“So how many kids will Keatyn have?” Aiden asks with a sparkle in his eye.
“Hmmm. You will have four children very close together. See how these lines touch at the bottom?”
“Yeah,” Aiden says, studying my faint lines very intently.
“Twins.”
“That’s really cool,” Aiden says. Then, turning to Peyton, “I always wished we had a bigger family.”
“Not me,” Peyton says. “I only want one kid. And I want to spoil her rotten.”
“Rotten, is not good, Miss Peyton. Let me see your hand.”
Peyton hold her palm up.
Inga shakes her head. “You should start mentally preparing. You are destined to have three boys.”
We all laugh as Inga stops the entertainment and pulls our waffles out of the oven.
Obsession with fairy tales.
11am
After chowing down breakfast, we head back to the beach. We all play around on our surfboards and Peyton manages to get up on hers. She and Damian are constantly flirting and looking for any excuse to touch each other.
Aiden says to Damian, “I noticed you have a wakeboard in the shed.”
“Yeah,” Damian replies. “We can get the wave runner out and I’ll pull you around.”
“That’d be awesome!”
“I think that’s my cue to put my board away and spend some time tanning,” I announce.
“That’s what I want to do too,” Peyton says. “I’m really wet.”
I see Damian lick his lips. He so just thought something naughty. He grabs her around the waist and pulls her in for a kiss. “I’ll miss you,” he says in a lovesick way.
Oh, he’s got it bad.
Peyton giggles uncontrollably. In fact, she’s still giggling when we lie on two of the cushioned chaises that line a small portion of the beach.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you giggle so much.”
She giggles again. “I’m, like, giddy and having so much fun. Damian is sweet.” She stops and studies me. “Is he sweet? Please say he’s sweet.”
“Yeah, he’s super sweet.”
“It's silly isn't it? He’s practically a rock star. Travels all over. I’m still in school. He’s younger than me. And probably into groupies.”
“He looks really good in a suit,” I say with a smirk.
“He has pretty much everything on my list and the things he doesn't have I don't care about anymore. I'm falling way too fast. Hell, who am I kidding? I’m not falling, I’ve fallen. I need to stop it. Stuff like this only happens in the movies. But he’s so hot. But in a different way. Like his face is beautiful but it’s more classic. Have you ever noticed how perfectly proportioned it is?”
“Uh, I don’t think so.”
“He’s just as hot as Cam, only I don’t think he realizes how hot he is. Like Cam works it. Uses his looks.”
“Damian uses his words,” I say softly. “His music. His voice, like when he whispers or sings you to sleep, it’s completely dreamy.”
“Great. So everyone that he whispers to falls in love with him?”
“I think anyone that hears him sing falls a little in love with him. With both his voice and his passion. He’s also really mature. He never acted like a kid even when we were kids. He’s always been, like, an old soul or something. He doesn’t make the kind of mistakes I always seem to make.”
“So he is perfect.” She sighs sadly. “And he’d probably hate me if he knew all the mistakes I’ve made.”
I know that I should tell her she’s right. I know I should stop this relationship before it catches flight, but I can’t do it. I can’t crush this. I mean, Damian is the one who suggested Eastbrooke that night. Maybe fate sent me there for him. So that he could meet his dream girl. And if I’m not going back anyway . . .
“Peyton, what was your plan when you met Mr. Dreamy?”
“What do you mean?”
“What was your plan? After your eyes met and you determined he was the one, then what?”
She rolls her eyes. “We lived happily ever after, of course.”
“What else?”
“You mean in between that? I guess I always imagined being courted in that old fashioned way. Wooed. Flowers. Romantic dates. Wondering when I’d get that next kiss.”
“Did you ever think you’d sit around trying to come up with excuses why you shouldn't be with him?”
“Of course not.” She smirks. “Oh, I see what you're doing there. You're right. I should enjoy it. Speaking of that, I’m gonna run in the house real quick. And you should watch my brother. I think he’s showing off for you.”
I glance out at the ocean and see Aiden doing a flip on the wakeboard.
He tries another one, crashes, then gets pulled back up. He jumps the waves, getting a ton of air, and doing tricks. Turning around backwards, grabbing his board as he jumps, kicking his board up behind his butt, and doing more flips.
After showing off for a long time, he strides out of the water, plops his wet, glistening body on top of me, and gives me a steamy kiss.
“What's that's for?”
“I want you to know how I feel. And right now, I feel exhilarated.”