Summer Constellations by Alisha Sevigny

Author:Alisha Sevigny [Sevigny, Alisha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 9781525300127
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Published: 2018-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

The red stain grows bigger, and I dab at it desperately, cursing myself for wearing white.

“So, Julia.” Nick’s father’s low baritone has me looking up from my lap, napkin hovering over my water glass.

“Yes?”

“How are things at the campground?” He helps himself to another slice of pepperoni. “Any more dock mishaps?”

“We got the boards all fixed up,” I say, dipping the napkin in my ice water and blotting subtly at the tomato sauce. Frigid water drips onto my leg.

“Nick tells me you’re extremely … competent in that area.”

“Yes.” I’m not really sure if he expects me to elaborate. “My grandfather taught me.”

“I’ve heard a lot about him. Sounds like he was quite the character.”

I look up at him. “How did you hear about my grandfather?”

“Dan’s parents told me a bit about him.” He nods at his nephew, who’s sitting with Taylor on the other side of the room, looking all schmoopy over breadsticks. Should’ve figured he would take her to this place. It’s his favorite. We used to come here all the time. I wonder how they got here? Shifting in my seat, l look back at Nick, who has yet to broach the subject of not selling. The heat of the pizza ovens is suffocating. And now I wonder if the cold water I keep applying is actually setting the tomato sauce.

“Will you excuse me for a second?” Holding the handbag I borrowed from Mom in front of the stain, I get up from the table. Nick gives me a reassuring smile and I totter toward the bathroom in the one pair of wedges I own. Dinner so far has been awkward at best. Sighing, I push on the door. It swings back hard as whoever’s coming out pulls at the same time. Half stumbling into the ladies’ room, I murmur a “Sorry.”

“Julia?” I look up at the familiar voice. It’s Paige’s older sister, Hannah.

“Hey, Hannah. How are you?” I exclaim. Seeing my best friend’s face — more or less — and familiar shade of dark hair has me desperately missing Paige. “I didn’t know you were home for the summer.” Last I heard from Paige, Hannah was living with her boyfriend in the city. She still isn’t talking to their dad. Their parents’ divorce was pretty messy. But at least their dad still wanted a relationship with his kids.

“Wasn’t planning on it, but my advisor had other ideas.” She rolls her eyes. Hannah is doing a master’s in something or other to do with birds and conservation. “He wanted help on a project that, according to him, was a ‘perfect fit’ for me.”

“Have you heard from Paige lately?” I ask.

“She’s only been gone a few days.” She laughs. Nick looks over, catching my eye, and winks.

“Was that for me or for you?” Hannah murmurs, turning her perfect face so he can’t see her.

“Me, I think.” Though seeing him in a setting like this makes me less sure. Pretty Hannah is more his type.

“Ah. I thought so.” She gives me an approving look.

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