy routine. But here it is again, playboy Gavin dropped for a focused Gavin trying hard to get what he wants.
This Gavin worries me. Because it means he’s using all of his effort, making himself a formidable opponent. Even more so than usual.
Fine, if he wants honesty so bad, he can have it.
“Pari, and Naomi actually, and maybe Harrison, all think we’d be a great couple.” I laugh at that outrageous suggestion.
Gavin smiles, good humor restored. He leans back and takes a long drink, eyes watching me over the wineglass. Letting me stew about what his response will be.
Not that I know what response I want. If he agrees, then it’ll be more awkward conversations about how we wouldn’t work out. And if he laughs it off, I’ll be crushed. I have no right to be crushed, but I’ll be crushed all the same.
So I kind of want to snatch the wine he’s so calmly drinking and toss it overboard.
Before I can act on the impulse, he sets the glass back down. “They’re pretty smart people, the Richmonds. The best, most expensive educations for the three of them.”
Great, he doesn’t agree or laugh it off. Contrary Gavin.
“Just because they’re smart, it doesn’t mean they’re right about this.”
“And they don’t even know we’ve slept together. Under their roof. Two and a half times.”
“A half?” I ask, distracted by those memories.
“The bit in the sex room.” He gives me a rakish smile.
“Shh.” I surreptitiously look around to see if any of the Richmonds are around to hear what we’ve done in their home.
Gavin pantomimes zipping his mouth shut. Fat chance that’ll stick.
He proves it by opening his mouth again. “I’m just saying they must know human nature pretty well.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
Gavin takes pity on me. “All right. We won’t talk about how everyone around us can see we’d make an unstoppable couple, taking over the art world and having great sex.”
“I somehow don’t think any of the Richmonds are thinking about us...being intimate.” I try to say with as much dignity as possible.
“They have a sex room, Priya.” Gavin sounds so scandalized; I can picture him clutching pearls as he says that.
I roll my eyes and turn my head to look out over the sea.
Nothing has changed in my present or future, but I feel a little less empty looking at the view now.
For whatever reason.
Yes, Brain. I know the reason. No, Brain. I’m not acknowledging that it’s the person sitting next to me who’s making me feel less lonely. “Tell me something about you I don’t know.”
“I like broccoli.”
“First of all, ew. Second of all, something better than that.” I slap him lightly with the back of my hand.
