Page 107 of Fraud
“Killian,” I said, “you need to row with me. Watch what I do.”
He did, and after a few minutes, he managed to get a teensy bit better. We’d at least made some progress, and we were now a safe distance from land.
“Wait until I get you in my city, babe,” he said behind me as we continued to row along the harbor.
“I can’t wait!” I replied even though I had no idea when that would be. The idea of getting on a plane made me nauseous, and I wasn’t sure he’d want to drive all the way across the country.
“I’ve always wanted to see the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty and—”
“That’s not New York.” He shook his head.
“Those are locations in New York, are they not?”
“Sure, but that stuff is for tourists.”
“And I would be?”
“An honored guest.”
“An honored guest who wants to see the Statue of Liberty,” I argued. “Come on! I’ve been to New York once when I visited Jane at her home during our sophomore year, and she did the same thing. She didn’t want to be caught dead at the Empire State Building with all those fanny-pack-carrying tourists.”
“What the hell is a fanny pack?” he asked, causing me to stop rowing.
“How could you grow up in the nineties and not know what a fanny pack is?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’m a dude.”
“Fair enough. Fanny packs are those horrible purselike things people wear around their hips. I seem to remember my mom having a hot-pink one when I was little. Jane considers it a personal insult to the institute of fashion.”
“So, it’s not on her list of must-haves then?”
I laughed. “Definitely not.”
“Well, I guess, if my girl wants to see the Empire State Building, I should be the one to take her. I mean, I can’t guarantee I won’t be wearing a fanny pack though. They sound ingenious.”
Turning, I splashed water at him with my hand. “And the Statue of Liberty.”
He shook his head, water going everywhere. “Only if, afterward, I can show you what real pizza tastes like.”
“Fine.”
A wolfish grin spread across his face. “And hot dogs? I know the perfect place. But you have to order it the way I do.”
“And how’s that?” I asked just before he splashed me back. Water ran down my face, soaking my bikini top.
“I can’t tell you now. You won’t want to wait.”
“No offense,” I said, his eyes watching my every move, “but I’ve never been too keen on hot dogs.”
“That’s because you’ve never had a good one.”
I didn’t think either of us was paying any attention to the conversation anymore. All our focus had been deferred to each other’s hands. Any tiny movement would cause me to tense up, ready to either defend myself or prepare myself for a heated water battle.
“A good hot dog?” I asked, seeing his hand shake.
“Right.”
We both struck at the same time, launching our attacks in perfect succession. I laughed as my face was pelted with water, but still, I kept going, splashing him without letting up.
