See Me(36)

“Yes, of course. You’re right. I’m essentially going out with my younger sister.”

“Don’t blame me. I’m not the one who followed him out to the pier.”

“I didn’t follow him out to the pier!”

Serena giggled. “You’re so touchy these days. But if you want my advice, I’d wear a bikini under the baggy sweats, okay? Just in case it gets too hot out there. Because it’s going to be warm today.”

“Can we talk about you instead? Like how the rest of your evening went?”

“There’s not much to tell. We hit the bars, went to a party. Just a typical Saturday night.”

“How’s it going with Steve?”

“He’s a little clingy, and I’m not sure I’m ready for something like that. But back to Colin again. He’s seriously hot.”

“Yes, I noticed.”

“Did he try to kiss you good-bye?”

“No. And I didn’t want him to.”

“That’s good,” she said, “keep playing hard to get. Guys like that.” Maria made a face and Serena giggled again. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I think it’s great, though. You not only have a date – a real date, no matter how you describe it – but you’re the one who asked him. You’re the epitome of the modern woman. And just so you know, I’m totally jealous that you’re going to get to see him with his shirt off. I don’t think he has an ounce of fat on him.”

“I really couldn’t tell you. It was kind of dark and he was walking beside me.”

“I want pictures today. You always bring that camera with you anyway. Just sneak a few of him.”

“No.”

“I would think that you could do at least this one little thing for your baby sister, who also happens to be the one to set you up with him.”

She thought about it. “Okay, maybe.”

“Awesome. Or better yet, take some with your phone and send them to me and I’ll put them on Instagram.”

“Not a chance.”

“Are you sure? I’d hate to have to tell Dad you’re going out with an ex-con who’s currently on probation.”

“Don’t you dare!”

“I was kidding! I don’t even want to be in the same state when you drop that little bombshell. So warn me in advance, okay?”

“Will do.”

“Still, you should get a selfie with him at the very least. Before the announcement. That way, you’ll know you actually went out with him, since it’ll never happen again after that.”

“Are you done?”

Serena giggled. “Yes. Now I’m done.”

Maria noticed a hummingbird sipping from the feeder her mother had hung, hovering in a way that had mesmerized her since she was a young girl. From inside, she could hear her mother quietly singing to herself, and while the aroma of eggs and refried beans should have been making her hungry, she was already a little nervous about the upcoming afternoon. She wondered how much she’d actually be able to eat.

“I’m still kind of surprised at the way he just… told you everything,” Serena finally offered.

“Had you been there, you would have been in shock. Trust me.”

“It’s weird, though. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like that before.”

“You’re telling me.”





Two hours later, Maria was at home, debating what to wear. Serena’s advice sounded in her ear, making the decision a lot more difficult than it should have been. Normally she wouldn’t think twice about it; she’d wear shorts and either a halter or a bikini top, and she certainly wouldn’t have showered beforehand or put on makeup or felt the clawing pangs of nervousness in her belly, but there they were. Standing in front of her chest of drawers, she debated what kind of impression she wanted to make. Bold? Casual? Sexy?

It was a whole lot easier for men, she decided: Throw on a T-shirt, flip-flops, and shorts and head out the door. Meanwhile, she had to debate the length of her shorts, and decide how tight or faded she wanted them to be, or whether she should wear the ones with the sexy tears below the back pockets or go a bit more conservative. And that was just the bottoms; trying to decide on her top was even more difficult, especially since she hadn’t decided whether to wear the bikini or a one-piece underneath. Despite what she’d said to Serena, it was a date, and aside from the fiasco last weekend with Jill and Paul, she hadn’t been on a lot of dates recently. Add in the fact that her thoughts had been drifting to Colin all morning and last night, and the whole thing left her feeling more jittery than ever.

What did she want with him, anyway? Colin was the kind of guy she used to prosecute. Until yesterday, had anyone even suggested that she go out with a guy with his past, she would have laughed aloud or – more likely – been offended. She should have simply said good-bye after he’d walked her to her car last night. The very idea of the two of them going out today was absurd, and yet… she had asked him, and she had trouble remembering exactly how that had happened or what she’d been thinking.

And yet, Colin was… magnetic. It was the word that had popped into her head while she was taking a shower, and the more she’d thought about it, the more apt the description seemed. While his answers had left her spinning at times, she had to admit that his here’s the real me and you can either accept me or not shtick was refreshing. More than that, she sensed that his regret had been real, underscoring how much he really had changed. She wasn’t na?ve enough to ignore the possibility that he may have been trying to play on her sympathies, but it was impossible to reconcile that notion with the guy who’d changed her tire, or walked the beach with her, or attended classes with her sister in the hopes of becoming a teacher. He certainly hadn’t tried to hit on her, and had she not asked him to go paddleboarding, she had no doubt he would have left her at her car without further ado.