My dad’s eyebrows furrowed a little, intrigued. I took that to mean he had never seen her mementos. “Okay, so shedidcome here with Kathy Ryan,” he said. “Long ago.”
“No, I don’t think so.” I shook my head. “It seems like she was here with a boyfriend.”
His intrigue shifted to confusion. “A boyfriend?”
I shrugged. “Maisie spotted this guy in one of her Polaroids, and when I called Annie yesterday, she told me that a summer romance—”
My dad snapped his fingers. “I knew it,” he said, smirking a little. “Thereissomething going on with Connor.”
I gave him a look. “That’s your key takeaway? Connor and me? You aren’t curious about Annie’s past here?”
“Of course I am,” he said. “She’s my mother, but I’m your father. Having a handle on my daughter’s dating life is a higher priority for me.”
“I’m notdatingConnor,” I mumbled as I folded my arms over my chest, as if to calm the butterflies fluttering inside. “We’re having fun.”
With the exception of my prom date, I’d never introduced a guy to my dad. Only Erica had casually met them; she was polite, but I could tell she wasn’t very impressed.
My dad laughed. “Well, I hate to break it to you, Liv, but I don’t see much of a difference.” He slipped his arm around my shoulders. “Either way, we need to find you some new sleeping accommodations.”
I didn’t object. Part of me knew that was coming.
“Tell me more about these watercolors,” he said once we started up the sidewalk again. “Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen your grandmother pick up a paintbrush.”
“I know,” I said, heart racing. “Which makes me think she isn’t the artist.”
* * *
Connor didn’t get home until after I’d packed up all my stuff and attempted to surreptitiously drag it to the other side of the house, to a cozy reading room near the bunk room. It had a comfortable daybed, but Ashley—finished putting her boys to bed—peeked in and told me there was an air mattress and linens in the back of the closet.
“Thanks for the tip,” I said, and I considered asking her about her father-in-law’s memory battle, but I couldn’t find the words. And maybe I wasn’t supposed to know. Connor made it sound pretty private.
I hummed as I unzipped my suitcase, then I organized my other belongings. I had somehow collected so much stuff over the last week that I’d borrowed the yellow duffel bag I’d found under Summer Camp’s bunkbed.Connor stole it from his brother, I surmised, remembering the two of us shooting the shit aboutThe Parent Trap. “My mom bought Liam a yellow duffel bag when he was nervous for his first sleepover,” he’d said, “to give him some Hallie Parker chutzpah…”
Connor’s cup runneth over with chutzpah, I thought, biting back my smile. It was stupid how excited I was to see him.Be back soon, he’d texted fifteen minutes ago.Can’t wait for my midnight snack!
After changing into my pajamas and a sweater, I grabbed his generous scoop of Menemsha Mint Oreo from the freezer and waited for him on Summer Camp’s little porch. The air was cooland comfortably damp, but I felt beads of sweat on the back of my neck.
Especially when a pair of headlights appeared in the darkness.
My pulse leaped when his Jeep’s door popped open, and it leaped again when it slammed shut. “Lady Spencer!” Connor softly called upon spotting me in the porch light’s glow. “How was dinner?”
I opened my mouth but had no idea what I said. The world blurred and went to white noise; all I could focus on was Connor’s breeze-blown hair, blue eyes, and grin. He played up the Princess Diana bit by kissing my hand before tugging me into a warm hug. A wave of campfire, citronella, and the sea air wrapped around me. It smelled like an incredible night.
I pulled out of the embrace to smile and loop my arms around his neck. “Dinner was delicious,” I said. “And really fun.”
“I’m so glad,” Connor said, hands resting on my waist. Even through my sweater, my body hummed from his touch. “I had fun tonight too.”
“Good,” I murmured, and then we smiled at each other for half a heartbeat before I rose up on my tiptoes and kissed him. He tasted like s’mores and strawberry rhubarb pie, and I couldn’t get enough of it. We kissed fast and furiously, but my breath didn’t catch until his tongue slowly started running along my lower lip.
I broke away to breathe, only to fall a hundred stories into his gaze. He made me feel safe but also undeniably starry-eyed. It was almost unsettling, and I was suddenly grateful to my dadfor insisting I sleep elsewhere. Just thinking about saying good night to Connor made me ache, but I was also relieved I had a space of my own to retreat to later.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked.
Yes, I thought, but heard myself say, “Your ice cream’s going to melt.”
“That’s okay,” he said. “I like milkshakes.”
“Nice try.” I smirked. “Melted ice cream isnota milkshake.”
