Daring the Bad Boy (Endless Summer)(18)

Everyone stood but Kelsey and me, and they all left in a flurry of quick movement, talking about plans for the day. I watched them go, thinking I should’ve gone with them, but the minute they walked away, Kelsey started griping.

“They didn’t even really say sorry.” She looked disgusted. “You took their dare and nearly died, yet they act like it’s no big deal.”

“Technically it was Kyle who made the dare,” I pointed out, earning a glare from Kelsey.

“That doesn’t make it any better. He should apologize, too. They all should.” Kelsey shook her head, grabbing her orange juice and taking a drink. “I still feel bad that I couldn’t help you. I tried.”

“I know you did.” Fozzie Bear sent her back to the cabin, so there was nothing she could do. I wasn’t mad at her. I wasn’t mad at anyone, really. Just mostly irritated with myself for doing something so stupid.

“Well, I’m sorry. I feel like I should apologize again.”

I nibbled on a bagel, my gaze scanning the room, trying to ignore the disappointment that filled me when I couldn’t find Kyle yet again. He hadn’t come with his cabin group, which was weird. “You don’t have to. I know you’re really sorry.”

“Oh. Right.” The disappointment in my new friend’s voice was clear. “Well, at least you had Jake to save you. Seriously, why aren’t you completely dazzled by his heroic performance? He saved your freaking life, Annie. And it was the coolest thing ever,” Kelsey stressed.

“Uh-huh.” I couldn’t focus on what Kelsey said. I was too busy looking for Kyle.

“He’s really good-looking, too, you know. In that dark, brooding way,” Kelsey added.

For a moment I wanted to correct her. Kyle wasn’t dark and brooding…

But then I realized she was still talking about Jacob. I remembered the deep timbre of his voice when he’d asked if I was all right. The selfless way he tugged his sweatshirt over my head, how he wiped the water from my cheeks, his touch gentle.

What he looked like, his hair wet and his lips parted as he stood in front of me.

I shifted on the bench, hating the weird, tingly sensation that swept over me at the memory.

He chose that moment to shuffle into the dining hall, accompanied by none other than my crush, Kyle. Dreamy, sleep-rumpled Kyle, who wore a faded black T-shirt with holes around the neck and hem and obnoxious pajama bottoms emblazoned with the Atlanta Falcons emblem all over them.

They were awful. I hated the Falcons only because my dad did, too. But I could forgive Kyle for the mistake. His cuteness more than made up for his bad taste in football.

“Oh, it’s Prince Dreamy and your swim coach right now,” Kelsey said amusedly, nudging me in the ribs. I should’ve never told her about the swim lessons thing. “Who knew they were friends?”

I dropped my bagel, and it landed on my plate with a loud plop, the crumbs bouncing, my gaze locked on Kyle and…fine, on Jacob. They had all the girls’ attention in the dining hall, really. Like a symphony of sighs went up at the same time at the sight of two sleepy, hot boys striding into the room like they owned the place.

Wait a minute. Did I just put Jacob under the hot category? He was good-looking but sort of a jerk. And his attitude should’ve canceled out his looks.

But he did save me. I needed to focus on the positives. The fact that he was going to teach me how to swim so I wouldn’t be a total embarrassment and could hang out at the lake with Kyle and everyone else like a normal person. I needed Jacob right now, and I couldn’t forget that.

“What time is your lesson?” Kelsey asked.

“Huh?” I turned to look at her, saw the knowing expression on her face, and immediately felt dumb. “I don’t know. We didn’t discuss times.”

“Hmm, well, don’t you think now is the perfect opportunity to go talk schedules and lessons?” Kelsey waggled her brows, making me laugh.

Making me nervous.

“I can’t go talk to him now. They’re still in line.”

“So? Wait a few minutes and once they sit down, then go over and talk to him. Then you can talk to Kyle, too, and get his attention. Maybe he’d apologize, you know? He should.” Kelsey smiled, though it felt reluctant. “It’s a win-win for you, see?”

She was right, I supposed. But she was also banking on my being way braver than I really was. Just because I jumped off the dock last night and almost killed myself didn’t mean I was brave. No, last night’s incident just meant I was stupid.

“Sure,” I said, sounding much more confident than I felt. “Sounds perfect.”

Kelsey chugged her orange juice, then gazed longingly at my bagel. “You gonna finish that?”

I shook my head, and she snatched it from the plate, downing it in two bites. For such a string bean she sure could put the food down. No way could I eat like that and be as thin as Kelsey. Though she seemed just as self-conscious as I was about showing her body in a swimsuit.

That had been hard, tugging off my shirt and stepping out of my shorts last night wearing the two-piece in front of everyone, though they hadn’t paid me much attention. Not even Kyle. Though I remembered the way Jacob looked at me last night, once he dragged me up to shore. His gaze had almost seemed appreciative.

And he would see me in my bikini again today, when he gave me my first lesson. Would I get that same appreciative look? Or would he keep me at a distance, playing stern instructor to dopey new student? And where would he give me these lessons, at the lake? That was where he worked lifeguard duty…