“If you’d told me that a week ago, I might not’ve believed you.”
“But you do today?”
I nodded, resting both hands flat on the front of his chest, my elbows touching his ribs. I needed to stand on my toes a little to feel like he could hear me talk without my having to yell, but that only made my lips come up to his chin; not close enough to lean forward and steal a kiss. “I’m glad my dad told you, David—about my mom. I think I’ve decided I’m not going to yell at him. I mean, he was just doing what he thought was best for me, right?”
“He didn’t really mean to tell me, Ara. That wasn’t his intention. I lead him into it.”
My smile twisted up with a frown and I shook my head. “Is that why he gave you the touch-my-daughter-and-you-die speech?”
David’s eyes narrowed a little as he cleared his throat. “He never gave me that speech.”
“But, in History class, he—you said he—”
He shook his head once, a suppressed grin creeping up into his eyes. “I lied.”
I dropped my arms to my sides. “I told my dad off, you know, for giving you that speech? And worse, he played along. How could you two just conspire against me like that?”
David laughed aloud, tilting his head back so his canines showed. “I’m sorry.” He shook his head, failing to subdue his amusement. “I shouldn’t laugh. But you’re just so funny when you get on a heated rant. I love it when you do that.” He pointed to my hands wedged firmly on my hips; I dropped them.
“So what was my dad saying that day?”
“He asked me to keep an eye on you, since I already knew why you were here, and you had apparently taken a liking to me.” He combed a fingertip though my hair and swept it back behind my ear. “And I told him I had absolutely no intention of letting you out of my sight.”
Hmph! “Well, it’s nice to know he approves of you. But how’d he know I liked you?”
“Something about sultanas and grapes?” David’s dark brows pulled together.
I laughed, thinking of Dad’s weird teacher lingo. And then, so many other things suddenly seemed to fit together, like a three dimensional puzzle that I assumed was only two. “So, when you said you didn’t know he was my dad, that day after History class?”
David’s smile slipped away. “He asked me to keep it from you that I even knew your name.”
I nodded slowly. “I wondered how you knew it was Ara-Rose—in the library, because no one here knew that until after History class. You sneaky little thing.” I pointed at him.
He reached down and took only my fingertips in his delicate grasp. “I’m sorry I deceived you. I meant no ill intent.”
“It’s in the past, David.”
“So, you’re not still mad at me?”
“I’m incapable of being mad at you. Well, for long anyway.” I smiled, drawing my shoulder up to my ear. “I’m glad you talked to my dad. If you hadn’t, we’d never’ve met, and I would’ve wished every day that we did.”
“Not possible. You’re not the kind of girl I could ever just pass in the street, Ara. I would’ve seen you eventually, and it would only have been a matter of time until I made myself a part of your life after that.” He cupped his hand over the side of my neck. “Tragic past or none, we would’ve ended up friends.”
“Ara-Rose!” a high-pitched and rather cross voice called from behind. Vicki stood on the back porch, her hand on her hip, still clutching a dishcloth. “Get some clothes on, please.”
“Oh my God!” I covered my chest with my forearms. “Why didn’t you tell me I was still in my pyjamas?”
David grinned, looking at my tiny pink shorts and white tank top. “Relax. You look adorable.”
“Adorable?” I said, making myself smaller. “I’m not even wearing a bra.”
He took my hand and we walked toward the house. “Yes, I noticed that.”
“What’s this one?” David called out.
“What’s what one?” I called back from my wardrobe.
“The playlist called Mike?”
“Hey! Are you snooping through my iPod?”
“Of course.”
My eyes narrowed.
“So, why do you have a playlist named for a guy?”
“Oh, it’s just all the music that makes me think of him. You know, the fun we had, that kind of thing.” I shrugged and shimmied out of my bed shorts.
“Should I be worried? There’s no David list.”
“Not yet.” I smiled to myself, glad I saved that one as Night Fantasy—deliberately leaving off the K.
“Hm, this Night Fantasy one looks awfully suspicious.” I could actually hear the grin in his tone; I wanted to throw something at him.
“Hey, don’t look at that list.” I pulled my dress over my head quickly.
“There are a lot of sad songs on here, Ara. I hope this isn’t my playlist.”
“What if it is?” I said, stepping back out into my room.
My gorgeous boyfriend docked the iPod and a ‘David’ song came on. “Because it gives me the impression that you think I don’t like you.”
“Then, maybe, after yesterday, I need to make a new list.”
“Yes. I would say so.” He turned to face me and his mouth fell open. “Ara, that colour is beautiful on you.” He practically floated over to me. “It really brings out the pinks in your skin.”
I flattened the front of my cotton dress, closing my eyes when he ran the back of his finger over my cheekbone. “Emerald green,” I muttered, getting lost in the way the tingle of his touch made my teeth feel numb. “It’s one of my new favourite colours.”
“One of? What’s your favourite, then?”
“Yellow.”
“Any reason for that?”
“It’s a happy colour. The colour of the sun.” I opened my eyes. “I just refuse to think everything in life has to be all dark and gloomy all the time. So, I like yellow,” I said. “What about you? What’s your favourite colour?”
He stared at me for a moment, smiling as he looked down at my mouth, then back into my eyes—catching them in a breathless hold. “Sapphire.”
“Why sapphire?”
“Because, since I met you, I’ve seen nothing but magic in the world.” He gently moved his cold fingers from my cheekbone to the nape of my neck. “You might say that sapphire represents the blue of a brighter horizon—a life I never imagined.”