Page 52 of Nights at Seaside
“Well, I think Sawyer is the P-town poet.” She crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
“And?”
“I asked him if he was and he said no.” She grabbed the napkins and papers and read them again before setting them back in the basket. “And that one on the napkin?” She pointed to the napkin on top of the pile. “That’s what he said to me the other night. Those exact same words.”
“What are you worried about, Sky? That he’s hiding that he likes to write poetry?”
“No. It’s just…Why would he hide something like this?”
“This is why I don’t date. Weird stuff comes up and then everything falls apart over notes in a basket.” Blue reached for his tools. “He doesn’t seem like he’s the kind of guy who’s hiding anything. Show him the papers and ask him about them. It seems like a simple thing.”
“I’m going to, but I asked him already.”
“I don’t know, Sky, but if you’re having trouble with his fightingandyou don’t trust him—”
“I totally trust him!” She grabbed the basket again, knowing she wasn’t making any sense, but she had to know if the man she was falling for was the same man who wrote all the beautiful sayings she’d been saving for two years.
“Then why are you questioning this? If he said he’s not the guy, he’s not the guy.” He reached for the back door. “I have to run. Lizzie asked me to come by and fix a leak in her roof.”
“She did? Good. Go.” She shooed him toward the door.
“Don’t get any ideas. It’s a leaky roof, that’s it.”
“Yeah, and I’m going to walk away from Sawyer,” she said sarcastically.
“So youarereally into him!”
“Geez, Blue. Guys are so slow sometimes.Of courseI’m totally into him. I told you Ireallyliked him. Otherwise why would I care if he told me the truth about being the P-town poet or not? Now, go see Lizzie, and tell her I said hi.”
“You’re bossy when you’ve got a boyfriend.”
She blew him a kiss, closed the door, and leaned her back against it. The basket sat on the counter, taunting her with the little slips of paper and crumpled napkins. She snagged it and headed out to her car.
An hour later, freshly showered and wrapped in a towel, Sky stood in the cottage with Bella, Amy, and Jenna, staring into her closet.
“Everything is long and flowing,” Bella said as she flicked one of Sky’s skirts.
“That’s what I like to wear.” Sky took a skirt from the rack and held it up against her. “The miniskirt I wore today isn’t long or flowing. I could wear that.”
“But it doesn’t sayTell me all your secrets, does it?” Jenna asked. “Why don’t you wear this?” She held up a black silk tank top.
“I love that. And what skirt?” Sky asked.
“Just the shirt!” Jenna said, holding it up against her pregnant belly. “Look, it comes to my thighs. We want answers, and the best way to do that is by being ultrasexy so he can’t think about what he’s saying.”
Sky held the shirt up in front of herself. “It comes to your thighs because you’re four foot eleven. I’m not. This would barely cover my coochie.”
“Even better,” Jenna teased.
“No. No way. I’m not going to get answers by flashing my naughty bits.”
“At least you’re not wearing Hello Kitty shirts,” Amy said. “They had a field day with my clothes when Tony and I finally got together, remember? Luckily, he likes me best with no clothes on.” She leaned in close and whispered, “Saves on clothing expenditures, too.”
Sky grabbed a black miniskirt. “This will work, with a few long necklaces and my bangles, don’t you think?”
Jenna rolled an assessing eye over the dark outfit. “I like it. It’s sexy, but with your accessories it’ll be understated enough that he won’t feel like he’s under attack.”
“Says the girl who wanted me to go with no bottoms,” Sky said.
