“You didn’t tell me your aunt and uncle had a hot neighbor.” Brian frowned slightly.
“I didn’t know. I mean, she isn’t. Or wasn’t, when we were little.” Carey stammered over his words.
Brian sighed and walked up to the house.
“Brian, wait. I was just surprised is all. It’s not like I like her. We’ve known each other since we were like ten.”
“Why did you call me your friend?”
“You are my friend,” Carey said. “I’ve been introducing you to people that way all our lives.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“She’s really nice. You’ll like her. Even though she’s our age, she hung out with Michelle more. She probably won’t even want to hang out with us.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Brian, I thought we both sort of agreed not to show off our relationship while we’re here. I don’t know what the people are like, and I don’t want Dina and Rob to get any flak about us.”
Brian nodded.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m going to lie about it either. I held your hand on the beach, didn’t I? I didn’t mean anything by calling you my friend.”
Smiling, Brian said, “All right. Let’s go in. I really want one of those cheese pockets.”
Carey raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to have carbs for breakfast?”
“Hey, I’m on vacation.”
When they got into the house, Dina was brewing a pot of coffee and setting out the pastries on a plate. Harold and Maude ran to them barking and jumping up.
“Oh, I thought you boys were still sleeping,” Dina said.
“We got up to see the sunrise,” Carey told her. “I forgot to bring my phone, though. We’ll have to get up early again sometime so I can take pictures.”
“Looks like a beautiful day,” she commented. “What do you want to do? Go surfing or just relax on the beach.”
“Actually, I saw Jen this morning. She said she would help us tomorrow morning,” Carey said. “Why don’t we just relax today.”
“Okay,” Dina said. “I’ll bet you didn’t recognize Jen. No more braces, and she seems to have lost all of her baby fat surfing. She looks like a young woman now.”
“Yeah,” Carey said uncomfortably.
The coffee maker beeped, and she poured herself a cup.
“Help yourselves,” she offered. “Or there’s orange juice and milk.”
Carey took a mug and poured himself a cup, while Brian opted for milk. They ate pastries at the breakfast bar, staring out at the bay.
“Oh,” Dina started. “I might have to go in for a few hours one day next week. I’m closing a deal and the buyer wants it done as soon as possible.”
“Okay. I’m sure we’ll be fine on our own for a little while,” Carey said. He tried to sound casual, but the thought of being alone with Brian, even for only a little while was appealing.
“So, you’re a real estate agent?” Brian asked.
“Yep. Not very glamorous.”
“What does Mr. Wilkins do?”
“Please, call us Rob and Dina,” she said. “He’s the Finance Director for the town.”
“Oh,” Brian’s brow furrowed. “Is that a . . . good job?”
“He likes it, I guess,” she answered. “He was a CPA before that.”
“But, this must be a really expensive house.”
“Brian,” Carey nudged him.
Dina laughed. “You’re wondering how we can afford it. Well, we definitely couldn’t if it weren’t for Rob’s grandparents. They had this built about fifteen years ago, plus a vacation home up in Cape Cod. Unfortunately, they both passed away a few years after and left the houses to Rob and his brother. They were the only grandchildren.”
“Oh.”
“Rob’s grandfather made a patent for some sort of medical device and made a fortune. They invested wisely and became millionaires. They used to travel a lot until his grandmother wasn’t able to easily anymore. So, they built the homes for their vacations.”
“Did you choose this one, or did they leave it to you?” Brian asked.
“I think they knew Rob loved this area. He was the one who talked them into building here. His brother was already living up in New England, so they left the Cape house to them. I’m pretty sure they chose those spots to be close to Rob and Charlie. We visited them here as often as we could.”
“That’s really nice. I mean, it’s a shame they didn’t get to enjoy the house themselves that long. But it’s nice that it has good memories. Not to mention, a fabulous view,” Brian mused.
Dina laughed at his gestures and his choice of words. “You’re right. Don and Rita were so nice.”
Carey and Brian spent the day on the beach with Dina and Rob reading, swimming and looking for more shells. Even though he wore sunscreen, Carey’s nose got a little burnt, along with his shoulders. That night, Brian gently rubbed some aloe vera onto the burned areas. It wasn’t meant to be sensual or sexual in any way, but Carey found himself trying hard to think of other things while Brian’s hands caressed his skin. The pair hadn’t ever been alone long enough to do more than kiss, and Carey was beginning to understand why his parents had so many house rules in place. He didn’t know if he trusted himself at that point.
Chapter 15
Early the next morning, Jen knocked on the Wilkins’ door for the boys. Carey and Brian grabbed Dina and Rob’s borrowed boards, and the three of them headed for the beach.
While the boys wore only trunks and t-shirts, Jen had her wet suit on again.
“Is the water going to be cold?” Brian asked.
“Not really. It won’t be any colder than it was yesterday. I just wear this out of habit.”
She gave them a small lesson on how to sit on their boards, and how to get to a standing position. They both got the general idea of when to catch a wave, but it was much easier said than done. The only way for them to practice was to get out into the water and try. Carey had been right. Brian was much better at popping up on the board and staying there. By the end of their first session, he had actually been able to ride a couple of waves in. Carey wiped out almost every time.
“I give up,” Carey said, sitting on the longboard. “I’m getting out.”
“Oh, don’t give up. You’re getting better. Not as good as him . . .” Jen jerked a thumb in Brian’s direction.
He was paddling back out to catch another wave.
“That’s okay. You two keep going. I’m gonna watch for a while.”
He paddled all the way out and brought the board to the towels they had laid out. He got a water bottle out of the small cooler they brought and drank half of it down in one go.
The grin never left Brian’s face as he played among the waves. He and Jen spoke occasionally, though Carey couldn’t hear what they were saying. It made him happy that they were getting along. The last thing he wanted was for Brian to be jealous. He had no reason. Sitting and watching him, Carey felt a flutter in his belly he’d never felt for anyone else.
Eventually, Jen and Brian tired of surfing and joined Carey on the towels.
“You really did great Brian,” Jen said. “Are you sure you’ve never been surfing before?”
Brian laughed. “No, I swear. I have good balance, I guess.”
“You have excellent balance,” she concurred.
“He’s a dancer,” Carey said. “I bet that’s why he’s so good at this.”
“You are?” Jen turned to Brian. “That’s cool.”
Carey got two more water bottles out of the cooler intending to give them to Jen and Brian. In the meantime, Brian had taken off his shirt and stood in his low-slung swim trunks. His hair had begun to dry in a mass of curls, thanks to the humidity and saltwater. Carey noticed that he wasn’t the only one staring.
“Here you go,” he said, practically shoving the water bottle in Jen’s face.
She gasped, then thanked him and drank it.
They sat for a while t
alking. Mostly it was Brian and Jen doing the talking. Carey was busy pouting to himself. He knew it was ridiculous. Brian had no interest in her whatsoever. And apparently, she was blatantly ignoring any of Brian’s mannerisms that gave away his sexual orientation. Not that he could blame her. No matter what gender, anyone was going to be looking at Brian.
Jen invited the boys to go to the beach park with her and her friend Katie. They were planning to play tennis, and maybe basketball. The boys agreed and went back to Dina’s to shower first.
When they met back up in the driveway after lunch, Jen looked ready to play some serious sports, wearing basketball shorts and a baggy sleeveless tee. Her hair was still up in a braided bun like she wore to surf.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Should we get our bikes?” Carey asked.
“It’s about a mile. We can walk. Besides, it’ll be hard to ride with racquets and a basketball.”
“Yeah. Aunt Dina had a couple of old ones,” Carey said. “Good enough for us, I’m sure. Unless you’re a secret tennis star, too,” he said to Brian. He said it with a little more bite than he meant to, and Brian shot him a look.
“Sorry,” Carey said. “I knew you’d be better than me. Just not that much better.”
“Would it help if I missed the ball on purpose?” Brian teased.
Carey shoved him, but playfully. Brian shoved back and ran when Carey began to retaliate. He started to chase, then stopped suddenly.
“Brian, be careful!”
Brian turned around. “What’s wrong?”
“I . . . I didn’t want you to run into the street.”
“I wasn’t going to,” Brian frowned.
Jen watched the exchange in confusion.
“He got hit by a car earlier this year,” Carey explained. “Someone was chasing him, and he ran into the parking lot to get away. He broke his arm.”
“Oh,” Jen said, understanding Carey’s concern. “Only the residents drive on this road. And not very fast.”
“I’m not a baby,” Brian pouted.
“I’m sorry,” Carey apologized, embarrassed for his overprotectiveness.
“Let’s just go,” Brian said.
Carey walked behind Jen and Brian as they traveled the narrow walkway for pedestrians. He felt as if he kept saying the wrong thing and was ruining their vacation. And he really did want Jen and Brian to get along. However, he was jealous, and he couldn’t help himself.
They met Jen’s friend Katie at the park. She was a short girl with strawberry blonde hair cut shorter in the back than in front. With green eyes, freckles and a button nose, she reminded Carey of a pixie. She was nice enough, he supposed, but she was somewhat loud and laughed a little too much.
Since the girls were fairly experienced at tennis, and the boys were not, they split into mixed teams. Jen and Brian partnered up, while Carey felt stuck with Katie. The only good thing was that she was a better tennis player than Jen, so they won both games.
Taking a break on the benches, Katie questioned the boys about living up in Pennsylvania. She had some pretty funny ideas that it was practically a tundra there. At one point she made a comparison of hers and Carey’s pale skin, though hers was covered in freckles. He was extremely uncomfortable when she gently touched his sunburned nose and told him she had the best burn cream for it, if he wanted. It was too intimate a touch for someone he’d just met.
After that, they tried their hand at basketball. Again, she and Carey partnered up, but since she was so short and not very good, they lost terribly to Jen and Brian. And again, Carey found himself feeling jealous of the other pair. They high-fived after each basket, mainly made by Jen.
Regardless of his attempts to dissuade Katie’s attention, she insisted that the four of them get together again. Reluctantly, Carey agreed to meet them the following night for dinner.
They parted ways with Katie and walked back to South Harbor Island sweaty and exhausted.
“Do you guys want to surf again in the morning?” Jen asked. “I don’t have to work until one o’clock.”
“Yeah,” Brian answered enthusiastically. Carey didn’t say anything.
“Great. Same time, okay?” Jen waved as she walked into her house.
“That was fun,” Brian said, plopping himself on the couch.
“For everybody else,” Carey grumbled. He took a seat on the chair and a half.
“You didn’t have fun?”
“I don’t really want to waste my vacation time with that girl Katie.”
“Then why did you say you’d go?” Brian questioned.
Carey shrugged. “Because everybody else said they wanted to go. And I didn’t want to be a party pooper.”
Brian smiled. “She wasn’t that bad. You were right about Jen though, she’s great.”
“Her, I don’t mind hanging out with. Although I’m beginning to regret not telling her you’re my boyfriend, so she doesn’t think you can be hers.”
Brian laughed out loud. “She doesn’t think that.”
“You didn’t see the way she was checking you out at the beach.”
“Maybe not. But she saw the way I was checking you out.”
“What?” Carey sat up.
Brian blushed, as much as could been seen through the natural tint in his skin. “You had gotten up to jump in the water before we left the beach, and I guess I watched a little longer than I should have. She just gave me a funny look and a little smile, but she didn’t say anything.”
“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Carey pointed out.
“I’m pretty sure she knows. On my end, at least. Maybe she thinks I have a secret thing for you.”
“That’s ironic,” Carey chuckled.
Dina came downstairs, dogs at her feet. “Have fun?”
“Yeah, it was okay. We’re going to go to that seafood place you told us about tomorrow night with them.”
“Oh, good. That’s sounds like fun,” she said. “I’m glad you’re all getting along.”
Dina went into the kitchen and began taking out ingredients from the refrigerator.
“Do you boys like cacciatore?”
Brian said yes, but Carey shrugged.
“Doesn’t Jeannie make cacciatore for you? It was one of my favorites that Grammy made.”
“Maybe. What’s in it?” Carey asked.
“Chicken, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, green olives and some spices. You put it over rice.”
“Dad doesn’t like peppers. I guess that’s why she doesn’t make it.”
“Well, that’s what we’re having for dinner tonight.”
“That sounds great,” Brian said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Do you know how to chop peppers?”
“In squares or strips?”
“I like strips for this.” She handed him a cutting board, knife, four green peppers and a bowl. “Thanks, Brian. Do you help your mom out in the kitchen?”
“Sometimes.”
Carey wandered in as well. “I can do something,” he offered.
“Here, you do mushrooms. Take the stems off and slice them. This is great, having two helpers. I could get used to this,” Dina grinned. “Slave labor. You can slice the olives after that.”
“It’s the least we could do,” Carey said.
In no time, prep was finished and the cacciatore was simmering on the stove. After showering again, the boys hung out for a while in Carey’s room, with the door open, as per house rules. Carey apologized again for acting overprotective of Brian. But Brian told him he kind of liked it.
“Your nose looks a little better,” Brian said, rubbing his own nose against it.
Carey swiftly pulled him into a kiss and rolled on top of him.
“Carey, your aunt is going to see,” Brian mumbled against his mouth.
“I can’t help it.”
They kissed a few minutes, fingers tangling in one another’s hair, before Brian heard a creaking noise on the steps and pushed
Carey away. Trying not to look as though they were making out, Brian and Carey were sitting on the bed when Dina told them dinner was ready.
“That was close,” Carey whispered in Brian’s ear as they walked down the stairs.
Rather than go to the pier, they decided to stay in that night and rent a movie to watch with Dina and Rob. Rob appeared slightly uneasy as the boys settled into the chair-and-a-half together with their legs intertwined on the extra-large matching ottoman. Dina nudged Rob.
“They’re fine,” she whispered. “They’re cute together.”
Rob rolled his eyes. It wasn’t simply that two boys were canoodling on his chair, he didn’t want anybody getting too cozy in front of him. But Rob had to admit that the boys behaved themselves during the entire film.
Rob stood and stretched his lengthy arms out. “I’m going to bed,” he announced.
Maude lifted her head, as if cued. Harold jumped up and trotted to the stairs. The dogs slept with Dina and Rob every night, running upstairs after Rob’s proclamation.
“You coming, Dina?”
“Yeah. I just want to put the chips and dip away.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Carey offered. “Is it okay if we sit on the patio for a little bit?”
“Sure. Don’t be too loud, though.”
Carey got up and cleaned the small mess they made getting snacks together for the movie. Brian put the dip in the fridge. Then the two of them went out the sliding glass door to sit and listen to the sounds of the bay.
It was eerily quiet when they first got out there. Then, slowly, creatures began to go about the business they were doing before the noise of the sliders sent them hiding.
They heard the sounds of what they assumed were frogs, toads, and crickets. And something that sounded a little like a spooky owl. Carey couldn’t help giggling at the look on Brian’s face. His eyes were wide, and he looked about ready to run inside.
“Shut up,” Brian whispered. “You were scared too.”
“No, I wasn’t. Want to walk onto the pier?”
Brian pointed. “That tiny little thing, in the dark? Haven’t you seen any horror films?”
Carey laughed again and covered his mouth.
“It’s so peaceful out here,” he said after a few minutes of silence. “I wonder what it’s like in the winter.”
Brian and Carey Page 16