The party at Vanessa Graves’ is loud with far too many people than I’d like to deal with right now. Someone’s set up aspeaker near the beach, and the bass thumps through the sand. Heather’s sharp and wild laugh carries over the music, and when I glance back, she’s half-falling onto Benjamin’s lap, giggling as he tries to steady her drunk ass. Vanessa is taking a photo of them, her long, black hair tied up in a messy ponytail. Her house is where all of the best parties are since her parents are so cool. Not to mention that their house is huge. And gorgeous.
I shake my head, wrapping the thin blanket tighter around my shoulders, and wander out toward the dock. The boards creak beneath my bare feet, damp from the tide. The smell of salt and smoke lingers in the air—the scent of every summer night I’ve ever loved.
That’s when I hear something soft.
A guitar. It isn’t loud, but a slow, lovely rhythm carried by the wind. And then a voice, low and rough but beautiful. I tilt my head and follow the sound. He’s sitting near the end of the dock, one leg hanging over the side. Black hair falls into his eyes, and when he glances up, I freeze.He’s…beautiful.
“You hiding too?” he asks, his lips curving into a half-smile.
I nervously clear my throat. “Maybe.”
He pats the space beside him. “You can hide here if you want. It’s a great spot.”
I sit, pulling the blanket around me.He’s kind, too.
The wood is cool beneath my legs when I settle, gazing out at the vast, dark ocean before us. He keeps playing, softer now.
“I’m Jude,” he says after a while.
“Emma.”
He repeats it under his breath. “Emma.”
I glance back toward the house and see Heather wobbling around, trying to steady herself on Benjamin’s shoulder. “Heather’s so drunk,” I mutter, laughing. “Vanessa made somemeanjello-shots.”
He raises a dark eyebrow, smirking. “So you’re only out here because blondie dragged you? Or do you have a love of jello?”
I snort, shaking my head. “Heather drags me everywhere. Honestly, though...it’s good for me. Keeps me from turning into a hermit. If I could, I’d stay home and paint all night. But Vanessa’s parties are always fun. I don’t really know her, but Heather does. And who wouldn’t come here? Look at this place.”
He nods like he understands, a smirk pulling on his lips.
“Why are you here, then?” I ask. “If you’re sneaking off?”
He stops strumming the strings with a quirky grin. “It’s my house, actually.”
I gawk.“What?”I glance back at the oceanfront home. “I didn’t know Vanessa had a brother.”
“Yup.” He adjusts, looking out over the water. “I usually try to steer clear of her parties, though.”
“I bet,” I giggle. “But I guess that’s why she and Heather get along so well. I’m not as, um, wild.” We fall into an easy silence for a beat, listening to the ocean and the faint music from the beach.
Then he looks at me, the glow of the moon catching his hair, and asks, “So...you’re an artist or something?”
I shrug. “Yeah, I’ve just started getting into painting. Drawing, I’ve been doing for years. Paint is new. It’s challenging, and I like that.”
He smiles, fingers brushing the strings of his guitar absentmindedly. “The challenge is my favorite part about playing. I love listening for melodies that could be something special if I wanted them to.”
I laugh softly. “I feel like being creative is the only way to save my soul.” I blush immediately. “That sounds so stupid, but it’s true. Thinking of doing anything that doesn’t involve art just soundsawful.”
He grins a crooked, half-smile. “That doesn’t sound stupid at all. I agree, actually. My father wants me to go to college as a backup plan. But this is what I love. And what’s life if you’re not going to spend it doing what you love? I already see too many people walking around unsatisfied because they’ve made choices out of necessity instead of passion.”
His words slap me in the face. “Wow, I couldn’t have said it better,” I say with a nod.
Jude laughs, and I can’t help but notice how beautiful his smile is. And his voice. And his hazel eyes…
“How old are you?” I ask, forcing myself back.
“Seventeen. You?”