Read Online Moonglass by Jessi Kirby - Free Book Online

as impressed as I was at the moment. He had the long, lean body of the swimmers I’d seen over the years, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. I took a few steps closer and grabbed the handle of the tower ladder, then looked right up at him. “So, James told me about the bonfire tonight.” He looked interested … or surprised. I went on, encouraged. “Where’s Muddy Creek?” He laughed and pointed down toward the south point. “Just down there, where that ramp comes down to the beach. You ran past it last weekend.” It took a second, but then I remembered the backpacks on the sand and the surfers in the water. “You were out in the water.”
    “And you were showing off.”
    He had me there.
    “Somebody had to do something impressive. I didn’t see you guys out there getting any waves.” I winced a little, inwardly. It wasn’t one of my best lines.
    Tyler looked back out at the empty water, apparently disregarding my lameness.
    “Yeah, that day was crappy. I should be out there today . Look at it.” He pointed to a wave that broke off a set of rocks just offshore and peeled across the little cove. “Yep, I just get to sit down here in no-man’s-land and look at it all day. Courtesy of the Ryans.” He leaned forward on the railing and watched another wave roll through.
    I leaned my back against the ladder and looked up over my shoulder. “Sorry about that.” He laughed. “Nah, don’t be. I knew what I was getting into when I talked to you.” I turned around. “Wait a sec. You knew who I was? Why’d you go along with it?” I was suddenly intrigued.
    “James bet me I wouldn’t do it because you’re Ryan’s daughter. He gets a laugh out of that stuff. Why’d you go along while I talked crap about your dad?” I shrugged. “He drives you crazy as a boss. Imagine having him as your dad.”
    Tyler held on to the tower railing and leaned back, pulling his shoulders back in a stretch. “You’re his daughter. He’s supposed to be that way. He’s been around long enough to realize that most guys are a bunch of jerks.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. Now you sound just like him.” This wasn’t the direction I’d envisioned this conversation taking. I needed to bring his focus back to me, so I turned slowly around so that I was facing the ladder, leaned my chest against it, and looked up at him casually. “Anyway, are you going tonight? To the bonfire?”
    “Yeah, I’ll be there.” Tyler turned to spit out a sunflower seed shell . “ You shouldn’t be, though.” He cleared his throat and laughed. “That’s probably why James invited you. He’s a pot-stirrer.”
    I suddenly felt not so cute anymore, deflated, just like that. He spit another shell into the sand, then looked down the beach. I should just turn around and walk away, I thought. Take a hint. But his attitude pissed me off. I looked out at the water and the outline of Catalina directly in front of us. “My dad and his buddy took their boat to Catalina for the night. I think it’ll be fine,” I said flatly. It was probably safe. They’d gotten off to a late start and would most likely go out for beers or something afterward.

    Tyler didn’t take the bait. “Oh, yeah? well, in that case he’ll probably have one of his buddies checkin’ in on you. Or all of us.” He smiled down at me.
    Condescendingly, I thought. “Maybe some other time, like when we all don’t have to answer to your dad.” Heat crept across my chest and settled on my face. He really didn’t like me. At all. Jerk. Humility peeled my fingers from the railing while at the same time pride made me open my mouth. “Wow. I guess a middle-aged lifeguard supervisor is a pretty scary thing.” Again, it wasn’t all that impressive, but I had to say something. I walked away, wishing I had thought up something better.
    “Bye, Anna!!” he called. I didn’t turn around, but waved my hand over my head, more out of annoyance than anything else. Then I