Read Online Old Enough to Love... (Just One of the Guys) by Kristi Pelton - Free Book Online Page A

up at the house. This was our first official date and the butterflies eating away at my stomach were irritating. We were getting a later start than the others because he had another meeting to hit. Not sure what the meetings were about but he said that a lot.
    I had a feeling Ryan was taking Claire but because we still weren’t on speaking terms, I wasn’t sure. Mom and Dad approved me going with Zach, but I had to be home at a reasonable time because of cross country. They had tickets to the Shakespeare Theater and would be home late anyway. Grant didn’t seem too bothered when I said I was riding with Zach. In fact, he said nothing at all.
    Zach wore khaki shorts and a USC sweatshirt, and as we walked to the unfamiliar car, I noticed the blanket, jackets and cooler in the back seat. Cooler?  I wondered what was in it.
    He wasn’t driving his Jeep. “Sweet car. Whose is it?”
    He opened my door and closed it after I slid in, then went to his side. “My dad’s.”
    “Is it a mustang?”
    He rubbed my knee as he chuckled. “No, it’s a ’72 Chevelle.” His touch sent chills up my leg.
    “I like it.”
    He reversed and backed out of the drive. “Good.”
    “North to Grants Pass, my dad said and then take the Redwood road?”
    “Yes. You’ve lived in California your whole life and never seen the Redwoods?” I was appalled.
    “I’ve been through ‘ em, just usually asleep. Besides. Where I come from, we have Sequoias,” he boasted.
    No matter how many times I’d been through the Redwoods, they were still incredible. On Zach’s side of the car, a rushing stream wound through a massive rock gorge. Cars were parked at every lookout taking pictures and I was grateful that he didn’t pull off. Though it was breathtakingly beautiful, it was gut-wrenching for those of us with height and motion sickness issues.
    “Wow. This is awesome,” he said. “Call me stupid, but these trees don’t seem that big.”
    “Well, Stupid…we’re not to the Redwoods yet.” I smiled
    “I knew that.” He quickly lied. “And remind me, how are you getting home?”
    I flipped back around to him and pouted. “You wouldn’t.”
    “I wouldn’t.” He winked.
    I didn’t like it when he took his eyes off the road, let alone closed one, even if it meant he was looking at me.
    “So does your family come this way a lot?” he asked.
    “No. Not really. I’ve been on this road maybe five or six times. But that’s it. It’s not like an annual thing or anything. How about you?”
    “I have an uncle that lives in Brookings, Oregon. We’ve been up there, I think twice maybe three times. We drove through then.”
    “Yes but you slept.” I reminded him.
    “I did.” He acknowledged. “They’re trees.” He shrugged.
    I rolled my eyes. “That’s like saying a tsunami is just a wave. Wait till you see them.” I wouldn’t have admitted it but the winding roads were upsetting my stomach. The radio hummed in the background and I thought nervously for something to talk about.
    Relieved, he started. “Tell me something- about you.”
    “Like…?” Where would I start? I didn’t want to bore him.
    “Favorite music.” He suggested.
    “I like a lot of different kinds. Kid Rock. Nickleback. Drake. Dave Matthews.”
    He nodded as I spat off a few.
    “You?” I asked.
    “I’m old school, I guess. I like the Stones, Aerosmith, ACDC…you know. Journey.” He grinned on the last one. “OK. Favorite food.”
    “Hmm. That one’s tough. I think I was born to be Mexican…or Italian or a sea gull.”
    His brows rose. “I followed the first two but you lost me on the sea gull.”
    “They eat crab.”
    “OK. Note taken.”
    “And you?”
    “Well, ditto on the crab but I’m a meat and potato kind of guy. Give me a steak any day and I’m good.”
    We nearly passed the National Park sign. “Wait. Stop here.” I shouted and he hit the brakes and swerved. “I know we don’t have a lot of time but quick pic?” I laughed.