Read Online Moon Shadow: The Totally True Love Adventure Series (Volume 1) by R.L. Fox - Free Book Online Page A

I. Everyone can see it in her green eyes, behind the shadow of those long silken lashes. She’s pretty, though. I’m sure people have stopped her in the mall to tell her she should be a model. She doesn’t need those extra thick false eyelashes, and all the mascara, that make her look like, well, Lady Gaga or something. And that red strapless dress which actually shows some of her big boobs ...
    I’ve watched Dan to see if he stares a lot at Julie. He doesn’t look at anyone. When he came in late, Frank guided him to the seat next to me. Dan’s hair is black, closely cropped. He’s wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt, tucked in, with blue jeans and adorable brown boots, round-toed. Grandma Martin, on my mother’s side, took me shopping in La Jolla last weekend and I’m wearing a mauve dress from the Laura Gambucci Boutique. It’s sleeveless, and short (not a mini, but cut above the knees to call attention to my long slender legs). My shoes are Vera Wang lavender flats.
    Suddenly Frank starts tapping on his wineglass with a spoon, producing a staccato of ringing notes. He stands and begins to speak: “Everyone, please. Thank you. While there is some cause for concern, certainly, I want to say that preliminary reports from scientists the world over indicate we do have time for a solution. I’m very optimistic, and I’d like to share that optimism with you. A few are concentrating efforts solely on the reasons behind all this, but the many are seeking an immediate solution, and a detailed plan of correction is in development as I speak. I won’t go into the particulars, but basically it entails detonating a nuclear device near the moon. Careful calculation of the trajectory of force from the explosion will nudge the Moon into a new, non-threatening orbit. Of course exact information about the present orbit is necessary and efforts to gather these and other pertinent data are ongoing. As I said, I’m optimistic. Life goes on, as it must.”
    Frank turns to Dan. “Well, Dan, you have a bright future now that you’re officially out of the Army. You did well in high school, co-valedictorian, wasn’t it?”
    Dan’s face reddens. He nods solemnly. I can see his shrouded disinterest, obvious to me, but maybe not so obvious to the others, all older people. Frank smiles broadly. “Let’s make a toast,” he says.
    Except for Dan, everyone stands, including me. We toast to Dan’s successful future. There are smiles all around, and then the expression on Frank’s face seems to get more serious.
    “Dan, you could have picked your school, Stanford, or back east, Harvard perhaps, but you didn’t. I know you haven’t finalized your plans. You may be surprised to hear that a recent Business Week ranking of Schools of Business Administration placed San Diego State among the top twenty in the nation. Therefore, I propose to make another toast.”
    Frank coughs with a sort of elegance. He’s silent for a moment. Then he says, “To Dan’s future success in San Diego State’s highly-ranked business school.” Frank raises his glass and everyone but Dan joins in.
    All eyes are on Dan. He seems trapped in a web of wordlessness. I love his good looks, his bright eyes. He’s sort of thin but very athletic-looking. He strikes me as rather shy actually.
    Dan finally answers Frank, in a quiet tone that’s barely audible. “Thanks, I’ll think about it ...”
    As Dan’s voice trails off, my mother stands and taps on her glass with a spoon. The rescuing of Dan is about to take place, to win him over, of course.
    “Dan, I’d like to add,” my mother says, with conviction, “I think your graduating first in your class is a marvelous accomplishment. My Sarah should be so fortunate. I know your father is proud. The example of your achievement is one I hope Sarah can aspire to. The challenge will be enormous, of course. Like you, she skipped a grade and success for someone a year younger than everyone else requires a certain