Page 39 of Blue Gold

“I thought we could make a short stop for some gelato,” I said after turning off the radio and killing the engine.

“Gelato?”

“You don’t like it?”

“Of course I do…” He turned to look back. “But what about the stuff we bought?”

“I’m sure it can wait fifteen more minutes.” I smiled at him.

Elliot pressed his lips together as if considering what he should do before he nodded.

“Okay,” he said.

After getting out of the car, I checked the door to ensure it was locked before walking to join Elliot, who stood by the trail leading to the gelato shop. He seemed so innocent, waiting for me there with his baseball cap and crew socks, that for a mere second, I felt like a perverted old man for even glancing his way. Did people also think that when they saw us together? But then I reminded myself that in a few days, he’d turn twenty, which meant he was still way too young for me. Not to mention, I was married to a woman and my job and could never have a relationship with him. So why was I even thinking about how we looked together?

For God’s sake, Daniel. You’re a lost cause.

“What’s your favorite flavor?” Elliot asked, his question cutting into my line of thought.

“Would I be boring if I said vanilla?” I held open the shop’s door for him to enter.

“Not at all.” He walked past me. “It’s my favorite, too.”

I followed him in, wondering if this small talk was his way of saying he forgave me.

“Is it?” I questioned as we stopped by the ice cream parlor.

“Yes.” He got closer to the glass and checked the flavors. “Although I’m in the mood for chocolate today.”

“Then, we should get you what you want, shouldn’t we?”

Elliot responded with a warm smile. Pleased, I went over to the counter and ordered two cones. While I did, Elliot stepped outside onto the porch, where there was a nice view of the ocean. Thankfully, the shop wasn’t busy at the moment, and after getting our ice cream, I joined him outside, where we were alone.

“There you go,” I said, offering him his chocolate ice cream.

“Thank you.”

After taking the cone from me, he fell back into silence, which worried me that he might still be mad. Perhaps it was too soon to assume he forgave me? But then again, I could never know what he was thinking, so instead of killing myself over it, I focused on my vanilla ice cream and took a bite, only to get an annoying brain freeze.

“Oh, shoot.” I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to whoosh away the sharp pain.

“You’re so silly,” Elliot laughed. “You’re supposed to lick it, not bite it.”

Once the freeze passed and my poor brain went back to normal, I opened my eyes and looked at him. Licking his cone, he seemed awfully amused by the situation. Perhaps I needed to make a fool out of myself more often⁠—

“If you keep staring at me, your ice cream will melt.”

My cheeks flared at his accusation, and I coughed to hide my reaction.

“I wasn’t staring,” I defended myself while he went back to his cone.

“Sure you weren’t.” Lick. “You also didn’t stare at me this morning.” Lick. “Right?”

Shocked and completely at a loss for words, I gaped at him.

“W-what?”

Since his ice cream was all but gone, Elliot tossed the remainder of his cone into the garbage can before glancing at me, amusement in his eyes.