“What was that all about?” Sam handed Jasmyn a coffee and sat down next to her with her own cup. They were at the gate, half an hour early, time enough for coffee, a cookie, and an explanation.
“What was what all about?” Jasmyn eyed her over the cup, a distinct expression of mischief on her face.
“You’re having short-term memory issues.”
Jasmyn grinned and lowered the cup. “It was about whooshing and whamming.”
“I wasn’t asking about getting our things through security.”
“You’re so funny.”
“I’m funny? You kissed him and he kissed you, and the two of you hugged for a really long time and I had no idea anything was going on between you.”
“I didn’t think there was. Really. Actually, nothing’s going on. We’re just friends. He only kissed my forehead.”
That hardly mattered. To see Mr. Kung Fu Dude kiss in any way was almost disconcerting. For never expressing emotion, he sure could put a lot into one peck on the forehead. It probably had to do with the way his hand cradled the back of her head and how it was not a simple brush of his lips on her forehead.
Sam said, “Whatever. It’s none of my business. I was just surprised.”
“That’s okay. I was too. I admit that I have felt an attraction of sorts. He kept showing up and doing things, like delivering my lost luggage and just appearing at the beach when I was sitting there and needing to talk.”
“Being drawn to that behavior is a hormonal reaction, Jasmyn. That’s all it is. He was there at opportune moments.”
“He has that knight and angel reputation. Don’t roll your eyes.”
Sam blinked and refocused. “That’s for the old ladies.”
“But he is kind and attentive. He was even sort of funny last night.”
Sam chuckled. “Okay, I’ll give you that. He was. And he ate junk food. Very un-Keagan-ish. It seems, then, that this crush is mutual.”
“There isn’t one. I mean, it was really nice to hug him, but I’m going home.”
“ ‘Nice?’ That’s what whooshing and whamming is? Nice?”
Jasmyn blushed.
Sam smiled. “I guess it was more than nice.”
Jasmyn shrugged. Then she shrugged again. She swallowed. “All right, yes. It was more than nice.” She stopped talking.
Sam stared at her. “You’re in love with him?”
“No! No. We hardly know each other. Honestly, this is Keagan we’re talking about. Antisocial, odd, no first name. I mean, he has a first name. It’s Sean. But nobody uses it. And I’m going home. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“But you did. Jasmyn, you’re morphing into a lovesick teenager, and I signed up to spend the next five days with you. If it’s not a crush and you’re not in love with him, what is it?”
“I don’t have a word for it.” She paused and bit her lip, looking more uncomfortable than even the day Sam had met her.
“You have two words for it, whooshing and whamming. What is that?”
Jasmyn sighed. “It’s sunrise and sunset and the ocean. It’s the desert. Remember where you took me? Where we stood on the overlook and could see absolutely forever?” She stopped again. “That’s the feeling.”
Sam started to shrug and then, suddenly, she understood. Her shoulders went down.
In her mind’s eye she saw again the desert floor, its massive display of valleys and mountains and rocks and vegetation. She saw the sky above it all. She felt the enormity of creation, the mystery of life, the promise of terrifying goodness.
And she saw herself with Beau, being snarky or stammering because in his presence she felt exactly the same way.