Read Online Island Girls (and Boys) by Rachel Hawthorne - Free Book Online Page B

wouldn�t have been able to find anyplace to park outside.
    But standing just inside the doorway, I was beginning to think we�d made a mistake. Itwould be forever before we would be able to find a place to sit and could get our food. Rock music was blasting from speakers somewhere. The place was dark with candles flickering in hurricane lamps. Along the walls hung thick ropes and netting holding seashells and starfish. Anchors leaned in the corners.
    ï¿½There�s a table!� Chelsea yelled.
    She headed for it, with Noah right behind her. As I started to follow, Dylan put his hand on the small of my back. It was warm against my skin.
    I wondered if we were on a date. Or was he simply touching me because it was so crowded in here and he didn�t want to lose sight of me?
    The round table was set near a wall. Dylan sat beside me. As soon as everyone was seated, Noah planted his mouth over Chelsea�s like he hadn�t seen her all day. Uncomfortable�again�I shifted away from her.
    Which placed me almost in Dylan�s lap thanks to the cramped quarters.
    He grinned. �They�re pretty serious.�
    ï¿½Yeah.�
    We reached for the menus stacked in thecenter of the table between the napkin holder and a tray of condiments. Our fingers touched. I froze, feeling silly and self-conscious. He grabbed a menu, opened it, and set it between us.
    ï¿½Hey, I get it,� Noah, suddenly unlocked from Chelsea�s lips, said. �Fish in the surf, cows on the turf. Cool.�
    I sneaked a peek at Dylan and wondered if he was studying the prices as carefully as I was. I leaned over to Chelsea and whispered, �Noah�s going to have to pay his own share tonight. We walked. We didn�t use his gas.�
    ï¿½He doesn�t have any money.�
    ï¿½How did he buy beer?�
    She gave me a pained look like I�d taken my fork and stabbed her in the back.
    ï¿½Look,� I said, �We can�t ask the guys to pay for him, and Amy and I aren�t made of money either.�
    ï¿½I�ll take care of Noah�s share,� Chelsea said.
    ï¿½Okay. Thanks.�
    One worry over with. I felt bad that Noah was broke, and I didn�t like being stingy with my money, but I really didn�t think it was fair for everyone else at the table to have to pay hisway. Especially when the waitress came over and he ordered a triple-decker cheeseburger with a side of shrimp.
    The guys ordered beers. Amy, Chelsea, and I ordered tea. It made me feel like a kid.
    Until Dylan leaned back slightly and put his arm along the back of my chair. Not on my shoulder. He wasn�t even touching me, but it somehow seemed intimate.
    I noticed that Amy and Zach were talking. Chelsea and Noah had returned to their favorite pastime, exchanging spit. While part of me thought it would be great to have a guy who wanted to kiss me all the time, couldn�t keep his hands off me, I also wanted a guy I could talk to. I wanted something more than the physical.
    But when I looked at Dylan, the physical was about all I could think about. I wondered if his kisses felt as crooked as his smile. If they�d be as warm as his eyes. As deep and penetrating as his gaze while he watched me watching him.
    I leaned toward him. He leaned toward me.
    ï¿½It�s loud in here,� I said pointlessly.
    ï¿½Yeah. You like working at the campground?�
    ï¿½Usually. I worked there last summer. I got to meet a lot of interesting people.�
    ï¿½And not so interesting, I imagine.�
    I laughed. �Mostly interesting.�
    Our food arrived. I�d ordered the shrimp, my favorite. Dylan had ordered a burger. We were sharing a basket of fries.
    ï¿½So how long are you guys going to be here?� Noah asked.
    ï¿½We haven�t decided yet,� Dylan said.
    ï¿½You�re just camping all summer?�
    ï¿½Pretty much.�
    ï¿½Awesome.�
    ï¿½Yeah, it