Page 28 of No One But Us

“I’d settle for something else,” he says, only half joking. “Come shower with me.”

He bites my earlobe, making me shiver in spite of myself. His mouth moves to my neck, and I find myself relaxing into him, my bones going loose. God, it’s been a long time. Okay, it’s been six weeks, but it feels like a long time.

“Nope,” I whisper, but it’s a little breathy.

“You’ll change your mind after you see me play,” he says.

He’s right. I already know this. His hands are still on my hips, his mouth on my neck, and I know that seeing him play is all it would take to sway me.

“I’m closing tonight,” I say. “I just found out.”

A door shuts down the hall, and he releases me. “We’re back in a few weeks. Will you come see us then?” he asks.

“Definitely,” I reply, casting an angry look at James’ room. “Tell me when and I’ll put in for time off today.”

* * *

After breakfast, we all head to the beach. To my surprise, James comes with us, looking so good in his swim trunks that for just a moment I stop hating him. Max and Ryan walk ahead, carrying a cooler and laughing as if they’ve been friends since high school. Typical Max, and also typical Ryan. Why are things never awkward for those guys? I’m guessing neither of them has had a moment like I’m having right now, walking beside James with a hundred accusations in my head demanding to be heard.

“I got a mysterious text from Brian this morning,” I tell him. “Informing me that I’m closing.”

“I’m closing too. I’ll give you a ride.”

“It seems to me that’s the least you can do,” I say bitterly, “since you’re the one responsible for the schedule change. You don’t want me to watch Ryan play.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he says. And then he has the nerve to smile. “Musical appreciation enriches us all. Why would anyone try to stand in your way?”

“That’s a good question, James. Maybe you should answer it.”

There is no answer, just that same smug look of quiet triumph that begs for a good slapping. Max looks back and forth between us and then stops, pointing at this bush we pass every day, which is covered in purple flowers that weren’t there the week before.

“You see that?” he asks. “That’s the New England aster. It doesn’t normally bloom until September or October.”

The depth of Max’s useless knowledge never ceases to amaze me.

“What’s your point, Max?” sighs Ginny. “Because I feel sure there’s a point here.”

“My point,” Max continues, “is that things don’t bloom because they’re told it’s the correct time. They bloom because the conditions are right.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” demands Ginny. “Because the rest of us haven’t been smoking pot all morning, so we can’t decipher your cryptic little comments.”

“James knows what I mean.” Max grins, walking ahead.

And based on the way James stalks off ahead of us, it appears Max is right.

“What’s his deal?” asks Ginny. “He’s been moody for weeks.”

Max laughs. “I think your brother has some demons to exorcise.”

“What demons?” Ginny demands.

Max’s glance flickers over to me before he shrugs. “We all have parts of ourselves we struggle with.”

Ginny snorts. “I don’t see you struggling with much.”

“The fact that I’m a less principled man than James,” he says with a sigh, “is hardly a mystery.”

Chapter 18