Page 31 of Handsome
He pointed to a side table and said, “You haven’t opened the drawer.”
For a second, I wondered if there was a diamond ring in there. I opened it and realized the box was too long for that. But my eyes were wide as I asked him, “What’s this?”
He nodded for me to open it. I took it out, and tears burned my eyelids as he said, “You only had one piece of jewelry in your room, so I had it reset.”
It was only a tree, but it was from the one person who had loved me. I wiped my cheeks and said, “It was… my grandmother’s. She wore it every day, and I bought it back from the pawnshop my mother sold it to but wasn't able to get there before they stripped it down.”
He took out the pendant and put it in my hand. “Did my jeweler get any of the stones wrong?”
Grandma hadn’t been able to afford much, and my mother hadn’t given her a second thought when she sold all her treasures right after she died. With my fingertip, I traced the probably-diamonds now embedded in the setting and said, “These are probably nicer than what she had. Thank you.”
I pivoted, and he clasped it around my neck.
The small pendant of a tree illuminated when light reflected against the stones. And his breath on my skin fed the desire gathering in my core.
He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and said, “Tonight we sleep on the ship. Tomorrow we’ll be on the island.”
I turned and gazed up at his mouth. I was willing to bet he was a better kisser than I’d ever experienced. My lips tingled to find out as I said, “Looking forward to it.”
Then Joshua cried. I let out an almost-spoiled sigh and said, “There's our cue.”
He nodded and let me leave first. I knew eventually I’d have to tell him how I was wrong for him and why he’d be better off without me. I’d never told a soul my truth, but if I kept talking the way I did when I was around him, I’d probably reveal my secret.
12
Sarah
Joshua and Cyrus were bonding while he fed him the bottle, so I dashed off to take a quick shower. The shower was smaller than my apartment stall, but I managed. It was nice to be clean, and the selection of soaps smelled heavenly.
Once done, I felt like a new person, and chose white linen pants and a teal blue shirt. Then I slipped my oval tree necklace on and glanced out the porthole.
Water was everywhere.
I bounced on my feet and darted to the main interior deck.
Being near Cyrus was nice. It was like I wasn’t alone, even though we had nothing in common. He beckoned me in and said, “MamanandPedarwant to talk to you too.”
My heart thumped as I asked, “Me?”
He nodded like it was normal and then pointed behind him and said, “And can you bring the teapot?”
There was a tea kettle. I grabbed two cups and the kettle and took the space next to him on the loveseat.
On his computer screen were his parents. For a moment it was like I was part of his world, his family. I could feel my heart lift and a smile break out as I said, “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Norouzi.”
His mother shook her head and said, “Sarah, please call me Roxanne, and call my husband Parvis.”
That was her name. My face felt hot. I hadn’t been sure, but I nodded and said, “Okay.”
“So how are your sea legs?” his father asked.
I looked down at myself and asked, “Was something supposed to be wrong with my legs?”
Cyrus glanced at my pants too.
His mother said, “No, dear. Some people get sick at sea. It was an expression.”
I met Cyrus’s gaze and my heart thumped. For a second, I forgot we were talking, but then I reached for my necklace and played with it while I said, “It’s nicer than riding the train. The sound is soothing.”
