“Who’s Fiona?”
“She’s my cat—well, not my cat, really… She’s a stray cat I found behind Triton, and now she’s in my garage because she was about to give birth, and it’s finally happening!” I enlarge the image, showing one tiny kitten with wet gray fur. “I can’t believe this. I literallyjustleft.”
“How many did she have?”
“Looks like just one so far. But don’t worry, my mom promised to keep me updated.”
We come to a stop sign, and I hold up my phone so he can see.
“Aw,” he says. “It’s so tiny.”
“It is,” I agree, wishing they’d stay with us so I could cuddle them. But I know it’s best for Dr. Valentine to take care of them and find them good homes.
I have the urge to tell Gregory, but for some reason the thought of texting him with Myles just inches from me is unnerving. I decide I’ll do it later and put my phone away.
I wonder if Myles will go back to our conversation before we were interrupted, but he doesn’t. He flips on the radio and lets me take control, so I find my favorite nineties station.
By the time we reach the marina, I’ve convinced myself that maybe he wasn’t asking for any reason at all.
20PLAYLIST:hot girl summer
EVEN THOUGH I’D STILLbe asleep if I were at home, I’m awake and buzzing with energy now.
Ilovebeing out on the boat.
The wind in my hair, the spray of water on my skin, and the endless expanse of blue sprawling in every direction. And Myles’s dad doesn’t hold back. He revs the engine and puts the powerboat to good use.
Myles catches my exhilarated smile and asks his dad to go faster.
No one talks much while we zip across the bay, but when we slow and the roar of the engine dies down, the questions start. I don’t know much about Myles’s parents, but I’ve gathered that he feels some pressure to perform and succeed, and the high expectations of the Ford household are quickly put on display as questions about colleges and career plans start.
It’s probably why Myles quickly asks his dad to anchor so we can get off and swim. Neither of his parents gets into the water, so jumping in is a reprieve from his mom’s inquiries about my life plans and his dad’s comments comparing Myles to his brothers, which usually come out sounding like Myles is the disappointment.
The first spot we try is a little choppy, so we move farther inland and find a calm area near a beach.
Myles dives in with a perfect arc, and I can’t help but call out, “Seriously, Myles. Is there anything you’re not good at? You’re already everyone’s favorite at the restaurant, and everyone at school wants to either be you or be your best friend. Now you have to show up my mediocre diving skills, too?”
I glimpse a small, secret smile on his mom’s face as I pull off my T-shirt and shorts and go in after him, so maybe she’s not that bad after all.
When I surface, Myles is treading water, waiting for me with a grin. He’s opening his mouth to say something when his brother Matt slices through the water to his right.
“Race you to the shore,” Matt calls out, and takes off in a freestyle.
Apparently even I can’t distract Myles from a direct challenge like that, because he turns wild eyes on me and asks, “See you at the beach?”
I nod, laughing. “Go.”
Myles lurches to the side after his brother, his powerful shoulders and legs propelling him forward. I admire his form for amoment, then remember that his parents are right behind me on the boat, and fall in line behind them at a leisurely pace. I don’t swim as much as I did when I was a kid, but I love this feeling. The ocean is so vast, and when I’m in it, I feel so small—but in a way that makes me feel lucky to be here. Moving my body through the water brings me a special kind of joy.
I know this area—it’s a small cove that’s sort of hidden and doesn’t have much beach traffic because it’s only accessible by boat—but I’ve never been here. The beach itself is narrow, backed by vegetation-covered dunes with a few outcroppings of large rocks on one side. I float a little and swim a little, and when I’m close enough to stand with the water lapping around my torso, Myles is by my side again.
“Who won?”
“Me,” Myles says. “But only because I was dead set on impressing you.” His smile is disarming, and the way his eyes dart down my body leaves my knees a little wobbly.
I opt not to tell him I wasn’t watching the whole time, and we keep walking. When we make it to only ankle deep, Myles reaches over to grab my hand. I think it’s just a brief touch, like that time at the bonfire, but his fingers slide between mine and he doesn’t let go.
“Thanks,” he starts. “For what you said back there.”
