Dragonfly (5 page)

“Y’all don’t stay out late,” she said. “We’re headed to Navarre tomorrow, and I want to get on the road before noon.”

“You got it. Back by dawn,” Julian said, teasing her. Then he saw me coming down and his eyebrows rose. I couldn’t suppress a smile. “Nice,” he said.

“Oh, stop.” I answered, trying not to blush. “Let’s go.”

I took his arm as we walked out to his classic, light-blue Thunderbird. It was a convertible, of course, but he had the top up tonight. I mentally thanked the hair gods.

“I love your car,” I said. “Very
Thunder Road
. Did you build it?”

“With Blake and Scotty,” he held my door. “You ready to have some fun, fun, fun?”

“You bet. So, I take it welding is good for more than just making art?”

“Having friends in auto mechanics is also good.” He closed my door and ran around to get in and start the engine. We rode for a few seconds listening to the radio. I looked out the window and couldn’t help wondering if Jack would be at the dance.

“Hey, I heard your runner is headed to the National Athletic Center,” I said. “That true?”

“Yep,” he smiled at me. “And with your feature, my portfolio will be golden.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know if I’m important enough to help much. But once they see what you’re doing in welding class, Savannah will be begging for you.”

“Thanks.” Julian gave me a meaningful smile, and conflict twisted in my middle.

I had the most idiotic luck of all time. The absolute most unexpected thing was happening—Julian LaSalle might actually want something more. And all I could think about was the other person I was hoping to see tonight. Why did this happen to me?

We made our way through the gym, and I waved to Rachel and Brad. The DJ played a slow song, and Julian led me onto the floor then pulled me close.

“I’ve been wanting to put the squeeze on you all night,” he said, leaning his face to mine. We were practically nose to nose, with our bodies pressed together.

His hands massaged my waist, and my stomach tightened again. A full-on make-out session with Julian would be my ultimate, impossible dream-come-true. And here I was, standing on the edge of it, holding out that stupid hope for Jack. Pointless hope.

I tried to rationalize. On the other hand, my friendship with Julian was fun and cool, and what if this was just a one-night thing for him? He’d never been tied to any girl for more than a few dates—not even Renee. They were never a couple. So if he was just messing around, and I took him up on it, where would that leave our friendship?

It was one of those dilemmas that made fun television shows and sucky real-life problems.

“Julian,” I said, putting a more friendly space between us. “Come on.”

“You’ve been thinking about the same thing,” he grinned. “Admit it.”

“I’ve been thinking about algebra. How’s that going?”

He chuckled at my deflection. “Like déjà vu. Very boring déjà vu.”

“You’re too smart to flunk a class, you know. Wasn’t your mom ticked?”

“Mom doesn’t hassle me about school.”

“She doesn’t hassle you about anything.”

“Mom’s cool, now back to us. When are we going out again? I was thinking…”

Just then I looked over Julian’s shoulder and saw Renee Barron dancing with Jack. Of all people! Frustration duked it out with disappointment and confusion in my brain. Was that why Julian was suddenly so interested in me? Because Renee had taken up with Jack? And why was she here with Jack anyway? My lips twisted into a frown as I studied her smooth arms around his neck. Then she smiled and did a little hip movement. She knew how to work it. The corners of Jack’s mouth rose and the last of my little hopes crashed and burned.

“Are you even listening?” Julian said.

I snapped back to him. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

The song ended and everyone started to leave the floor. “Forget it. I’ll get us a drink. Want something?”

“Sure.”

Julian kissed my hand before he turned to walk over to the refreshments table. Dejected, I walked to the back of the gym, then outside to the small courtyard where the pep rallies usually occurred.

I did not expect to find Jack sitting on one of the tabletops. Immediately, my heart beat faster, my palms felt damp.

“Hey, Anna,” he said.

“Hey.” I glanced around. We were alone. “I just saw you dancing with Renee.”

“Yeah. Lucy knows her. She wanted to come, so we doubled.”

“Who’s Lucy here with?” I hadn’t even seen her.

“Steve Preston.”

“Wow.” I imagined Steve floating around in a dream as Lucy’s date. It was how I’d feel with Jack. “That’s cool. For him.”

“And I saw you with Julian LaSalle,” Jack fixed those blue eyes on me, and my head grew light. “I thought you said your boyfriend wasn’t in shop class.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I managed to answer. “I’m just doing a feature on him for the newsblog.”

“Your subject seems very interested,” he said. Was it possible he cared if Julian was interested in me? “Hey, about my dad—”

But a loud voice cut him off. “Jackie, my boy!”

Brad and Rachel strolled out and the guys clasped hands. “I talked to Coach, and he’s onboard with letting you join the team,” Brad continued. “So what’s the holdup?”

“I don’t know.” Jack shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. “I don’t really have time for sports.”

“It’s one semester!” Brad argued loudly. “I need a good wide receiver and with the way you run, you’re it.”

Rachel took my arm and gently pulled me aside.

“I like your hair,” she said with a smile. “So you and Julian…?”

“Thanks, and no. I mean, we’re just friends. But I think we’ll get to say we graduated with a superstar before it’s all over.”

“And what about Jack?” She smiled in that knowing way. “I saw you talking to him just now. Looks like it’s your night, girl.”

“Is it?” I studied her face. She was Miss Guy-wisdom, after all, being the future Mrs. Brad Brennan. Eye-roll suppressed. “But I don’t understand why. What happened?”

Rachel shrugged. “You’re not hiding behind Gabi anymore. You’re curious and open. And you’ve always been pretty. Guys like that.”

I shook my head, but we were away from the group now. She pulled me close, my confusion back-burnered in favor of her scoop. “Get this—you are going to die.”

I looked back and caught the reflection of light off a flask Brad was slipping from his breast pocket. He handed it to Jack, and I lost interest in whatever she was about to say. Getting suspended was not going on my permanent record.

“I’d better get back inside,” I said.

“Forget about that. Nobody’s going to bother Brad. Listen to what I found out.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Lucy got pregnant!”

“What?”

“That’s what my mom said. That’s why they’re so old to still be in high school. Mr. Kyser shipped them off to their grandmother’s in like Tacoma or someplace last year. Well, he shipped
her
off, and Jack went with her. Moral support or something.”

“What are you talking about?” My head was spinning.

“The twins!” she cried. “They’re turning nineteen next month. Didn’t you get the invite to their party?” I had not. “So Lucy had an affair with her teacher, got pregnant, got expelled. I’m sure he was fired. Could’ve gone to jail if their dad had gone after him. Instead he shipped her into seclusion. Very hush-hush.”

Apparently not hush-hush enough. I shook my swirling head. “No way. People don’t do things like that anymore.”

“Welcome to the Deep South.” Her eyebrows went up knowingly as she nodded.

I had to say, if anyone would have the story, it would be Rachel’s mom. And I hated to think of Lucy going through something like that. But why would Jack be sent away, too?

“Who cares?” I said. “Sometimes high school girls get pregnant. Big deal.”

I started back to the gym, but just as quickly, Jack caught up to me. I stopped when his hand gently caught my arm. “Hey, wait a sec,” he said.

Warmth flooded my body, starting at our point of contact. “Hey,” I said softly, remembering my dream.

“You headed back inside?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I-I can’t get in trouble here.”

“I’m sorry.” He released my arm. “It’s just Brad is so insistent.”

I still wasn’t sure how to take Rachel’s story, and I hated that now I understood why he didn’t want us to get involved. But it was hard to care about any of that when he touched me. “It’s okay,” I said. “You don’t have to leave. I was just going back in—”

“Are you really not dating Julian?”

And there went all my logic. I studied his beautiful face and measured how much of a mistake it would be to say no. I knew in the center of my being this was my last chance to walk away and be okay with it. That if I took his hand, and he ultimately walked away, I’d never get over it. If only he wasn’t so sexy…

Just then Julian appeared in the doorway. “Who moved the party?” He laughed, entering the courtyard and clasping hands with Brad, who slipped him the flask.

“Now how will I get home?” I said.

“Let me take you.” Jack was holding my wrist again, and I was gone.

“I don’t know if I want you driving me either,” I said. “You’ve been drinking, too.”

“Just a few sips. I’m fine, I promise.” His blue eyes held mine. “Please? You’d be helping me out here.”

“Helping you?” That didn’t make sense. “But… What about Renee?”

“I’ll see if she can catch a ride with Lucy and Steve. Look, it’s the only way to get Brad off my back about damn football,” he smiled, and I melted even more. I was doomed.

“I don’t know,” I started, but I knew I was going with him. “Julian might get his feelings hurt, and I don’t want Renee mad at me.”

“Let me handle it.” He was off talking to Julian in an instant, and I was just standing there watching him. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. My heart was flying in my chest, and I knew I wasn’t in control of this anymore.

Rachel walked over smiling sideways at me. “You okay, Anna? You look dazed.”

I shook my head and looked down, embarrassed. Julian made some mock-protest about me breaking his heart, holding his chest, then he walked over to join us.

“You’re leaving me, Sunshine?” The smallest hint of disappointment in his voice killed me. Stupid, shitty timing.

“Not if you don’t want me to.” I hated that I only half-meant my words.

He studied my face for a moment, and my chest hurt at the expression in his eyes.
Julian…

“It’s okay,” he said, his usual, easy laugh back. “If you want to go with him, I won’t stop you.”

Jack returned to the courtyard, and my eyes went from him to my date. “Do you want me to stay?”

Julian pressed his lips together. Then he leaned forward and kissed my head. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

He waved me on, and I hesitated, almost deciding to stay until I saw Renee watching the whole thing, her eyes following Julian as he left me. I was sure she’d happily take care of him, and I told myself it was better that way. Then I took Jack’s hand.

“See you Monday,” he said to the group, and we walked to the lot where his Jeep was parked.

“Want to take the top off?” he asked.

“Um, no. My hair.” I silently wished we lived someplace where the weather didn’t turn my hair into cotton candy.

“I like it that way.” He reached up and slid a piece off my neck. I felt a tingle as his hand gently grazed my shoulder. “But I like it the other way, too.”

“What? A complete mess?”

“I’ve never seen it a mess.”

“Have you ever looked at me?” My nose wrinkled.

“I don’t think I’ve stopped looking at you for three weeks.” My stomach did a double-flip. The thought of him checking me out was too much.

I cleared my throat, picking at my skirt and trying to recover. “Where are we going?”

“I was thinking we could head down to the beach?”

“The beach?” I knew where that would lead, and I was trying not to get emotionally involved too fast. Yeah, right
.
“O-okay.”

He smiled and turned the wheel toward the Gulf Road, and in less than ten minutes we were running across the still-warm sand toward the water. Our shoes were left at the wooden boardwalk lining the state park.

We both stopped at the water’s edge, staring out at the black horizon, and he caught my hand. I was breathing hard from the run and the anticipation, and for a moment, all I could do was stand there, looking into the distance, contemplating the future.

He turned and gently pulled me a half-step, and I was in his arms. A glint of blue, and his mouth covered mine. My lips parted, and the faintest taste of whiskey touched my tongue. I trembled as his hands traveled up the sides of my dress to my shoulders, then lightly cupped my cheeks. His lips moved to the corner of my mouth, then my jaw, and a tiny noise slipped from my throat. I was tense and electric, and all I could think were his soft lips touching me, my fingers exploring his hard stomach through the thin cotton shirt he wore.