“Usually,” said Noah, then he folded his arms and stared off into the void. AJ refrained from pointing out how this display of “extreme moodiness” corroboratedCosmo’s description.
“I’m afraid he isn’t sleeping,” Eudora confided the next day, after Noah had been called away to Simmons. “I hear him up at night, skulking around like a ghoul.”
“You might just have a ghoul,” AJ observed.
Eudora ruffled. “No thanks to you, bandying about the Scottish King’s name under my roof!”
To make her point, they spent the afternoon dissecting Claudio’s speech on the afterlife.
That Saturday, AJ andNoah sat in the yard at Drew House, watching Emily play with the puppies on the lawn—a last hurrah before the litter were relocated to more permanent homes.
It was a postcard-worthy afternoon, warm and bright, all blue skies and hydrangea blossoms. Mrs. Gilroy had just stopped by with cookies for Emily, a beer for Noah, and nothing for AJ.
“You know, if you were to ask for something, she would have to get it for you,” said Noah when Mrs. Gilroy was out of earshot.
“I don’t want to give her the satisfaction,” said AJ.
Noah snorted. “And there it is.”
“Hmm?” said AJ.
“Your game,” said Noah. “You won’t play if you can’t win.”
AJ whacked him in the arm.
“Here,” said Noah, handing her his beer so AJ could have a sip.
They watched Hortense II flop off Emily’s knee. Noah laughed, and AJ had a stroke of brilliance.
“You should keep her,” she said, handing back the bottle.
“No I shouldn’t.”
His tone was so imperious, AJ instinctively pushed back. “Why not?”
“We’ve already agreed to sell them,” said Noah stiffly. “The breeder is coming this week.”
“So?” said AJ. “You’re allowed to change your mind.”
Noah gave her a bland look. “AJ, what would I do with a dog at West Point?” Then he frowned.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“What?” AJ repeated.Don’t shut me out.
He glanced at her, then away. “I don’t know. Acting this summer—this has been…I don’t know.”
AJ watched his long profile. The day before, they’d run monologues—Ophelia for AJ, Hamlet for Noah. His rendition of the “To be” speech had given AJ goose bumps.
“There’s no shame in wanting to pursue this,” she said casually. “You are really good.”
“I’m not really,” he said.
“And there it is,” said AJ smugly.
Noah threw her an irritated look. “There what is?”
