They were having dinner out on the patio for the last time before they flew home the next afternoon. Samir had been able to get a seat on their flight.
“Thank you,” he said, not able to help the little bit of pride seeping into his words.
Pinky’s parents exchanged a glance, and then her mom spoke. “We’d like to offer you an internship at our law offices, if you’d be interested.”
Pinky squeezed his knee under the table and grinned. Samir tried to chew his shrimp in as dignified a manner as possible and swallowed it before saying, “Wow. That would be… I mean, that would be amazing. Thank you.”
Her mom nodded once. “Sure. Just call me once you’re back in school and we’ll figure out the details.”
“I will,” Samir said as a grin lit up his face. “I definitely will.”
“And, Pinky,” Ms. Kumar said, turning to her. “I know you’re busy with things, but I was hoping we could go visit the butterfly habitat early tomorrow morning before we leave for the airport. Just the two of us.”
The two Kumar women held each other’s gazes for a long moment before Pinky smiled and said, “I’d love that, Mom.”
* * *
“Ugh, I can’t believe this is all over,” Dolly said, leaning back in her chair. Pinky was sandwiched between Dolly and Samir, all three of them on chaise lounges. Dinner was done, and the adults were cleaning up. They’d insisted the three of them—Samir, Pinky, and Dolly—go hang out on the deck and not bother with the dishes. “Another Cape Cod summer behind us.” She turned to Pinky and Samir. “Hey. Do you think you guys’ll come next summer? Even though you’ll be, like, getting ready for college and everything?”
Pinky took Samir’s hand on one side and Dolly’s hand on the other. “Of course we will,” she said, and Samir squeezed her hand gently. “It wouldn’t be summer without the madness and magic of Ellingsworth.” She smiled at Samir, and he smiled back.
* * *
Later, Samir and Pinky sat on the pier, dangling their bare feet into the warm, dark water of the lake. There was no one else around for once.
“Hey,” Samir said. “You want to send Ash a picture?”
“Of the two of us?” Pinky asked, laughing. “We might give him a heart attack, but yeah. Let’s do it.”
They kissed, and Samir held his arm out and took a selfie with flash. He sent it to Ashish with a text that said, Guess who’s dating? Your two faves!
The response came not even a minute later.
What the hell are you guys joking omgggggggg wtf wtf this is the best thing to ever happen to our friend group since Oliver and Elijah ommmmgggggggg
Pinky laughed as Samir fired off a response. Yeah dude I’m kind of in shock myself. But like a really good shock
His phone beeped again.
I mean Pinky is pretty shocking just don’t let her electrocute you
Pinky snatched Samir’s phone away and typed, This is Pinky and you’re gonna pay for that
Oh shot, the response came, sorry dude I’m just like WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON
Pinky cackled and typed, Yeah same. We’ll try to explain when we get home.
Samir added a few exploding head emojis and then put his phone away.
“I don’t think he’s going to get over that one for a while,” Pinky said, shaking her head and watching the ripples from her feet in the lake.
Samir snorted. “No kidding. I have a feeling he’s going to be video chatting me tonight to get all the details. No way he’s going to be able to wait till tomorrow like a normal person.”
“No one ever accused Ashish of being normal,” Pinky agreed.
Samir put an arm around her shoulders, and they sat, looking out across the lake at the inky violet of the encroaching night.
“You know,” Samir said, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to miss this place.”
“Me too.” Pinky looked at him solemnly. “But I meant what I told Dolly earlier. You can come back again next summer. If you want to, that is, Mr. Jha.”
“I’d love to, Pinky Kumar,” he said, and then chuckled.
“What?” she asked, frowning.
He shook his head. “Isn’t it weird? Fake dating somehow turned into all this.” He gestured between them. “It turned into true love.”
Pinky smiled a little and looked down at her feet in the water. “I can’t help notice, you’ve used that word before. ‘Love’?” She glanced shyly at him. “Do you…? Do you really mean it the way I think you do?”
Cupping her cheek, Samir leaned over and planted the softest kiss on her lips. His heart thrummed in his chest as he looked into her brown eyes. “I love you,” he whispered.
Her face lit up like a thousand fireworks. “I love you too,” she whispered back.
And they sat together, heads touching, watching as the stars began to peek out, one by one. The night was theirs.