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I narrowed my eyes. He was trying not to laugh, I could tell.
“Indiana mentioned that she likes pottery,” he told my dad, and his voice sounded a little strained.
“I think she likes it a little more than it likes her.” Dad chuckled.
“All right,” I said loudly, “we can’t all be good at everything.”
“Even landing planes?” Shane asked innocently.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m every bit as good at landing a plane as you are,” I said, poking my finger against his chest.
“Touché,” he said, laughing, and my dad looked at us, amused.
“I wouldn’t trust my Indiana with a plane,” Dad said jovially. “I didn’t even want her to get a driver’s license.”
I whirled around, and he put his hands up. “Not that you’re not a good driver! I’m just saying, you’re my baby girl. Kids driving cars are scary.”
“They would be, but I wassixteen.” So much fun when they ganged upon me at once. I turned back to Shane. “My mom was a potter. She made beautiful things, and most of the memories I have of her involve the wheel, and the kiln, and her humming in our kitchen. I feel closer to her when I make things, even if they’re awful.” There. Try to laugh at someone’s art after a statement like that.
“Those are beautiful memories to have,” Shane said somberly. Still, he turned and ran a finger over a cracked triangular shape that had been fired in two different colors. “What’s this?”
I looked at it for a minute. “I honestly have no idea.”
“I think we knew at one point, but it escapes me now, too,” my dad added.
I fought the urge to smack my head against the door. “Dad, we should probably be going.”
“We do have to run,” Shane said. “But I’d love to come back for longer next time and look at more pottery.” I swatted at him. “And also meet Margaret.”
Dad knew not to push it. “That sounds great. Thank you very much for coming.” He reached out and grabbed my hand, and I softened. “Love you, Indiana.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
Once we were back in the car, Shane turned to me. “Your dad is great. Thank you for including me. Now, I have a couple of things in mind. Even though I’m the guest here, I thought I could take you somewhere you might enjoy.”
“I thought you wantedmeto showyouaround. If I’d had some moretime, I could have come up with something. I don’t usually do the touristy stuff. I don’t even really notice the attractions anymore.”
“It’s the same with me and New York. I make it a point to see the shows, but beyond that, all I see is the subway.”
I nodded, a little intrigued. “So where are we going?”
He shook his head and gave me an adorable grin. “Not telling. But I think you’ll guess soon enough.” He focused back on the road, and I took a moment to appreciate his square jawline and tried to calm the butterflies in my stomach. The embarrassment of introducing him to my dad was starting to fade.
Shane was right; once the car slowed and we pulled into a brightly painted parking lot, I could barely contain my excitement. “You brought me to the aquarium! I don’t think I’ve been here since I was a kid.”
“I thought that might be the case. But I figured even if you had, you’d probably still like to see some fish.”
“Yes!” I bounded out of the car and ran around to his side, where I grabbed his hand. He laughed as I dragged him into the building. Inside, the walls and lights were all blue, giving an underwater effect. “So cool,” I breathed.
Right inside the lobby, jellyfish tanks were built into the wall, pulsing under color-changing lights. I walked over to one and stared at it until I heard Shane come up behind me. He put a hand on the side of my waist, and my breath hitched. Then he leaned down to my ear. “I have to know, what is it about fish that’s so appealing to you?”
“They’re aliens,” I said immediately. “Or as close as I’ll ever get in my lifetime.” I gestured to the domed, tendrilled creatures floating in front of us. “Look at them. Have you ever seen anything more otherworldly? Thisisn’t something we were meant to see. The entire underwater world isn’t meant for us—it’s beautiful and strange, and we know next to nothing about it. I mean, look at the way they float! Isn’t it wild?”
“I’ve never thought of it that way,” he said and dropped a kiss onto my neck. I shivered.
We wandered from exhibit to exhibit, and I had trouble keeping my excitement in check. It was just so cool of him to think of this and to plan for us to do something so fun together.
At the next display, I stopped to marvel at a pair of clown fish hosting a bubble-tip anemone.
