The Summer Girlfriend (Heart Beach, #1)(63)

Aaron nodded. “Definitely. And tell your mom I’m sorry again that I couldn’t make the gala.”

“Will do.”

They ended the call, and Jeremiah found Amara in the kitchen, fiddling with the strap on her duffel bag. She lived in central Jersey, closer to Celeste, and she’d stayed over last night because she’d gone to an art gallery event in the city with some of her college friends. Jeremiah, Amara, and Noelle were driving down to Heart Beach together.

“Hey, thanks,” he said, crossing the kitchen and picking up the smoothie she’d bought for him.

“You’re welcome.” Amara rubbed her eyes. Jeremiah had been asleep for hours by the time Amara used his spare key to come inside.

“How was the event?” he asked.

“Cool,” she said. “It’s always fun to be back in that environment. It makes me think of how the art world was my whole life in college.”

Even though Amara’s passion was oil painting, she’d studied graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design. Unlike many of her college classmates, after graduation Amara hadn’t moved to New York City. She liked being on the Smith’s Sweets graphic design team. With her great eye for aesthetics, she had a lot to do with the brand’s overall look. She’d always been keen like that. When they were kids, she used to repaint and redecorate her room every other year. And she used to force Jeremiah and Percy to sit for portraits. She’d carried a small sketchbook with her everywhere. When she enrolled at RISD, no one had been surprised. Now she painted in her spare time and sold the paintings to friends of friends, and every year, she created a painting for the gala fundraiser. But mostly, she painted for fun.

“You could still try and get your art in a showcase,” Jeremiah said. “You’re more than talented enough.”

Amara waved him away. “Nope. Once your passion becomes your job, it loses all luster.”

Jeremiah smirked, about to tell Amara he didn’t think that was completely true. Then his phone vibrated, and he felt a jolt to his system, knowing he’d most likely received a text from Noelle. She’d responded, See you soon

“Wow,” Amara whistled, grinning at him. “Somebody has hearts in their eyes. I’m guessing that’s Noelle texting you?”

He hadn’t even realized that he’d been smiling. Of course Amara wouldn’t find anything wrong with him grinning at his phone. She thought that Noelle was his real girlfriend. Only he and Noelle knew that in three weeks, their “relationship” would be over. The thought bothered him more and more every day.

“What about you?” he asked, cleverly turning the conversation back to Amara. “You dating anybody?”

“No one worth speaking about,” she said, making a face. Amara had a thing for dudes who connected with her on a creative level but had an aversion to commitment. Suffice to say, she hadn’t ever dated anyone whom Jeremiah had particularly liked. Then again, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever think anyone was good enough for his sister.

She glanced at the time. “We’d better leave before Mom calls asking for our ETA.”

They gathered their things, hopped in the car, and drove to Brickton. Noelle was waiting in her usual spot on the sidewalk in front of her apartment. She was wearing a new sleeveless light pink dress and white sneakers.

She waved as they pulled up, and he finally understood what people meant when they said that someone was a sight for sore eyes.

Amara started to get out of the passenger seat so that Noelle could sit up front, but Noelle encouraged Amara to stay where she was. Jeremiah walked around the front of the car to take Noelle’s suitcase and put it in the trunk.

He smiled at her, heart pounding. He fought the urge to immediately pull her into his arms without speaking first. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she said, smiling back.

Then he hugged her and exhaled a deep, pent-up breath.

“I swear you two are just way too adorable,” Amara said, rolling down her window.

Noelle glanced up at Jeremiah, almost shyly. He wondered if she felt this thing growing between them too. But asking her would only complicate things more.

Noelle climbed in the back seat, and Jeremiah disconnected his phone from the Bluetooth. Noelle’s phone automatically connected. “Summertime Fine” by a singer named Angel started to play.

“Ooh, I haven’t heard this in forever,” Amara said, as Jeremiah pulled out of the apartment complex.

“We’re working through Noelle’s R and B playlists,” he explained.

Amara glanced between them. “I love that.”

Jeremiah caught eyes with Noelle in his rearview mirror, and they shared a smile. He wished she’d sat in the passenger seat. She felt too far away.

“I looked up some pictures online of past galas,” Noelle said. “It seems like a lot of fun.”

“It is. You’ll enjoy yourself,” Amara said. “We always do. And it’s in the name of a great cause.”

“The dance floor is usually packed all night,” Jeremiah added.

“Our grandfather loved to dance.” Amara pivoted to look at Noelle. “He and our mom were always the first two out on the dance floor.”

At the last gala two summers ago, Pop and Celeste had walked onto the dance floor arm in arm. Pop had started doing an old dance that he’d called the mashed potato. Celeste had covered her face in fake embarrassment as everyone had laughed.