Page 21 of Her Pretty Things

“You’re welcome.”

He starts digging through the beads. I go back to his bracelet.

The silver letters are in their own compartment. I find the J first, then the A.

Jamie drops something bright orange onto his cord.

I ignore it.

M.

He adds another orange bead.

I.

E.

Jamie goes still beside me.

I slide the letters into place.

JAMIE.

“My name is Elliot.” His fingers are curled around a handful of beads.

“Your name is Jamie.”

I add another silver bead after the E.

For a moment, he doesn’t move. Then he looks down and picks the ugliest pink bead in the box. He threads it onto his cord.

I tie off the last knot and hold out my hand. “Wrist.”

Jamie gives it to me. I wrap the bracelet around him and fasten it. The green was the right choice. It sits just below the sleeve of his shirt, black and green divided by the silver letters of his name.

Perfect.

Jamie turns his wrist once. His expression doesn’t change much, but he looks at it longer than he needs to.

I start putting the extra beads back into their compartments.

“Wait.” Jamie picks up the mess he’s been making beside me.

It really is awful. Orange, pink, yellow, two different greens, and a translucent purple bead that doesn’t belong with any of them.

He holds it toward me. “I made this for you.”

I stare at it. “It’s hideous.”

“It’s not as nice as yours.”

“None of these colors go together.”

“I made it for you. You’ve given me a lot.”

I reach for the bead container. He thinks he’s clever. They all try that.

Jamie doesn’t move his hand. He looks at me through his lashes. Pretty gray-green eyes. Dark makeup. That ridiculous little chip showing when the corner of his mouth lifts.