The Edge of You by Theresa DaLayne

Author:Theresa DaLayne
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781619637801
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2014-08-19T20:46:39+00:00

Chapter Twenty-four

Jake

The white grains of sand felt strange under each footstep as he walked along the shore beside Maya. He hadn’t spent much time at the beach, except occasionally when he went four-wheeling with friends. But the sand on those beaches, like most others on Kodiak, was made of tiny shards of black slate battered to millions of pieces by the ocean’s violent waves.

He could already hear the strumming of an acoustic guitar in the distance. The flame from the bonfire cast an orange and yellow glow over the silhouettes of the people gathered around it.

“This is so nice,” Maya said.

Jake slowed and took her hand. “Before we get over there, I wanted to give you something that I picked up the other day.”

Maya pulled back. “What do you mean? Like...a gift?”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a tiny silver cardboard box with a shiny ribbon tied around it. “You know those shops you walked past before you came to see me at the docks?” He held it up. “I saw this in one of the stores and it made me think of you. I figured you might like it...hopefully.” He extended it to her. “It’s nothing big.”

And honestly more than he could afford.

Maya gently took the box from his hand. “Um...”

The smile he expected never came. “If you don’t want it—”

“No, no. That’s not it. I just...” She ran her fingers over the cheap cardboard corner. “I’ve never gotten real gift from a guy before. You really didn’t have to spend anything on me.”

His lips curled into a grin. “Are you going to open it?”

She pulled up the top off the box, unveiling a bracelet with a tiny charm. She picked it up and rested it in the palm of her hand, examining the silver angel with a clear stone in the center.

“I uh...I was hoping it wouldn’t upset you. I know you’ve been having a hard time with things, and,” he gestured to the charm, “Maybe wearing it will remind you of her in a happy way.”

Maya’s breath hitched. She closed her fingers around the bracelet. “I don’t know what to say.”

He brushed his fingers over the back of her hand. “Say you like it.” He slipped his fingers between hers.

“I love it.” She draped the silver bracelet over her wrist and clasped it shut. She shivered, and Jake wrapped his arm around her.

“Come on. Lets get closer to the fire.”

She smiled, her eyes visible only by the light of the moon as they walked toward the bonfire. “So why don’t you tell me more about the art show? It sounds like a pretty big deal.”

She rubbed her hands together and blew into them, her fingertips tingling from the cold. “I’m supposed to paint something, but I only have a few weeks to get it done. If I won, I could be an apprentice to an experienced artist. Maybe even get discovered.”

“Does it usually take a few weeks to paint something?”

She shrugged. “Depends. I think this one is going to give me a hard time, though.

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