I felt a warmth spread in my chest.
“I don’t know how interesting I used to be, but we had some fun.”
“Well, it must’ve been,” she said softly, her gaze settling on me, “if it made you who you are.” I wished I could drown in those eyes.
“What do you mean?”
She gazed into the water, as if she belonged to the ocean, her words flowing out with wisdom I wasn’t used to hearing from pretty girls like her.
“My mom used to say that we’re all just a compilation of our memories. Whether we realize it or not, we are shaped by what’s happened to us. The more you understand your past, the better you can decide if you want it to shape your future.” I contemplated her words.
“So, you want to analyze me?”
“No, not at all. I just think understanding people helps,” she said, looking at me with an almost hypnotic honesty. “For example, I’m no fool. I have an absent father and a dead mother. I have trust issues, but that doesn’t mean I don’t try to trust. That’s why I enjoy all your company so much, even if it’s just for a little while.”
So much honesty in just two minutes. I slowed us down, and she turned toward me, tilting her chin slightly to take in the ocean around us. She stood with this unbothered grace, like she belonged exactly where she was. Effortless, quiet, beautiful in a way I hadn’t expected.
“What a view.” A quiet confession slipped out before I could stop it, but I didn’t think she registered my words. Then her gaze fell on mine, and it felt like I was in a snow globe. Or a water globe. No one around us.
“Sure. We can play.” I smiled, enjoying the moment.
* * *
“Look! A photo booth,” Norah said eagerly as we walked back from the oceanarium. “Let’s take some photos.”
“Don’t we have enough selfies? We need to hurry if we want to go surfing,” Logan grumbled. “The booth doesn’t even fit us all.”
“Oh, c’mon, honey, we can all scooch, right guys?”
I looked at the booth. It seemed bigger than the standard ones, but probably not roomy enough for everyone. A screen wasmounted on it, and Hazel moved closer to read the Portuguese instructions.
“Let’s go. We’ll sit on each other’s laps.”
“I’m not sitting on anyone’s lap,” Logan replied.
“Of course, honey, you’ll sit on the ground,” she laughed. “But I will sit on you.”
She nudged him, and with a groan, Logan reluctantly followed as we all tried to squeeze into the booth.
“Okay, Luke, you go first. Hazel, sit on his lap, Alex, Ava, you next, then the rest of us.”
I glanced at Hazel. She took down her ponytail, letting her hair cascade, then bent to brush through the roots, snapping back up with wild volume. She looked like a lion. I stared at her, confused.
“What?” she asked. “That’s the best way to look pretty with long hair.”
“Mm... You always look pretty,” I murmured, exhaling silently.
I climbed into the booth. Hazel followed, her cheeks pink with hesitation.
“C’mon, don’t be weird. You’ll be fine,” I said, holding out my hand. She smiled and carefully sat on my lap, as if she was afraid to crush me. I slipped my hands to her waist, pulling her full weight onto me. Around us, our friends were busy squeezing into the booth, arguing about who should sit where, but it all faded away. Because I felt only Hazel. A little shiver ran through her.
“Are you cold?” I whispered in her ear, even though it was nearly a hundred degrees outside.
“I’m okay,” she replied, but shivered again when I put my hands on her upper arms. As the booth filled with voices and elbows, Hazel shifted in my lap, making me curse internally. The way she fit against me. It took all my willpower not to lean in and kiss the soft skin just below her ear. Instead, I closedmy eyes and let my nose sink into her hair, catching that same stubborn trace of mango that had been haunting me all day. I let out a quiet sigh and felt my fingers lightly grip her waist. Hazel softened against me, almost unnoticeably. But I noticed. Every inch of it.
Goddammit. This was a huge mistake.
“Everybody ready?” I heard a voice from somewhere in the background. My thumb at Hazel’s waist slipped under her white t-shirt, barely above the waistline of her jeans, and found her skin.Snap.
