The Summer Girlfriend (Heart Beach, #1)(54)

Wind whipped past Noelle’s face. Staring at the ocean below made her feel only more nauseous. Eventually, they stopped rising higher and hovered at the same height, way up high.

“Parasailing used to make me feel like the king of the world when I was younger,” Jeremiah said. He was still holding her hand. He rubbed his thumb back and forth on the inside of her palm in a calming motion. “And it was relaxing. My brain went quiet whenever I parasailed. That’s why I asked my grandpa to take me so often.”

Noelle tried not to outwardly react at Jeremiah mentioning his grandfather unprompted, although it definitely hadn’t escaped her notice. She closed her eyes and tried to let her brain go quiet too. Gradually, her muscles relaxed, and the nausea receded.

“You should open your eyes and take in the view,” Jeremiah said softly.

Noelle slowly opened her eyes. From here, she could see the entire Heart Beach boardwalk. The people below looked like little dots in the sand. She could see the roller coasters and the Ferris wheel. And when she looked up, all around them the sky was a stunning, clear blue. When she looked down, the ocean seemed to go on forever. It reminded her that the world was big, and she still hadn’t seen much of it. She hadn’t even been to Heart Beach before she met Jeremiah, and it was right here in New Jersey.

“I’ve never been out of the country,” she blurted.

Immediately, she wished that she could shove the words back in her mouth. She didn’t want Jeremiah to think that she was fishing for sympathy. It was just that being this high above the ocean made her consider the world and her place in it.

Maybe he hadn’t heard her over the wind.

“Where do you want to go?” he asked.

Okay, so he’d heard her.

She looked down at her dangling feet and swung them back and forth. “I read a book once that took place in the Scottish Highlands. It sounded like a beautiful place. So, Scotland maybe.”

His face lit up. “You and I can—”

He stopped abruptly and cleared his throat. Her stomach tightened, wondering what he’d stopped himself from saying. You and I can what? But it was for the best that he’d cut himself off. They weren’t going to see each other again after this summer. And the only reason that she was here right now was because he was paying her.

“I haven’t been to the Highlands either,” he finally said. “But I’ve seen pictures. It looks dope.” He pointed toward the beach. “Do you like seafood? There’s a really good seafood spot right on the water called the Oceanfront. I’ll take you there.”

“I’d like that,” she said.

“And that building right there is the casino,” he said, pointing again. “Me and Danny snuck in there when we were seventeen. The security guard saw us and kicked us out. He threatened to tell our parents, but we begged him not to. Oh, and Danny’s parents’ bookstore is over there. I definitely have to bring you by. Amara goes a lot too, so I’m sure she’ll want you to go with her one of these days. Maybe we should make a list. Things for Noelle to do in Heart Beach.”

She smiled. “First on the list: parasailing. Check.”

“Second on the list, Jet Skiing,” he said, smirking. “Check. I think we’ve seen all we need to see there.”

She swatted his arm and laughed. It was only then that she realized they’d never stopped holding hands. But she didn’t let go because holding hands with Jeremiah felt…nice.

“I was excited, and I slipped!”

“I’m just glad you didn’t break something.” He grinned and slunk away as she tried to swat him again. “Tonight I’ll take you to get funnel cake from Marty’s. They have the best funnel cake on the boardwalk.”

She perked up, but then her shoulders deflated. “I told your family that I don’t like sweets. I can’t eat funnel cake in front of them.”

Jeremiah leaned back and closed his eyes as the wind whipped by. “Don’t worry. They don’t have to know. I’ll cover for you.”

She liked when he said that. It made it seem like they were on the same team.

She had to remind herself not to get too used to it.





Chapter Seventeen




“I’m only doing jazz and tap this fall,” Ashley said, as she and Harper lovingly held Jeremiah’s hands in a death grip. “I’m tired of ballet, but Harper still wants to do it.”

It was a crowded Saturday night as they walked down the boardwalk. Kids whizzed past on bikes and families moved in groups.

“I like ballet,” Harper said, wrinkling her nose, causing her glasses to shift. “Ballet takes discipline and patience like our teacher, Ms. Nina said. And you know you don’t have any patience, Ash.”

Ashley sucked her teeth. “That’s not true!”

Jeremiah smiled at his nieces. It seemed like just yesterday, he’d visited Robin and Percy in the hospital after the twins had been born. He’d held Harper, and Amara had held Ashley. Celeste had fluttered around the hospital room, making sure that Robin had everything that she needed, while Percy had sat by Robin’s side with a dazed look on his face—happy, but still in disbelief that he was a father of twins at twenty-three years old. But that had been his and Robin’s plan after they’d graduated from college. Get married and start a family as soon as possible. Pop had been there at the hospital too, tearing up as he’d held his great-granddaughters. Jeremiah had teased, Aww, don’t cry, old man, and Pop had laughed as he’d wiped his eyes. Later as they were leaving the hospital, he’d hugged Jeremiah.