Free The Gathering by S L Dearing Page B

and pulled it over his head.
Kaley felt the air sharply enter her lungs as she watched him.   She could see the ripple of every muscle on his chest and stomach, his skin lightly coated with golden hair and glistening with sweat.   He grabbed the hammer, lifted the tool behind his head and then pulled it down to the spike, striking it hard.   Her fingers curled tightly around the drapery as her left hand came to her mouth and the tips of her fingers lightly caressed her lips.
    "You like him, huh?" came the soft voice from behind Kaley's head.
    Kaley jumped and grabbed her heart.
    "Damn it, Shay.   Why to you have to be so quiet?"
    "Sorry."
    Coeli started to move out of the turret, when Kaley grabbed her sister's arm and turned her around.
    "I didn't mean to snap, you just startled me."
    As the sixteen-year-old turned around, Kaley could see her sister was on the verge of tears.
    "Oh, Sweetie.   I'm sorry."
    Coeli shook her head.
    "It's not you.   It's just…"
    "What?" Kaley asked.
    "Well, there's this boy I like…"
    Kaley groaned and Coeli looked like Kaley had just slapped her.   Realizing she was about to make a mess of things, Kaley began to explain.
    "I'm sorry, Honey.   It's just that all the girls in this family seem to think about are boys and I was hoping…"
    "I'd think about girls?"
    Kaley started to laugh at her sister's wit and although Coeli tried to be indignant, she too soon smiled.
    "No" Coeli said.   "It's just that I like this boy a lot, but I think he likes Sara.   Like every other boy our age does."
    "So who is this guy?"
    Coeli stared intently at the floor with her large charcoal-gray eyes and twirled her long black hair between her fingers, catching the little curls around her fingertips.
    Kaley reached over and took her sister's face gently in her hands and lifted Coeli's eyes to meet her own.   Kaley looked into those eyes and saw the fear and longing she knew so well in her own heart.
    "Who, Sweetie?"
    "Sam Hearst," Coeli answered in almost a whisper.
    "Of Pasadena?   He's a nice boy, Shay.   He's very cute."
    "Yeah, I think so."
    "Why do you think he likes Sara?"
    "I don't know, just a feeling I guess.   At the last Gathering, all he did was stare at her.   She's so beautiful, you know?"
    Kaley folded her arms and furrowed her brow, much like her mother.
    "I guess you haven't looked in a mirror lately, huh?"
Coeli's face flushed at the compliment, but she looked at the floor when she smiled.   Kaley once again took her sister's face into her hands and stared into those lovely charcoal eyes.   In that moment, Kaley realized how much she looked like their other grandmother.  
    "Listen to me, Little Girl.   Sara is beautiful, but so are you.   You know why all those boys flock to Sara don't you?"
    Coeli shook her head.
    "She has confidence, Shay.   She walks into a room as if she owns it.   I bet if you lifted your head and walked with that air of confidence that you have when you’re singing, half of the Sara Squad would be the Coeli Squad."
    Coeli smiled.
    "I just want the one.   I'm not greedy."
    Kaley's brow arched to see if she had made a dent.
    "But I understand, " Coeli continued.   "Just put out the same vibe I do when I sing and pretend everyone wants me, right?"
    "Right."
    "I'll try."
Coeli hugged her sister and turned to leave the turret.   Kaley sat back down by the window and slyly glanced back down at where Ian had been standing moments before only to see him pour a bucket of water over his head and then run his fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his closed eyes.   She felt her knees go weak.
    "Oh, wow."
    A giggling came from behind her.
    "You're right," Coeli piped up.   "All the girls in this family are boy crazy."
    "That's it!"
    Kaley jumped up and chased Coeli out of the room.   Below, Ian Turner gazed up to the turret.   He was wondering if Kaley Stark was thinking about him.   He hoped she was as he turned and went back to