Island Girls (and Boys) by Rachel Hawthorne Page B

for Chelsea that would make her see things my way.
    I didn�t want to lose Chelsea as a friend, and I didn�t know how to make her understand that Noah wasn�t part of the equation when we�d made our plans for the summer.
    Amy started the car and we headed out of the campground. We were on the main road, driving at a fast clip before Amy spoke. �I can�t believe how tired I am. Where do all thesepeople come from? And why are they addicted to hot dogs?�
    ï¿½Rough day?� I asked.
    ï¿½Like you would not believe. Even though I�m inside, I get so hot working behind the snack bar��
    ï¿½Speaking of hot,� Chelsea interrupted. �Why is steam coming out from under the hood of your car?�
    I unbuckled and scooted forward. Sure enough, there was a little vapor trail easing out from beneath the hood and quickly disappearing. �What�s your temperature gauge show?�
    ï¿½It�s heading toward the red.�
    ï¿½Then you�d better pull over.�
    Amy drove off the road onto the grass and turned off the engine. All three of us groaned at once.
    ï¿½This is so not good,� Chelsea said. �I�ll call Noah.�
    Was it possible that Noah�s value was about to show itself? Amy and I got out of the car and walked around to the front. There was actually quite a bit of traffic whizzing by, but no one was stopping. The start of a holiday weekend,and everyone had places to go, things to do.
    ï¿½What should we do?� she asked.
    ï¿½I guess we should open the hood.�
    ï¿½Do we even know what we�re looking for?�
    ï¿½Probably a busted hose or something.�
    ï¿½Let�s just wait for Noah.�
    Chelsea climbed out of the car. �He�s not answering his phone.�
    Great! His one chance to be a knight in shining armor.
    ï¿½So what now?� I asked.
    ï¿½I guess we wave someone down,� Chelsea said.
    ï¿½No way!� Amy said. �Haven�t you seen Breakdown ?�
    ï¿½That was fiction,� I said.
    ï¿½Based on fact,� Amy said.
    ï¿½No, it wasn�t,� I said.
    ï¿½When did you get to be such a scaredy cat?� Chelsea asked.
    ï¿½I�m cautious.�
    ï¿½You�re chicken.�
    ï¿½Guys, this isn�t helping. Let�s just open the hood and see what we can figure out.� Besides, I thought an open hood would serve as anSOS to the passersby who had yet to realize that a car sitting on the side of the road wasn�t normal.
    Two motorcycles whizzed by, headed toward town, then one did a U-turn, followed by the other.
    ï¿½Help might be on the way,� I said.
    They cut across the road and onto the grass, coming to a stop just short of the car. It sounded like thunder rumbling around us. They cut the engines, but my ears still rung with the sound. Then they removed their helmets. And I knew an instant of gladness that went far beyond the fact that these were guys and fixing cars was a guy thing.
    ï¿½Looks like you got trouble,� Dylan said as he strode over to me.
    ï¿½Yeah.�
    ï¿½My boyfriend isn�t answering his phone,� Chelsea said.
    Dylan looked at her, nodded, then turned his attention back to me. �Want us to take a look?�
    ï¿½Definitely.�
    I made quick introductions. Zach duckedinto the car to release the latch on the hood, then Dylan lifted it. I tried not to notice the way his muscles rippled, but it was a little hard not to when his dark gray T-shirt stretched across his back. He was way buff.
    ï¿½He must work out,� Chelsea whispered, and there was definite appreciation in her voice.
    Amy eased toward the car and stood on her toes to look under the hood�like she thought the additional distance would either give her a better view or keep her safe from any boiling water. �So?� she asked.
    Dylan smiled at her, and I wished I�d eased up to look under