Page 38 of Changed Plan

He kisses me sweetly, but I can feel the want-to in it, as in wanting to kiss me harder. Or maybe that’s my own want-to I’m feeling.

Before we can go our separate ways, Izzie says, “Zane has something he wants to ask you.”

He shakes his head. “Izzie . . .”

“Just ask her. She’s right here.”

“Adults don’t do that, okay?”

“Then how do you ever know if you’re dating someone if you never talk about it?”

“We talk about it. It’s just different. And after much more time has passed.”

“Wow,” she says. “I’m pretty sure she knows what the question is by now. And you’re still just going to stand there and refuse to ask her? What’s she supposed to think about that? That you don’t want her to be your girlfriend? Why should she waste her time with you then? Bet that sailing date is about to get canceled.”

Zane looks like he’s praying for a sinkhole to open under his feet.

“Zane Jacoby, do you want to be my vacation boyfriend?”

“Yes, Darby Bartlett, I will be your vacation boyfriend.”

He kisses me again, and this time we both unleash all our want-to. Until Izzie says, “Okay, okay. We get it. The whole beach gets it. Unlock your lips so you can invite her to dinner at the house.”

We end the kiss. “No, I can’t do that,” I say.

“You don’t have a choice,” Izzie says. “Mom likes to meet all his girlfriends.”

“Izzie . . .” he says again, his voice more exasperated than before.

“Just invite the poor woman to dinner before she has to invite herself! We both know we’re not leaving this beach until you’ve invited her. I’m asking on Mom’s behalf.”

Expert level manipulation. I’d expect nothing less from her.

“Darby, would you please come to dinner at my parents’ house tonight? I’ll text you the address. You can come just like you are. We’re a casual bunch, I promise.”

“Yeah,” Izzie says. “I guarantee neither one of us plans on changing before dinner.”

I can’t believe I’m about to meet his parents with beach hair. “I have to go up to my room and rinse off.”

“Nope,” he says. “We have an outdoor shower. You can rinse off there just like us.”

“But I should change into a clean sundress at least.”

“Just shake out the sand,” Izzie says. “Live like a Jacoby.”

“From what your brother has said about him, your dad doesn’t sound like a shake-out-the-sand kind of guy.”

“Yeah, but he knows he’s outnumbered. See you at the house.” She walks away as if it’s been settled.

Zane smiles. “She’s right. I’ll wait for you out front.”

“Thanks. I think.”

He leans in and whispers, “We can shower together after dinner. In your hotel room.”

As I’m saying my goodbyes to his family, Mr. Jacoby says, “Darby, you’ll have to join us for Christine’s birthday party tomorrow night. I’m making my famous Bolognese sauce. You can tell us how you liked sailing.”

His dad is so much warmer than I expected. He’s just a little more reserved than the rest of them, that’s all.

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