Annika is an excellent sister. She knows that it is so embarrassing that I can remember the remote control and its placement and its functions and not remember my incredibly wonderful boyfriend whom I love so much and who loves me.
My shoulders sag.
“Perhaps it would be useful to recreate some of the dates that you and Mateo used to do,” Gina says.
“That is a fantastic idea,” I exclaim.
Gina gives a modest smile.
“That is not necessary.” For some reason Mateo looks worried. Perhaps he thinks it will be too painful to have those dates with me and for me not to remember them.
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
Mateo
Gina’s eyes sparkle.
I knew she shouldn’t have come.
She was only supposed to pop in briefly. But apparently this is too interesting for her to skip. Gina knows Florian and I are not a couple.
“Florian and Mateo used to kayak down the Charles together,” Gina says. “They would share a kayak. It was very sweet.”
“That sounds like a fun date!” Florian’s mother claps her hands. “The Charles is beautiful.”
“Is this your first time in Boston?” I ask hastily.
“No…” Florian’s mother exchanges a glance with Florian’s dad. Annika frowns.
What have I said? I just wanted to make conversation and to change the subject.
“My parents met in Boston,” Annika says slowly. Her eyes are… Well, her eyes look exactly how they might look if she were deeply suspicious. I hope that’s a coincidence. “They went to Harvard together.”
“Oh.” My heartbeat quickens.
“You remember that Mateo, don’t you?” Gina says hastily. “I remember Florian telling us that.”
“Uh—” I chew on my lower lip, then give a wide smile. “I knew that. Technically, Harvard is in Cambridge. I wasn’t sure if they’d ever, uh, ventured into Boston.”
“You weren’t certain if we ever crossed one of the many bridges into Boston in the six years we were at Harvard?” Florian’s dad throws back his head and laughs. “Did you hear that, Greta? We study hard but notthathard.”
“Mateo has always been so enamored with Florian,” Gina says. “He never paid much attention to what Florian was saying.”
“Florian is very attractive,” Florian’s mother says dutifully.
“You are very kind, mother,” Florian says.
“Memory can emerge through the senses,” Gina announces in an authoritative manner. “Florian and Mateo used to dance all the time. Whenever I used to visit I would hear Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald or Bossa Nova.”
Florian’s eyes round. “You should have told me last night, Mateo!”
“It was sort of a sad night,” I say.
Florian swallows hard. I’ve made things worse.
“Though anytime I spend with you is romantic,” I say hastily.
