The Perfect Guy (Books We Love Young Adult Romance) (6 page)

"I’ve got good news," I whispered at her locker.

"I could use some good news." Celeste shoved a book into her locker. "The history test I just took was murder."

"
Sorry," I said, trying to give Celeste the sympathy she deserved. "Let’s get out of here first. There’s no privacy."

"Oh."
Celeste’s eyes widened. "It’s
that
kind of good news."

Once we were a few blocks from school
, I told Celeste about the night before in the attic, giving special emphasis to Pres’s hug and our hand holding. I mentioned only the barest details of our conversation.
That
was too personal to blab around, even to Celeste.

"Oh, Celeste," I said, spinning around, "Pres and I, we’re kindred spirits."

"Whoa. Slow down." Celeste grabbed my hand and brought me to a halt. "Don’t start imagining things just because Pres needed a sympathetic ear."

"Lighten up." I sighed. "Next, I suppose, you’ll be telling me I’m
just projecting my feelings onto Pres."

"You do have a tendency to do that." A shadow crossed her face.

"Not this time," I said. "I just know that Pres is about to start liking me the way I like him. It won’t be long before our relationship is headed in exactly the direction it should. I can see us now at the graduation party."

"I wish you luck." Celeste bit her lip. "I
—I really do."

"I haven’t forgotten you. I expect you to be there, too. Surely by now you have your eye on some gorgeous senior."

"I don’t know." Celeste trailed a finger along the edge of her notebook. "I just can’t seem to get interested in anyone. I think I’ve overdosed on guys. I want to wait for, you know, someone special this time."

"Well, don’t wait too long," I warned. "All the cute guys will get snapped up."

"Don’t worry about me," Celeste said. Her faint smile was almost sad. "I won’t be disappointed if I don’t go to the graduation party. I have my feet planted firmly on the ground. You’re the one with your head in the clouds."

"
Pooh." I waved off Celeste’s concern. I was in too good a mood to let her remarks get me down. Besides, it was a beautiful day. Crocuses quivered in the grass and the fresh scent of spring floated in the air.

At the corner of High Street I stopped. "I’m going to the Town Hall again to do research for the play."

"Josh is all excited about working on that," Celeste said. "He’s looking forward to going to the library with you tomorrow."

"Good. I can use the help."

That evening I ran into Josh again on my way home. "You’re getting home late," I said. I knew it was after five, because I’d missed my ride with Mom again. "Isn’t baseball practice usually finished by now?"

"Well, uh, I stayed for extra batting practice." Josh swung an imaginary bat. "Have to work extra hard if I expect to make the major leagues some day."

"If determination counts for anything, you’ll make it."

"You really think so?"

"Sure," I said. "In most things, talent is necessary, of course. But persistence counts for a lot. You’ve got both."

"I didn’t realize you were such a perceptive person." Josh grinned.

At my house Josh made a fist and lightly tapped my chin. "Take care of yourself, sweetheart," he said, doing a Bogart imitation. We both loved old movies, so I usually recognized his references to them. "Remember, I’ll be here bright and early tomorrow morning to take you to the library."

"See you then." I waved goodbye and went inside. Pres was setting the table.

"Hi," he called. "You’re just in time. How about bringing in the salad?"

"Sure," I said, disappointed that I hadn’t gotten home early enough to help him in the kitchen.

At dinner I filled everyone in on my research.

"I discovered some fascinating details about the early settlers, the blizzard of eighty-eight, and even a couple of local heroes in the Revolutionary War. There was Captain James Peck, a dashing blond officer, and his wife Alta, a
beautiful dark-haired woman. She was against the fight for independence at first, but then joined in the war effort to defend Sandy Cove’s shores from British attack. I plan to make them the main characters in the play." I thought Pres and Celeste would be perfect in the roles.

"You’ve done a lot of research," Bill said, when I paused long enough to take a breath. "In three weeks I’ll need an outline and part of a rough draft. I’ll have to start casting parts before too long."

"Three weeks?" I wasn’t used to working with a deadline, but I guessed it was time to start. "Sure. Three weeks."

"This year I’ve decided I need an assistant director. Since you have some theatrical knowledge, I’m assigning that task to you."

I almost choked. Selling one play to a small magazine for elementary school students and painting scenery in a local summer production of
Annie Get Your Gun
when I was thirteen hardly qualified as theatrical knowledge. Of course being assistant director would be a way to get closer to Bill. Besides, I realized, he wasn’t really asking me, he was telling me.

A little later, up in my room, I checked
the time. It wasn’t too late to call Celeste.

"Hi, it’s me," I said as soon as Celeste answered. "Guess what? Bill made me his assistant director. What am I going to do?"

"Whatever an assistant director is supposed to do, I suspect."

"That’s just it. What exactly does an assistant director do? Can I handle it?"

"Take it easy," Celeste said. "Bill trusted you to write the play, didn’t he? You’ll figure out what to do as you go along. Actually, this is the perfect chance for you and Bill to get to know each other better."

"We could sure use that."

"I know it hasn’t been easy with Bill, Rebecca, but you can’t expect him to jump right in and fill your father’s shoes. It’s going to take a while for you to form a relationship with him."

"You’re so logical, Celeste," I said. "Thanks."

"Any time." Celeste yawned. "It’s getting late. I’d better go."

"Sure. And thanks again."

I wasn’t totally convinced that I’d make a competent assistant director, but talking to Celeste soothed my nerves enough so that I could fall asleep.

The next morning I woke up in a sweat, anxious to get going on the play. I did take time, however, to shower and put on a touch of makeup, in case I ran into Pres.

The kitchen was deserted. I realized that this was my first meal alone in my new home. Sitting there with the sun filtering through the plants hanging in the kitchen window, I found myself enjoying the early morning quiet.

"Hi." Pres stumbled into the kitchen, the belt on his robe trailing on the floor, his hair mussed and sticking straight out on one side of his head. He yawned. "Why are you up so bright and early?"

"I’m going to the library to do more research."

I wasn’t sure whether I should look at Pres or away from him. I hadn’t expected to see him looking
, um, rumpled. Why would he want to wander around in front of me looking like that, unless .... Of course! He felt so comfortable with me now he didn’t worry about how he looked. That was a good sign.

"Oh, right. The library." Pres scuffed over to the refrigerator. "How about some orange juice?"

"Sure—"

There was a knock at the door. It was Josh.

"Hi." He gestured toward the driveway. "I know I’m a little early, but I got the car today."

"I’m almost ready," I said. "Sit down."

"What’s this?" Josh had just caught sight of Pres. "Something the cat dragged in?"

I couldn’t help laughing. Pres did look bedraggled.

"I’m hurt." Pres tugged at the lapels of his robe as if it was a tuxedo jacket. "I thought I always looked perfect."

"Perfectly awful," said Josh.

Pres looked cute and cuddly sitting at the kitchen table, all mussed and rumpled. I was tempted to kiss him goodbye, but I wasn’t sure if it was time yet, especially with Josh there. So I waved instead. "See you later, Pres."

In the car I was so preoccupied thinking that I didn’t even realize Josh was driving in the wrong direction.

"Hey, the library is that way," I said.

"I know, but I got to your house early, remember? It won’t be open for a while, so I thought we could go for a drive." He turned on
some soft music. "I’ll get us there in plenty of time, so just sit back and relax."

I gazed out the car window as we drove. Spring was
definitely taking over in Sandy Cove. The pink blossoms were opening on the Japanese cherry tree in front of Bud’s Market. Daffodils bloomed along the stone wall next to the insurance agency on the corner. The sun was bright and the haze of green on the trees stood out against the clear blue sky. It was the sort of day to be walking along the beach instead of holing up in the library.

Just then Josh turned down
Wharf Lane. "Hey, this is the way to the beach," I said.

"Clever deduction, my sweet." Josh cackled and twirled an imaginary mustache. "They’ll never find us there."

"The Mounties always get their man," I cautioned. I enjoyed going along with Josh’s routines.

"But it’s so sad," Josh
said, as he pulled into the beach parking lot, "when what they’re really after is their
woman.
" He reached over and tugged at my hair.

"It’s such a beautiful day. Let’s go for a walk."

"Good idea."

A stiff wind blew in off the water. The harbor was empty except for some sea gulls bobbing in the waves.

"Brrr." I shivered. "It’s sure not a day for swimming yet."

"Give it a couple of months." Josh opened his jacket and wrapped one side of it around me, his arm around my shoulder. "Warm enough now?"

I nodded. I couldn’t remember a time when I hadn’t known Josh. I’d always felt comfortable and secure with him. It was one of the pleasures of life to walk on the beach on a beautiful day with one of my favorite people. In fact, if they could see me now, I’d be the envy of half the students at Sandy Cove High, the female half. I laughed at the idea.

"What’s so funny?" Josh asked.

"I was just thinking," I said. "I’d be the envy of most of the girls at school if they saw me now."

"Oh?" Josh raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

"You, of course." I poked him in the ribs. "I’m sure you’re aware that most of the girls at school are dying to go out with you, and here I am, alone on a deserted beach with you."

"I’m not sure if I’m being complimented or insulted."

"What do you mean?"

"On the one hand, you make it sound as if girls are dying to go out with me. On the other hand, you make it sound as if you think it’s a joke that they do." A trace of a scowl flickered across Josh’s face.

"It’s just that I’m like a sister to you, so
of course
I wouldn’t be interested in dating you. You wouldn’t be interested in dating me."

"
Oh. Of course." Josh threw his hands in the air, and I could see he knew what I meant.

"Who else would I have asked to give me secret dancing lessons
, so I wouldn’t make a fool of myself at the wedding reception? Only someone who was like a brother to me."

"Ah, yes, the infamous dancing lessons." Josh grinned, took me in his arms and waltzed me across the sand, humming in my ear.

I relaxed in his arms. I liked dancing with him, and not just because he’d given me lessons. He so clearly enjoyed dancing that he made it simply fun. I joined in the humming. The wind rippled Josh’s dark curls. I studied his handsome face, outlined against the bright sky. It was easy to see why so many of the girls at school were attracted to him.

"After waltzing in this sand," Josh
said, "dancing at the graduation party should be a breeze."

"I’ll say." I closed my eyes and rested my head against Josh’s chest, imagining myself dancing with Pres at the graduation party. Then all of a sudden I gasped. "Josh, what time is it?"

"Oops." Josh checked the time. "It’s quarter after ten."

"The library opened fifteen minutes ago." I grabbed Josh’s hand and we ran back to the car as fast as we could in the sand. "Hurry!"

"Relax," said Josh. "The library isn’t going anywhere."

"Easy for you to say. You don’t have a deadline hanging over your head. Can’t you drive any faster?"

"Besides getting us there in one piece," Josh said, "I’d like to savor as much as I can of this beautiful day before we burrow ourselves in the library."

I tried to contain my annoyance, but I was beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea to have Josh help me with the research if he wasn’t going to take it seriously.

Chapter
Seven

While Josh did a computer search, I claimed a quiet table in the corner. When I finally went back to help him, I bumped into Alicia Johnson.