Page 8 of Love At The Shore
“It never fails with these two,” Jenna said.
“So what do you say, are we ready to get this party started?” Kayla’s whistle sounded, followed by the splash of dozens of kids cannonballing into the water.
Still, Jenna could barely keep her eyes open.
“It looks like Nick is really pushing himself.” Maureen’s eyebrows rose as she watched the boys make their way across the pool.
“He is. He just needs a little more self-confidence, that’s all.”
Maureen’s gaze shifted toward Jenna. “And it looks like you need a little more sleep.”
She sighed. “I blame my neighbor for that.”
“Why does that sound more scandalous than it is?”
As if. Never in a million years.
“He blasted music all night. Who does that?” Jenna pulled a face.
“Isn’t he a surfer?”
Like that explained anything. Or made her complete and total sleep deprivation okay. The only thing that could make it all better was a nap, plus maybe a Tylenol for her splitting headache.
“Yeah, a messy one who probably sleeps until ten every day,” Jenna said.
She couldn’t fathom the luxury of staying in bed so late. Not that she wanted to, exactly. She had things to do, pancakes to make, and a book to write. Still, it would have been nice if sleeping in was even an option. Jenna couldn’t remember the last time her bed hadn’t already been neatly made before six-thirty in the morning.
Maureen shrugged. “What do I always tell my students?”
“Middle school is like Middle-earth?” Maureen had always had a not-so-secret Hobbit obsession.
“That.” Maureen nodded. “Andyou should always follow the two-week rule.”
She shot Jenna a meaningful glance.
Jenna wasn’t altogether sure what she was talking about, but she had a feeling it had something to do with her music-loving neighbor. And since she didn’t want to think about Lucas McKinnon, much less talk about him, she turned her attention back to the pool where Nick and Grayson were swimming alongside one another, neck-and-neck.
“Looking good, Nick,” Jenna called. But she could still feel Maureen’s gaze on her, so she finally relented. “What’s the two-week rule?”
“You should always give it that long before you decide if you like someone or not. I mean, otherwise, it’s a snap judgment.”
She had a point, but Jenna wasn’t a kid in middle school. She was a grown-up, unlike a certain surfing enthusiast who lived right on the other side of her paper-thin walls.
Besides, Jenna didn’t judge people. That was wrong. “Yeah, I don’t do that.”
“Really?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Maureen lifted a brow. “What about Mr. Splenda?”
Jenna had totally forgotten about him. They’d gone out on exactly one date, during which Mr. Splenda emptied five yellow packets onto his salad.His salad!“Okay, he had a seriously unhealthy addiction to sweetener.”
Maureen stifled a grin. “And Airplane Guy?”
“He took his shoes and socks off before we were airborne.” Yuck. “Besides, that was a dating thing….”
“Which you can’t keep avoiding.”
