White Chocolate Moments (14 page)

"I'll think about it."

"And I want Violet to come:'

Sam stared at her again. He was going to keep teasing her, but it occurred to him how few demands she made on him. Why had he never seen that before now?

"Anything else, my lady?" Sam asked to cover what he was really feeling.

Arcineh grinned. "I'll let you know:'

"Go on, get out of here:' Sam shooed her away, but she had made him think By the end of the day he'd booked three flights for Hawaii,

118

something he did not share with Arcineh. He called Violet so she could get the dates on her calendar, and he even told her the biggest surprise of all: They would be going in October to celebrate Arcineh's sixteenth birthday.

"Brody!" Arcineh started when she walked into the break room to check on the coffeepot. "Do you work here?"

"I just started:'

Arcineh nodded.

"How long have you worked here?" Brody asked, trying not to stare. Arcineh always looked so good.

"This is my second summer:'

"Wow, you started when you were 14?"

"Well, my grandfather--" Arcineh began, but Brody cut back

in.

"Bryant!' He looked as amazed as he felt. "I never made the connection:'

Arcineh smiled at him before asking, "What do they have you doing?"

"For now I'm shadowing Mr. Nelson:'

"How did you get the job?"

"Mason is my grandfather's neighbor:'

"Mason is so nice:'

"Yes, he is," Brody agreed, thinking he could sit here all day and talk to Arcineh. He hadn't been thrilled when his father talked to his grandfather and arranged this, but things were suddenly looking up.

"How do you feel about Brody these days?" Arcineh asked Daisy

119

on the weekend. The two were on air mattresses in the pool, bikinis and sunglasses in place.

"I'm over him. I mean, I would have liked to see if it could work,

but who wants a guy who isn't crazy about her? Not me."

Arcineh listened for notes of sincerity and heard plenty before

saying, "He's working at Bryant."

"You've seen him?"

"I talked to him twice this week:'

Daisy sighed. "He's so good-looking:'

"He is nice-looking, but I'm not into blonds:'

"You like dark hair? I didn't know that."

"That's because I don't fall in and out of love every nine-and-ahalf minutes."

"I don't do that anymore."

"You just told me you were over Brody, and then you sighed about his looks."

"But I'm still over him. I just think he's gorgeous."

The conversation swayed away from Brody for a moment, but Daisy suddenly jumped back without warning.

"Listen, Arcie! If Brody asks you out and you want to go, go!" "He's not going to:' Arcineh assured her.

"You don't know that:'

"I know what it's like at work. Everyone fears my grandfather. The last thing they would do is show interest in me."

"So you don't get to flirt or anything?"

"Except for Brody, they're all too old. But they look."

"I'll bet they do:' Daisy said sincerely.

Arcineh looked over to find Daisy peering at her over the top of her sunglasses. Arcineh flicked water at her, and they both laughed. That settled, they went back to the topic of boys and then clothing and shoes for the rest of the afternoon.

120

"So how about a movie this weekend?" Brody finally got up the nerve to ask as the summer sped by.

Arcineh turned to look at the young man behind her, emotions flooding her brain. She had never been on a date and wasn't sure she wanted her first to be with Brody, but she found herself wanting to say yes.

"What movie?" Arcineh asked, making herself move cautiously. "Well, I'd like to see
Independence Day
or
Mission Impossible,
but if

your grandfather objects to those, there's also
The Nutty Professor"
"If that was supposed to be charming" Arcineh told him, "you

missed the door by a long shot."

"What did I say?" Brody laughed a little over the way her arms crossed and her head tipped in irritation.

"You think I'm a baby"

"Not a baby" Brody countered swiftly. "Let's just say--" he hesitated, trying to find a word that wouldn't get him in trouble. "Let's just say you're protected."

Arcineh opened her mouth to object and closed it again. Brody tried not to even smile, but it didn't work. A low laugh escaped him.

"I am protected" Arcineh said with a small laugh of her own, confident enough to just admit it. "But my grandfather's not unreasonable:'

"So you'll go?"

"Sure. I think
Independence Day
looks interesting"

"Friday night?"

"All right."

"I'll check the times and get back to you."

"I have a dance performance on Saturday, so early works better than later for me."

"So home by..." Brody let the sentence hang.

"Probably 10:30-11:00 at the latest."

"Okay" Brody heard himself agreeing. He'd not been home before

121

1 A.M. on a Friday night in the last year, but this was a date with Arcineh Bryant, and in circumstances like that, you just didn't argue.

gigo

"I have a date on Friday night:' Arcineh told Sam in the car on the way home.

"A date?"

"Yeah. Brody asked me to a movie:"

"The kid that works with Nelson?"

"Yes:'

The car got very quiet after that. Arcineh didn't notice. She was hungry and trying to find a radio station that her grandfather wouldn't object to.

"What if I say no?" Sam asked.

"About what?"

"The date:'

"Oh, that. I don't know. I guess I didn't think you'd mind:' Arcineh turned her head to look at him. "Brody and I talked about the fact that you're protective, but I told him you're not unreasonable:'

"Maybe I am:' Sam said in a tone that made Arcineh smile. He clearly didn't like the idea, but unless he told her she couldn't go, Arcineh planned to be on that date.

"I won't be out late:' she said, as though this settled the idea. Sam turned to look at her, and Arcineh just smiled into his eyes.

Sam's gaze went back over the wheel as he said, "I'm too old for this:'

Arcineh simply laughed without mercy.

"How was it?" Violet was the one to ask the next morning.

122

"It was a good movie. We had fun."

"Did he try anything?"

"No," Arcineh answered on an incredulous laugh.

Even Sam was looking at Violet by now, but he didn't try to stop her.

"Don't you give me that look, Arcineh Isabel Bryant," Violet warned. "Boys don't ask girls out if they're not attracted to them, and I don't know this boy."

"Well, I'm sure he is attracted to me, but he knows I don't have time for a boyfriend."

"Did he ask you out for next weekend?" Violet asked with a knowing voice.

Arcineh's lack of answer was answer enough.

"He might have heard you say you don't want a boyfriend:' Violet said, "but he wasn't listening."

Violet went back to work, and Arcineh looked at her grandfather. That man winked at Arcineh, causing her to hide her laugh behind a quickly grabbed napkin.

It had taken a great deal of restraint, but Brody didn't kiss Arcineh until their third date. They'd seen yet another movie, adding dessert afterward, and Brody was now parked in front of Arcineh's house. The car was shadowy, even with the lights from the front door, and the time just seemed right.

Arcineh's eyes opened slowly. She'd never been kissed before and hadn't realized what a pleasurable experience it could be.

When she didn't draw immediately away, Brody kissed her again, his arms going slowly around her to pull her close. Arcineh kissed him right back, not sure what she was doing but enjoying it with every fiber of her being.

123

"I don't have time for a boyfriend:" she pulled back enough to say.

"Okay," Brody agreed, a hand going to the back of her head so he could kiss her again.

It was another 15 minutes before Arcineh got out of the car. Brody walked her to the door and asked her if he could call the next day. Arcineh heard herself agreeing before she slipped inside.

"I'm 64 years old," Sam said to Violet late in the evening on Labor Day, his face lined with fatigue. "I'm too old to be surrounded by that many hormones"

Violet laughed, but she knew just what he meant. The Rowans had just left, including Tayte and Lexa. Brody had been a part of the weekend's activities as well. Somewhere along the line, Arcineh had forgotten she didn't have room in her life for a boyfriend and was certainly making time for one.

Having young people around was always fun, but Tiffany and Jeremy were rather distracted, and the responsibility that went with having a bunch of teenagers in swimsuits was more than a little stressful on both Sam and Violet.

They had nearly lived in the backyard for the weekend, grilling, sunning, and swimming, but Sam--and even Violet--could not be on call that many hours. For that reason alone, it was something of a relief to have Monday arrive. Arcineh hadn't wanted Brody to go home, but Sam had been firm.

Now all was quiet. Arcineh was not even on the phone, and as far as Sam was concerned, it was going to be an early night.

124

Arcineh had never even considered what it would be like to have a boyfriend in school. Part of the time she liked it, but at times it only added stress. Brody was not the student Arcineh worked to be. He was easily distracted when she was near and grew impatient when Arcineh wanted to study more than hide in the library stacks and kiss.

She was leaving in ten days for Hawaii, a trip that was like a dream come true for her, and all Brody could say was how much he would miss her. His moping made Arcineh wonder what she really felt for him. She liked being with him and they had great fun together, but she was confident they could pick right back up when she returned in nine days. The whole issue bothered her so much, she talked to Violet about it.

"He's smitten," that lady reasoned, "and your feelings aren't as strong. A little like Tayte and Quinn, only in reverse'

"Do I act like Tayte?" Arcineh looked as horrified as she felt. "Not at all, but Quinn and Brody are in the same boat. They're in love with people who just care for them."

Arcineh looked thoughtful, and Violet saw her chance. Something had been on her mind for a time, and she was ready to be heard. "Do you and Brody kiss a lot?"

"Sometimes:' Arcineh said. Violet was so easy to talk to. "Does he press you for more?"

"He wants more."

"He tells you this or tries to show you:'

"Both."

"Do you give him more?"

"No:' Arcineh answered, and Violet knew she was telling the truth.

The older woman came away from the stove. It was where she was the most comfortable; in her mind it made her invincible. But right now she left the stove, came around the island, and took the stool next to Arcineh. She turned both stools until their knees almost touched, and holding Arcineh's eyes with her own, she began.

125

"If you never hear another word I say, hear this. Don't do anything you don't want to do. I won't tell you how much I hate the thought of someone your age in a sexual relationship because it won't do any good. A step like that has to be your idea and your belief, but until it is..." Violet stopped and made sure Arcineh was listening. "You say no!"

"Thanks, Violet:' Arcineh said, and meant it. She didn't know if she would be that strong when the time came, but Violet had certainly given her some things to think about.

"What was that all about?" Arcineh asked Daisy the next week in school. She had just watched Brody and Landon down the hall, laughing and talking about something before a teacher told them to break it up.

"Oh, guys are such freaks. Landon was teasing Brody about going without because you leave for Hawaii tomorrow"

"Going without?" Arcineh's repeated, her voice dangerously soft.

"Yeah, you know:"

Arcineh did know, and it made her sick to her stomach.

"What did Brody say?" Arcineh asked, and Daisy finally caught her friend's glittering eyes.

"What's wrong, Arcie? Guys always talk like that. It's not as though

Brody will be unfaithful to you. He'll wait until you get back:" "Wait for what?" Arcineh's teeth nearly clenched in her jaw. Daisy's mouth opened. "You mean, you haven't?"