around.
But Austin stopped me with his free hand. “Just for the record, ordering three scoops of vanilla doesn’t mean I’m boring. It means I know what I want, and I’m not afraid to ask for it.”
His words, coupled with the intensity of his stare, caused a shudder to ripple through me. However, when his easy smile returned, I decided I’d read too much into it. Clearly, it was just another one of his philosophies on life he loved to share.
When Austin and I joined Luca, his eyes widened. “You did get the cone, Mina!”
“Yeah.” I pointed to Austin. “Someone talked me into it.”
“Man, no one back home is ever going to believe that I ate this much ice cream,” Luca said, peering up at me. “And they’re definitely not going to believe you did.”
It was then that the idea struck. “Then why don’t we get a picture to prove it?”
“Yeah.” Luca nodded. Then his smile dipped, and he looked down at his sad cone. “But I already ate a lot of mine.”
“That’s okay. Austin and I still have ours almost all intact. And it’s obvious that you did have three scoops at one time. We’ll just get all of them in the picture, okay?” It couldn’t have gone better if I had planned it in advance. I pulled out my cell phone and held out my arm. “Okay. Let’s all squish in,” I motioned to Austin and Luca who were on either side of me. They both did as they were told. Once we were all in the frame, our ice cream cones positioned in front of us, I snapped the picture. Then I took a couple more just to be safe.
“Okay, Miss Selfie Queen,” Austin said, pulling back. “Let’s eat our ice cream before it melts. Besides, I don’t want to get sucked into your selfie lifestyle.” He glanced down at Luca. “Pretty soon she’ll have us doing duck faces.”
Luca giggled. “No way.”
“No way is right,” Austin agreed.
While they continued to tease me about my selfie addiction, I relished in the fact that I now had three very good pictures of Austin in my cell phone.
EIGHT
“You weren’t kidding,” Grace gushed into the phone. “He’s gorgeous.”
Warmth spread through my belly. “I told you.”
“I know,” Grace said. “Wow. I’m so jealous that you get to spend all summer with that beach hunk.”
I giggled at her calling him a beach hunk. Austin may have been good looking, but I didn’t think he’d like Grace’s nickname for him. While Grace continued to go on and on about the picture I sent, I ran a brush through my hair and swiped some gloss on my lips.
“Are you even paying attention to me?” Grace said. “Or are you busy daydreaming?”
“Sorry.” I rubbed my lips together. “I’m just getting ready. Austin and I are seeing a movie today.”
“A movie?”
“Yeah.” I dropped the lip gloss into my purse.
“Do you think he’s going to make his move?”
I wish . “I told you we’re just friends. Besides, it’s not like we’re seeing something romantic. He’s taking me to that new superhero movie.”
“Trust me, Mina. Guys don’t take a girl to the movies unless they’re interested in them,” she said in that condescending tone she sometimes used. “I know a little more about guys than you do.”
“Oh, yeah?” I bristled. “Because of your two boyfriends in junior high?” A chuckle escaped through my lips. “Yeah, you’re right. You’re totally the experienced one.”
Silence filled the line, and shame washed over me. Why had I said that? She was already having a bad summer, and then I’d thrown that in her face. What was wrong with me?
“Grace, I didn’t mean--”
“No,” she cut me off. “It’s fine. You’re right. Have fun with Austin today.”
“Grace,” I started, but it was too late. She’d already hung up.
Groaning, I quickly shot her off a text.
Me: Grace, I’m so sorry. I never should’ve said that. You are more experienced than me.
Holding the phone in my palm, I waited for
But Austin stopped me with his free hand. “Just for the record, ordering three scoops of vanilla doesn’t mean I’m boring. It means I know what I want, and I’m not afraid to ask for it.”
His words, coupled with the intensity of his stare, caused a shudder to ripple through me. However, when his easy smile returned, I decided I’d read too much into it. Clearly, it was just another one of his philosophies on life he loved to share.
When Austin and I joined Luca, his eyes widened. “You did get the cone, Mina!”
“Yeah.” I pointed to Austin. “Someone talked me into it.”
“Man, no one back home is ever going to believe that I ate this much ice cream,” Luca said, peering up at me. “And they’re definitely not going to believe you did.”
It was then that the idea struck. “Then why don’t we get a picture to prove it?”
“Yeah.” Luca nodded. Then his smile dipped, and he looked down at his sad cone. “But I already ate a lot of mine.”
“That’s okay. Austin and I still have ours almost all intact. And it’s obvious that you did have three scoops at one time. We’ll just get all of them in the picture, okay?” It couldn’t have gone better if I had planned it in advance. I pulled out my cell phone and held out my arm. “Okay. Let’s all squish in,” I motioned to Austin and Luca who were on either side of me. They both did as they were told. Once we were all in the frame, our ice cream cones positioned in front of us, I snapped the picture. Then I took a couple more just to be safe.
“Okay, Miss Selfie Queen,” Austin said, pulling back. “Let’s eat our ice cream before it melts. Besides, I don’t want to get sucked into your selfie lifestyle.” He glanced down at Luca. “Pretty soon she’ll have us doing duck faces.”
Luca giggled. “No way.”
“No way is right,” Austin agreed.
While they continued to tease me about my selfie addiction, I relished in the fact that I now had three very good pictures of Austin in my cell phone.
EIGHT
“You weren’t kidding,” Grace gushed into the phone. “He’s gorgeous.”
Warmth spread through my belly. “I told you.”
“I know,” Grace said. “Wow. I’m so jealous that you get to spend all summer with that beach hunk.”
I giggled at her calling him a beach hunk. Austin may have been good looking, but I didn’t think he’d like Grace’s nickname for him. While Grace continued to go on and on about the picture I sent, I ran a brush through my hair and swiped some gloss on my lips.
“Are you even paying attention to me?” Grace said. “Or are you busy daydreaming?”
“Sorry.” I rubbed my lips together. “I’m just getting ready. Austin and I are seeing a movie today.”
“A movie?”
“Yeah.” I dropped the lip gloss into my purse.
“Do you think he’s going to make his move?”
I wish . “I told you we’re just friends. Besides, it’s not like we’re seeing something romantic. He’s taking me to that new superhero movie.”
“Trust me, Mina. Guys don’t take a girl to the movies unless they’re interested in them,” she said in that condescending tone she sometimes used. “I know a little more about guys than you do.”
“Oh, yeah?” I bristled. “Because of your two boyfriends in junior high?” A chuckle escaped through my lips. “Yeah, you’re right. You’re totally the experienced one.”
Silence filled the line, and shame washed over me. Why had I said that? She was already having a bad summer, and then I’d thrown that in her face. What was wrong with me?
“Grace, I didn’t mean--”
“No,” she cut me off. “It’s fine. You’re right. Have fun with Austin today.”
“Grace,” I started, but it was too late. She’d already hung up.
Groaning, I quickly shot her off a text.
Me: Grace, I’m so sorry. I never should’ve said that. You are more experienced than me.
Holding the phone in my palm, I waited for
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