Page 19

The temperature of the pool is perfect, as is the view. If I stare hard enough I can point out Grandma Ruby's house across the pond that separates her property from Nico's.

"What are you looking at?" Nico asks me as his lips play with the water. We're floating next to each other, but not too close, which is better for me. Seeing Nico in a bathing suit was more than enough to get my hormones going.

"I can see my grandma's house from here."

"How is she doing? Your grandma."

"She's good. She's really happy to have us here for the whole summer."

"She's not the only one. I am, too."

I take a nervous gulp when Nico moves closer to me. The water is pretty shallow so we're able to just move around with our feet, but we're practically sitting in the water.

"Tell me more about Cara," I say, almost regretting bringing her up. But I have to know.

"What do you want to know?"

"I don't know," I stall because I'm nervous to even ask, but then I finally say it. "Do you really like her?"

"'Really' is a strong word, BC. I like her. Let's leave it at that."

"You clearly like her enough to make her your girlfriend."

"Why does the concept of me having a girlfriend surprise you?"

"It doesn't." I wave my hands in the water as my legs keep moving, and Nico does the same.

"You seem surprised."

"I just...I've known you practically my entire life, and you've never had a girlfriend. You've liked girls before, but not enough to make them your girlfriend." I pause, but when he keeps silent, I continue. "I guess I just thought that the girl you decided to bring home would be someone special. Someone you trust. Wholeheartedly." The next words hurt to say, but I say them anyway. "Guess she's special. Guess you trust her wholeheartedly."

"For your information, I've never brought Cara home," Nico clarifies.

"You know what I mean."

"In fact, the only girl who's ever been inside my house is you." When I give him a sly expression, he presses. "What?"

"Nico, you hook up with like 20 different girls every summer. And I know for a fact that they spend the night here."

"Yeah, but I don't bring them inside my house. That's what the guest house is for."

I roll my eyes. "You're disgusting."

"Hey, I don't want them getting the wrong idea."

"Then why even hook up with them?"

He doesn't answer my question and instead lets out a sigh. "I can't ever win with you, can I?"

"It's not a contest Nico. It's a conversation." He stares at me and I feel my heart rate speed up. "What?"

"Nothing," he says.

"Nico!"

"It's nothing." We continue to swim around, nothing else being said when he finally speaks up. "I mean it, though."

"What?"

"I'm happy that I have you for the whole summer."