Boys Like You

She was up on her feet in a flash, a blur of pink bikini, pale skin, and dark hair. The sun blinded me when I glanced up, and for a few seconds, all I saw was a shadow with a ring of gold.

And then she was gone.

Chapter Fifteen

Monroe

I didn’t see Nate for the rest of the week and not because he wasn’t around. He’d shown up T

uesday morning with his uncle, and they started working on the back porch up at the main plantation house.

It was a pretty big project, and the two of them worked from early in the morning until dinnertime. He texted me a few times, but after two days, he stopped. I guess he wasn’t impressed with my one word answers.

Nate: What cha doin?

Me: nothing

Nate: wanna hang later

Me: No

Nate: is something wrong

Me: No

Except that there was. Nathan Everets confused me. The feelings he made me feel confused me. And every time I thought about being with him, I got all nervous and anxious, and I just didn’t do any of that real well.

It might have been immature of me, but my reaction to our afternoon at the pond was to stay away, and even I didn’t understand it. And I sure didn’t have enough experience with boys to know what to do about it.

So I avoided him.

I didn’t go anywhere near the main plantation house, and when Gram suggested I take Nate some lemonade, I told her that I was pretty sure he had a supply of his own drinks.

Gram had given me her signature look—the one that made most people cave and just do whatever it was that she wanted done. But I didn’t fall for it.

I was pulling away, and Gram knew it. It’s what I did. But for now, she let it go, smart enough to know that if she pushed harder, I would disappear. I’d climb back into that dark hole I’d barely made it out of.

I knew Gram wanted to help me, and I’m pretty sure she thought she could help Nathan too. But he made me nervous. He made me feel. And I needed time for those things.

Only we don’t always get what we want.

Friday morning came with a blast of heat, the promise of rain, and no Nate. Something had come up, and he and his uncle had gone to another job site. I heard Gram’s one-sided conversation while picking at my bowl of Lucky Charms. I’d already eaten all the green marshmallows and was on to the pink ones.

She hung up and turned to me, her soft white hair already set, the curls perfect, but in this heat, they wouldn’t be for long.

“Do you want to come shopping with me, Monroe?”

I pushed my bowl away, feeling that restlessness inside expand and tighten up. “Where?”

“Just to town. I want to go to market before the weather turns.”

I shrugged. “Sure.” It’s not like I had anything better to do.

After a quick shower, I pulled on a pair of faded jean shorts and a white tank top and slipped my feet into a pair of old flip-flops before pulling my damp hair into a loose side pony.

I’m not sure what made me do it, but I grabbed some gloss from Gram’s bathroom for my lips and ran her mascara brush over my eyelashes. For a few moments, I stared at the reflection in the mirror. I knew I would never be as tanned as the girls I’d met here, but my cheeks weren’t as pale as they used to be and my eyes…

I glanced away, scrubbing at the corners of my eyes. I almost looked not sad. I almost looked normal. Pretty even.