Free Spill Over by Jolene Perry Page A

Amber and Brit who joined us this morning.
    “Antony!” David calls.
    I freeze. When did he get here ? And what kind of prick doesn’t text to give a guy maybe an hour warning?
    “Told ya’ I’d be comin’ for a few days!” H e moves up the street toward us, looking every bit the part of a spoiled guy from New York. Three hundred dollar jeans, shoes that should never see the deck of a boat , and his favorite Prada jacket.
    I knew he was coming. And we even talked e arlier this week. I t just slipped my mind like I wish other things would.
    “Hey, man.” We slap one another on the shoulder. David and I don’t hug.
    “Good to see you on both legs. Y ou were in rare form last time I saw you.” He laughs again.
    “Yes. Thank you.” He better hear my sarcasm, because that’s not something I need brought up in front of Amber.
    “Well, you had a good excuse, you know.” He slaps my shoulder again.
    Right. Let’s bring up Mom, too. My chest is tightening further every second David and I stand next to the girls.
    “Gonna introduce me?” His brows go up, and he uses a hand to slide over his light brown hair cause he thinks girls love his hair. Well, girls do love his hair, but mostly cause he spends more time on it than most girls would.
    “This is Amber, and her friend, Brit.” I watch David close ly as he takes them in.
    “Nice to meet you.” He’s being overly polite. “Antony said we ’re all going on some field trip thing or something tomorrow?”
    Right. I warned him it was something Amber had put together . My head just is not in it.
    “Yeah,” Amber answers. “It counts as home school credit because a professor’s coming with us.”
    “But he never stay s with us for long, so we get l ots of free time on the beaches. ” Brit’s leaning forward, biting her lower lip and looking right up at David.
    It’s an open invitation that David is almost definitely going to take.
    “Why wait ‘ til tomorrow?” He grins at her. “You two can come over tonight, if you like.”
    I throw my arm over his shoulders and start toward the boat before he does any more damage. “We got stuff to do,” I say.
    I glance over my shoulder and Amber’s face is completely unreadable. What is she thinking ?
    “What was that?” David asks.
    “Just… nothing.” What else do I say right now?
    He chuckles . “The nothing with blond hair and long legs?”
    I don’t even know how to answer.
    “Way too much work, Antony. Did you see the look on her face?”
    “Yeah, but she’s impossible to read.” I shake my head as I open the door down to the docks.
    “Not that hard. My guess is she thinks you’re hot, but won’t do anything. That’s my prediction.”
    “Predictio n?” I slug him. “Whatever . How did you know where to come?”
    “You gave me the name of the boat. I’m not without skills.” He chuckles again. “Saw your dad. He’s cool. He said we can take the ding hy out today. The thing looks like a riot. A nd despite your pessimistic view of this place, I think it’s kinda cool.”
    “Great.” I let out a breath.
    David steps up on the back of the boat, like he’s here every day , and I follow. That was me. Is me. I’m the guy who can just jump into any situation and roll with it. And now I can’t. I have no idea what to do with that.
                 
     
     
     
     
     
    Nine
     
    David and I walk together while the botanist from the universi ty talks about plants. David mak e s eyes at Bri t almost all day, and Kent spends as much time walking with Amber as possible.
    Once David and Brit start up the trail side-by- side , Kent’s job of being close to Amber ge t s a lot easie r. As much as I want to be the guy next to her, I’m so not into fighting over a girl. Not happening.
    - - -
    The campfire is roaring and the light is dimming , but no one’s showing any signs of being ready to leave. The professor ditched us a while ago. David’s the center of attention, like usual.