Dragonfly by Leigh Talbert Moore Page A

when he said it was time for him to go. I walked down the beach with him a little ways. “I had so much fun today,” I said.
    “Me, too. I liked your nana. And your mom.”
    We walked a little further, and I was wondering if he would bring up our unscheduled date again when he reached over and took my hand. Our fingers laced, and I forgot about everything else. We were holding hands, walking on the beach. In the sunset. The only thing better was the way he kissed me last night.
    After a few seconds, he stopped and turned to face me. “You should probably stay here while I walk back to the marina.” His voice was slightly lower, and I nodded. He leaned in a little closer. “I was wondering if I could kiss you goodnight.”
    It just got better.
    “You have to ask?” I said with a smile.
    “I felt like last night, maybe I went too fast?”
    I stepped forward, gripping the front of his shirt and tilting my chin up. “I don’t mind fast.”
    He smiled and leaned in, covering my mouth with his. Our lips parted, and when his tongue touched mine, heat flooded, heart-stopped, knees weakened… I wasn’t sure how it could be better than last night, but somehow it was. He lifted his head, and I didn’t dare speak. I was afraid I might blurt out something ridiculous like “Do it again.”
    “So I’ll call you tomorrow?” he asked.
    I nodded. He walked away, but before he got too far down the beach, he turned and did a little wave. I giggled and waved back, watching as he continued on.

Chapter 7
     
    The smile did not leave my face the rest of the weekend. Everything happened in a colorful blur, and when my phone rang Sunday morning, it was Jack. I jumped up and snatched it and then tried to be cool.
    “Hello?”
    “I know I was supposed to make you sick of sailing, but Sunday’s golf day.” He said. “I’ll be out at Laurel Farms all day with Dad.”
    Laurel Farms was one of the nicest golf courses in the county. Or so I’d heard. It was now my least favorite place on the planet.
    “Golf day?” I said, my smile disappearing.
    “Yeah, Dad likes me to work on my game. Something about all the best deals are made on the golf course.”
    “Is that true?”
    “I don’t know. He doesn’t really like to talk when we’re golfing. My take is the deals are made after the game. Over scotch and cigars at the clubhouse.”
    “Are you included in that part, too?
    I heard his exhale. “Sometimes. Off the record, of course.”
    “Well, I hope you make it to class tomorrow. Essay’s due, you know.”
    “I was thinking about that,” he perked up. “How ’bout I pick you up on my way in?”
    “You mean drive me to school?” Smile returning! Still being cool. “Sure, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
    I thought about riding to school with Jack Kyser and wondered how that would play out with our fellow classmates. Rachel would be all over me trying to get the inside story, and I was sure Julian would act disappointed. Then I remembered his call, but just as I grabbed my phone, Dad tapped on my door.
    “Hey, kiddo. Mom said you had a visitor yesterday. Somebody with a yacht?”
    The word yacht made me want to giggle more, and I was about to correct him. But I let it go. I was seeing a guy with a yacht. What had happened in a month?
    “Yeah, remember the Kysers? I went over to their house to study that night?”
    “I remember, and I wanted to talk to you about that.” Dad wasn’t smiling, and I was suddenly feeling less sure of my mom’s approval of Jack. He walked over and sat on my bedside next to me. I could tell he was choosing his words. “Those guys are a bit, well, over your head.”
    “I know, Dad, but Jack’s really nice. You’d like him.”
    “I’m sure, but I want you to take it easy with this guy. You’re a pretty girl, Anna. You’re smart and a good writer. Your mom and I think you could probably get a scholarship to a bigger college if you wanted to try for something like that.”
    “I