i suddenly knew that her natural habitat would be in a porch hammock at the very august height of summer , temperature ninety-two in the shade , reading a book ( or perhaps just staring out at the heat shimmer rising over the road ) , a can of seven-up beside her with an elbow straw in it , dressed in cool white short-shorts and a brief halter with the straps pushed down , small diamonds of sweat stippled across the upper swell of her breasts and her lower stomach ... `` he apologized afterward .