“No, it can wait.” He checked the face of the phone again and then set it aside, facedown. “I’m just going to hop into the shower.”

“All right. I’ll talk to you later?”

“Of course.” He walked back over and kissed her just as his phone started ringing again.

Trihn laughed. “Someone clearly wants to talk to you.”

“It’s not important.”

“Well, I have to go anyway,” Trihn said between kisses.

“When can I see you again?”

“Tonight?” she asked.

She tried to extricate herself from his arms, but he kept pulling her closer.

“I have to work tonight.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“What about tomorrow before I go to work?”

He smirked down at her, and she couldn’t help from laughing.

“I’ll see if I can get away.”

Trihn kissed him one last time and then dashed out of the apartment just as his phone rang for the third time that morning. She shook her head. Whoever was calling seriously needed to get ahold of him.

She hurried out of his building and onto the subway. She sent a text to her mom, letting her know that she was on her way home, and she was shocked to get a reply that her mother was still at home, waiting for her.

“Great,” she grumbled.

When the subway deposited her back in Brooklyn, Trihn trudged the block from the stop to her parents’ house. She was not looking forward to this conversation. Her parents were pretty chill about most things other parents might freak out about, but her mom must be pissed if she had stayed home from work to wait for Trihn.

She entered the house, fully aware that she was still dressed in the clothes that she had left the house in yesterday.

She was halfway to the stairs when her mother called out to her, “Trihn, is that you?”

She sighed heavily. “Yep. It’s me, Mom.”

“Come into the kitchen, so we can talk.”

Trihn took a deep breath and then walked into the kitchen. “What’s up?”

Her mother looked her up and down with no more than a raised eyebrow. “If you’re going to stay out all night, you should at least let me know. And don’t tell me that you were with Lydia this time because she didn’t know where you were either.”

“I wasn’t with Lydia,” Trihn said.

“Clearly. You were with a boy, I’m sure.”

Trihn shrugged. “I’m going to be in college in a month. What does it even matter who I’m with or where I am at night?”

“Because you’re not in college yet!” Linh snapped. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “And I miss you.”

“Okay,” Trihn said quickly. She hadn’t meant to upset her mom. She hadn’t really thought of anything last night when she stayed the night at Preston’s apartment. It had just felt right at the time. “I’ll let you know where I am next time.”

“Thank you,” Linh said. “I wasn’t trying to argue with you. I was worried.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Mom.”

“You’re my daughter. It comes with the territory.”

Trihn walked forward and enveloped her mom in a hug. She smiled and kissed the top of her mother’s head.

“I’m just going to take a quick shower and change,” Trihn told her.

She was happy that her mother wasn’t actually that angry with her. It was just the case of the youngest moving out of the house.

“Wait one minute,” Linh said, calling Trihn back to her side.

“Yeah?”

“You know I’m happy for you…that you’ve found someone.”

Trihn nodded.

“And I just thought I would offer, since Lydia is bringing her boyfriend on our annual summer vacation, that you could bring yours. I wouldn’t mind meeting this man who has stolen my daughter’s heart,” Linh said.

Trihn wrinkled her nose. She wasn’t the type to invite her boyfriend on a family vacation.

Every year for a week or two before school started, her family would go to the Hamptons and vacation with her mother’s colleague Betty and her family. They had a son, Ian, who was Trihn’s age, so it was more fun to spend her time hanging out with him than bringing some guy she had just met, like Lydia did every trip.

“Ugh…Lydia is dating someone new?”

Linh shrugged her thin shoulders. “You know your sister. We always accommodate her free spirit.”

“Seriously, how many boyfriends has she brought on vacation?”

“I’m certain even she has lost count,” Linh said. “Now, are you going to invite your boyfriend, so we can have some balance?”

Trihn cringed. “I don’t know, Mom. It’s so new…”

“It’s up to you, of course, but he is more than welcome.”

“All right. Well, I’ll ask him, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

Linh smiled. “I’m sure he’ll come around. How could anyone resist my beautiful daughter?”

“Oh, please, Mom.” Trihn walked up the stairs and hurried into the shower. She didn’t want to think about inviting Preston on vacation with them. Are we there yet in our relationship?

After last night, she really thought they were. He saw her, all of her, like no one else ever had, and he had completely accepted her. Why shouldn’t I invite him to go on vacation with me? That was a completely normal and natural thing to do.

When she got out of the shower, she stared down at her phone, but then she chickened out. She would ask him later. He was at work now. She told herself it had nothing to do with her being scared to ask him. It was only practical to wait until he could check his phone and get back to her.

Trihn changed into dance clothes and tied her hair up into a bun. She was going to meet Renée for Intensive. There were only a few more weeks of it left, and Trihn would be gone for at least one of those. She was just glad she would be back in time to see the final performances of the students she had been working with throughout much of the summer. Then, there would be only two more weeks until school started.

Making her way back into the city, she hurried along to the studio. She was not looking forward to working out her very sore muscles, but the aches reminded her of last night, and she couldn’t keep the shit-eating grin off her face.

“What’s that for?” Renée asked.

“What?”

“You look like you just got away with murder.”

Trihn laughed. “Just happy I guess.”

“Preston?”

Trihn nodded. “I’m inviting him to the Hamptons.”

“Oh. Fancy!” Renée said. “Are you turning into Lydia now?”

“No!” Trihn protested. “Preston and I are actually serious.”

Renée shrugged. “Well, has he agreed to go?”

“I haven’t asked him yet.”

Renée rolled her eyes and reached for Trihn’s phone. “Oh my God! Give me the phone, and I’ll send the text myself.”

“I don’t need your help!” Trihn said, pulling her phone back. “I’ll send it now.”

Hey, I’m going on vacation with my parents in two weeks. They offered you an invitation to join us for the week, and I’d love it if you could come with me.

Trihn pressed Send and fidgeted as she waited for his response. Her phone dinged, and she looked down at it.

“And?” Renée prodded as she read over her shoulder.

I’ll check with work and get back to you.

“That’s not a very upbeat answer,” Renée said.

No, it’s not.

“He works a lot. He might not be able to get off.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Don’t uh-huh me,” Trihn snapped.

“I still think he’s a little creepy with the way he stalked you.”

“He didn’t stalk me! We’ve been through this.”

“Well, whatever. We have a class to teach, so worry about the BF later,” Renée teased.

“Fine.”

Trihn put her phone away into her dance bag. But just as she was about to walk away to go to the barre, it dinged. She reached for it to check the message, hoping for good news.

I just asked my boss. He said the weeks up until I get back into school are the most important. Sounds like a no-go. Sorry, babe.

Oh…

Disappointment—it was completely stupid to feel it. She hadn’t even wanted to invite Preston on vacation. That wasn’t her at all. Then, she had let hope weasel in, and she had actually considered that it would be a good idea. Even on short notice, she thought it might be possible. Then, her high hopes had deflated just as quickly as they’d come.