“No,” I admitted.
If a grin could be both wicked and innocent, she mastered it right then with the look on her beautiful face from my answer.
“Will we see each other when I go to NYU?”
“Of course we’ll see each other, even though my job is going to take me out of town a lot,” I told her, and she looked crestfallen. I pulled her back to me, wanting to reassure her, to let her know how much she’d made a mark on me. “Don’t be sad, Kat. I’m totally falling for you, and I don’t want to take advantage of you. I like you that much. I like you so much it scares me.”
“Don’t be scared. I don’t bite,” she said, then nibbled on my collarbone, making me laugh, and making me want to find a way to make this work. I wanted to be sure she was ready for more though, especially since she hadn’t used the falling word yet. She hadn’t returned my “I’m falling for you.”
I tried not to let that bother me, wanting to give her space and time to say it, if she felt. God, I hoped she felt it.
We kept on like that for the next few days. We went to the beach at night, we worked together during the day, she even showed me a sketch for a necklace she wanted to make. My time at her house was nearing its end, and we were both aware we’d have to figure out what would happen next. At the end of the week, we were at the theater again, the place where we’d first kissed and first admitted we had feelings for each other. After the credits rolled, she grasped my hand tighter, and looked me in the eyes. “Remember what you said the other night?”
“When you were telling me about a new necklace design?” I said playfully.
“No.” She swatted me lightly on the arm.
“When we discussed the merits of raccoons on film?”
She shook her head. “Not that either.”
I rested my index finger on my chin. “Hmmm, could it be the night we talked about all the places we want to see in Paris when we go there someday?”
“Not that either. But I definitely want to go to Paris with you.”
“And I want to go with you too,” I said, squeezing her hand. “So what’s the thing I’m supposed to remember from the other night?”
“When you said you were falling for me,” she said in a sweet whisper.
I nodded, my heart beating furiously fast.
She kept her eyes on me, holding my gaze as she spoke. “I’m falling for you too.”
I knew I couldn’t let this end.
Chapter Five
It was only fitting that Bruce Springsteen was playing on the sound system at the bar. He was always singing about doing the right thing, and manning up, and that’s what I was going to do right this second.
Finally.
I ripped off the Band-aid, and went for it, looking Nate straight in the eyes. “So listen, I kind of fell for your sister this summer and I’d really love your permission to keep going out with her.”
Nate’s jaw dropped, and my heart beat faster. Oh shit. He was going to kill me. He cocked his arm and started to swing. But instead, he just clapped me on the shoulder.
“Dude, you honestly think I didn’t notice?” Nate said, then took another drink of his beer. We were at a bar in the city celebrating his new job.
Now it was my turn to be surprised. “You noticed?”
He rolled his eyes. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off her whenever she walked in the room. You were always going to the movies with her. Working the morning shift. You two are so perfect for each other it kind of makes me sick, but hey, better you than any other guy.”
I wiped my hand across my forehead. “Whew. I thought you were going to be pissed.”
“I’m only slightly pissed that you didn’t tell me when you were at my house this summer. But at least you’re saying something now and I appreciate it.”
“Well, thanks for not wanting to strangle me,” I said and took a swallow of my drink.
“Just don’t break her heart. That’s all I ask. Or I will kill you,” he said, and by the tone of his voice I knew he was serious.
“I promise. I won’t break her heart.”
* * *
After I started my job in August, she visited me in the city and we became part of the fabric of New York, wandering through the Metropolitan Museum, kissing by the fountain at Lincoln Center, meandering in and out of Manhattan’s neighborhoods, touching and holding hands. I wanted more, so much more, and so did she, but we’d agreed to wait til she moved into the city, and was ready to start college.
As we strolled along a tree-lined street in the Village one weekend I told her I had a surprise for her.
She arched an eyebrow, but her eyes sparkled. “What kind of surprise?”
“If I tell you it won’t be a surprise, now will it? We’re almost there.”
“Oh!” She said, and stopped in her tracks. “I forgot to tell you. I have exciting news for you.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a little boutique owner in Mystic who likes my necklaces. She said she wants me to join her at an upcoming festival in town and try selling some at a booth,” she said, and she was bouncing on her feet.
“How could you forget to tell me that? That’s huge, Kat. I’m so happy for you,” I said and pulled her in close for a hug. “You haven’t even started school yet and you’re already on your way to being a star.”
“I’m hardly a star,” she said, then planted a quick kiss on my lips. “But it’s a start.”