Moonlight in the Morning (Edilean 6)

“Why do I get the impression that you’re asking me if there’s anything between Reede and me?”

“Because I am,” he said, chewing. “Kim seems to think you two are an item.”

She spread more cheese, found his hand, and filled it. “She tell you the Florida Point story?”

“In detail. She made it sound like it was a Grand Passion.”

“Not quite. It was more of a depressed young man and a girl in awe of his naked beauty.”

Tris didn’t comment on that statement.

“What did you say to Kim to make her tell you to stay away from me?” Jecca handed him a plate and he put it on his outstretched legs.

“Would you believe me if I told you she guessed?”

“Definitely. Don’t worry about it. She only wants what’s k whhei best for me.”

“And I’m not?”

“She knows I’m not going to live here, that I’m going back to New York. Since your life is here, she’s concerned about me—and about you too.”

“I know you’re leaving,” Tris said. “But I refuse to think of that. I believe in enjoying the moment.”

“Me too,” she said, smiling. “I want to ask you something.”

“Anything,” he said.

“Who’s the mystery man in Kim’s life?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Sophie and I used to talk about him. Kim was always searching for some man on the Internet. She joined several of those personal search Web sites, the kind where you pay thirty-five dollars to find the address of someone. I’ve always wondered if she found him.”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

“I thought maybe some high school guy came and went.”

“I wouldn’t know. When Kim was that age, I was away at school. I could ask her—”

“No!” Jecca said.

“You don’t want Kim to know you were snooping, do you?”

“Right,” Jecca said, and they were silent for a moment.

“I want to know about your day,” he said.

“Yours sounds more interesting. Who else did you tell about us?”

“I didn’t tell Kim. She has a sixth sense when it comes to you.”

“Are you avoiding telling me what you did today? Is there some secret?”

Tristan laughed. “I’m caught! If you’re this perceptive when you can’t see my grimaces, what are you like in the daylight?”

“You’re still avoiding answering me.”

“Okay!” Tris was laughing. “My sister called, and I have to fly to Miami in the morning.”