Dear Mister Summers

nineteen

He smiled grimly, tilting his head to one side. "That does not make it necessary for us to live in each other's pockets."

"You probably hurt his feelings by being so indifferent," she commented, her dark eyes critical. "You do know that sometimes it is hard to tell whether you are aware that you are being ignorant or whether you truly are ignorant, right?"

"Who said I was being indifferent?" he asked. "If I thought for a moment that he needed me I would drop everything and go to him at once. He is my big brother and I grew up with him. I care for him," he narrowed his eyes then added, "despite your accusation. And Piers knows that too. I know he would come should I need him too." His gaze measured her comprehension coolly. "All families are not identical, you know. Just because mine might not run the same as yours, does not mean that there is something wrong with it."

"I am sorry," she said solemnly.

"Don't be." He shrugged without care. "Anyway, what about yours?" he asked her, his mouth dented.

Her eyes were saddened. "I only have my mom," she answered.

The blue ocean eyes narrowed on her face in hard observation. "That is it?" he asked, accepting the smooth chocolate mousse the waiter brought him with a nod.

"Yeah." She nodded her head. "Well, I am not sure about my dad but my mom only has a sister but my mom is not close with her. My aunt always judges my mum for having me." She waved her hand as if it did not matter. "It was a long time ago anyway." She began to eat her own sweet, fluffy concoction of soft strawberries and ice cream embedded in whipped cream. It was too sweet for her taste, and after a while, she pushed it away.

"So you only live with your mother?" he persisted, finishing his own course and leaning back.

She did not reply and after a while, he dropped the subject. A waiter appeared, bowing, and they both ordered coffee.

"Do you really think jeans are suitable for the beach?" Andin asked, aware, as she watched his hands, that she was alarmed at the idea of spending time with him in such relaxing surroundings.

He looked at her over his cup, a smile smoldered in the depths of the silvery eyes. "I guess we will have to see about that later," he said ambiguously.

As they crossed the foyer after lunch he look her elbow and guided her towards the hotel shop which held pride of place at the hack of the carpeted floor. Feeling puzzled and slightly curious, she allowed him to guide her through the door and wondered if he was going to buy a gift for his brother as the svelte young assistant sauntered towards them.

Yet when he finally opened his mouth, it was to say something she did not anticipate. "A bikini for the young lady," Sebastian murmured.

"Wait, what? No!" Andin exclaimed, flushing. "I honestly do not think I need a bikini."

He smiled at the assistant and nodded at one bikini on a mannequin. "That one will do. Could you please get one in her size?"

Andin's eyes widened in horror as she finally get a full glimpse of it. She had never worn anything so revealing in her life. "Woah, absolutely not," she said again, louder this time and in deeper rejection.

Yet the assistant girl seemed to know which of the two of them was the boss as she simply dismissed Andin's rejection and with a small smile, she moved away only to return in an instant with a small box. She then led Andin into a tiny fitting room to try the bikini on in privacy.

When Andin had made no attempt in following the shop assistant, Sebastian leaned forward, his lips slightly grazing her ear as he said in a low voice that only Andin could hear. "Or do you want me to put it on you myself?"