“Really?” Jeff asked, looking more enthused than usual, Jason noticed. “What else can you do?”
“Well—it’s been a while. But I used to be able to ski barefoot.” She hesitated. “I’ve gone over a ski jump a couple of times, too.”
“Really?” Jason’s eyes went wide. “That’s pretty cool. I would’ve thought your parents would’ve put the axe on something like that.”
“Well,” Kat gave them all a rueful grin. “My dad nearly killed my uncle when he found out about it. I was only like ten. I don’t think I was scared of trying anything back then.”
Everyone except Ashley started to laugh.
Jason handed Kat a towel and she began drying herself off.
After they’d all settled back into their seats, Brian headed the cruiser further west on Stone Lake. They approached a bridge, and Brian steered the boat slowly between the pilings until they were traveling along the shoreline of another picturesque lake.
“This is Pebble Lake,” Jason announced.
When Kat raised her brow, he nearly forgot what he was going to say.
Jason continued, “We’re heading over to Mike’s to eat. It’s a small restaurant near the Crystal Rock Golf Course. We can eat lunch outside on the deck, and maybe play a few games of pool if no one’s in a big hurry to get home?”
Waiting for Jeff and Michelle to nod their agreement, Jason ignored Ashley, who was sitting next to Brian in the passenger seat, pouting.
* * * * *
After pulling into the dock of Mike’s fifteen minutes later, Jason was reaching for Kat’s hand as she stepped out from the cruiser and onto the pier.
Jason was avoiding Ashley again, and Kat grinned. Ashley was none too happy when she stepped out from the cruiser awkwardly on her own, watching Jason walking towards the restaurant beside Kat.
They sat outside at a picnic table on the huge, multi-level deck, and soon a waitress appeared to take their order.
Brian had given Kat what looked to be a knowing grin when he’d sat between her and Ashley. He was obviously trying to keep the peace.
Or maybe not? Surely Brian wasn’t interested in Ashley?
But maybe he was.
Brian was a pretty good-looking guy himself with dark brown hair, and chocolaty brown eyes. That fact hadn’t really hit home for her until now, since Kat had spent the entire week totally absorbed by Jason. Thinking back, she realized she’d been picking up some strange vibes between Ashley and Brian throughout the entire day.
Despite Ashley’s sulking during lunch, the rest of them still managed to keep the conversation upbeat. Once they’d finished up, they walked inside into the bar and grill where no one seemed to be hanging out, and Michelle and Ashley dropped their bags on top of an empty table.
When Kat lifted a brow and turned to Jason, she was suddenly arrested.
What was up with him sometimes?
It sure was puzzling. He had the weirdest look on his face right now, and it wasn’t the first time that Kat had seen that look when she’d been asking him a question.
“Uh.” Jason shook his head, looking slightly dazed. “It’s an unwritten rule. We’re allowed to use the pool tables in the afternoon when there’s nothing going on. But no one under eighteen is allowed inside unless they’re with parents once it begins to get busy, or on the weekends.”
“They’re really starting to enforce the age of twenty-one in Illinois,” Kat said, dropping her bag next Michelle’s.
Jason nodded. “I think they might be cracking down on it here soon, too.”
Brian called out from the bar. “What would everyone like to drink?”
“Root beer would be good, if they have it,” Kat answered.
“Same, here,” said Jason.
Soon, Jason and Kat were paired at the pool table, playing against Jeff and Michelle.
It wasn’t much of a contest, and Kat grinned, popping another ball into the corner on her third consecutive try.
“So, she’s a pool shark too. Huh?” Brian stated matter-of-factly.
Jason just laughed watching Kat. “I should’ve figured.”
“There are some advantages of having a father who owns a sporting goods company.” Kat answered with a grin, looking up after carefully making a shot. “Such as the summers I spent working in the store. There’s always been a pool table set up on display in the showroom and I could play whenever I wanted to, growing up.”
Jason, Brian and even Jeff and Michele were laughing as Kat kept targeting and making her shots. Soon the table was emptied of every ball but the eight.
“Well. I don’t know. Do we really even need to keep playing?” Jeff asked, rolling his eyes upward.
Michelle grimaced when Ashley snatched the pool stick from her hand.
Ashley had spent the past half hour glaring at Kat and Jason while they’d been partners.
Brian hit hard when he broke, but none of the balls went into the pockets.
Jason made the first few shots and finally missed.
Kat had to admit that Ashley played pretty well when her turn came up.
When Ashley finally missed the pocket, Kat had her chance to wrap it up.
At first, Kat was ready to finish off the game with her usual finesse. Her stick was poised, and she was ready to take another shot when Kat noticed Ashley’s confidence beginning to falter. Strangely, Kat suddenly felt sorry for her.
Winning seemed to be so important.
Kat hesitated, moving her stick a fraction of an inch. When she struck, hitting the eight ball, the ball she was targeting missed the pocket.
Moving away from the table, Kat cursed half-heartedly. “Darn.”
Brian was still looking at Kat strangely when Ashley ended up striking the eight and pocketing the next few balls to win.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” Brian said softly once Ashley headed off towards the restroom.
Kat grinned. “What?”
Brian grimaced. “We’re never going to hear the end of this, you know that. Don’t you?”
Kat wrinkled her nose. “Maybe you can boost her ego a little, and get in good with her.”
Brian looked taken aback. “I didn’t know I was being so obvious. Don’t tell Jason. Okay?”
“Nah,” Kat answered. “Sometimes you can’t help who you’re attracted to.”
“Tell me about it,” Brian said wryly, appearing to be sheepish. “You’re wise beyond your years, Kid.”
Kat laughed just as Jason walked out from the restroom. When he looked back and forth from her to Brian, he frowned.
Hmm. Could he actually be jealous? If so, they’d sure come a long way during the past week.
Jason hung back for a moment to talk with Jeff while Kat made her way down the staircase beside Michelle and Ashley heading to the landing.
By the time they were walking down the pier toward the cruiser, Kat was beginning to regret her spur of the moment decision to back down on her killer instinct when she’d been playing pool against Ashley.
Brian had been absolutely right.
“You know, Jason and I are going to be back together,” Ashley snapped her fingers, “just like that, the moment you leave town. You think you’re so much better than me. But you’re only a child.”
Instead of upsetting Kat like Ashley obviously thought it would, the comparison made Kat begin to laugh; she just couldn’t help it.
Ashley was obviously furious now as she stomped towards the cruiser where Brian was untying the rope at the bow.
When he saw Ashley approaching the boat, Brian must’ve noticed her foul mood right away. Shrugging at Kat, he grinned, quickly kicking the boat away from the edge of the pier when Ashley was ready to step inside.
Ashley walked off from the end of pier and dropped into the water, squealing.
Kat covered her mouth with her hand as Brian began laughing loudly along with Jeff and Michelle.
After a moment of stunned silence, her eyes met Jason�
�s as he stepped up beside her, and he and Kat began laughing too.
Chapter Three
Well, this was it, Jason thought two days later when he walked through the entrance of the Dragonfly Pointe Inn along with his grandparents and his mom. This might be the last time he’d ever see Kat. They were all having dinner together tonight because the Conlins were driving home to Chicago tomorrow.
The idea of never being able to see Kat again was beginning to drive him a little crazy. Maybe they could exchange emails—or something—Jason figured, although with so much distance between them, the odds for continuing to keep in touch were pretty slim.
After a brief conversation with the hostess, Grandpa Will pointed at a large empty table set up near the fireplace.
Jason was sipping on his water when he noticed a hot looking girl walking into the restaurant.
“Well, look how pretty Kat looks tonight,” Jason’s mom observed.
Kat?
Jason began choking on his water.
Sitting beside Jason, Grandpa Will was snickering as he slapped Jason sharply on the back. “Are you alright, Kid?”
Jason rolled his eyes. Nothing much seemed to get past his grandfather, a retired air force colonel. “Yes, Sir.”
His Grandmother Winnie was smiling at Jason too. Her bright blue eyes were twinkling behind her glasses as she peeked around the menu she was studying.
Come to think of it even his mom was looking at him strangely. Were his feelings for Kat that obvious? Damn, he needed to get control over this.
But geez Kat looked hot. From the high-heeled sandals on her feet to the stylish denim skirt and jacket that she wore, Jason’s eyes traveled over her long, long legs. A chunky turquoise pendant hung from around her neck, where a low cut, ruffled blouse seemed to expose an awful lot of skin, Jason decided frowning.
He studied her face. She was wearing a little bit of makeup tonight. Whoa—that hair of hers was really something else, Jason thought when he watched Kat tuck a few strands behind her ear. It hung nearly to her waist like a silky black curtain. The look in her eyes was somewhat uncertain when her eyes met his.
Jason quickly stood up from his seat and pulled out the empty chair beside his. “You look...nice.”
Nice?
Duh. He couldn’t have thought of anything better than that?
Regardless, it seemed to be enough for Kat because she smiled at him brightly.
“Oh wow, Kat. You look so pretty tonight.” Jason’s mom said. “What a lovely jacket too.”
Kat’s jacket was stitched with a dragonfly design.
“Isn’t it beautiful, Dianne?” Kat’s mother Anne answered before Kat could. “We found it right here in the Dragonfly Inn Gift Shoppe.”
Kat’s dad Pete was kind of a quiet guy, but he rolled his eyes upward grinning at Jason and his grandfather. “Their shopping’s going to be the death of me yet.”
Jason sniggered when Grandpa Will began to laugh.
His mom and Anne along with his grandfather and Pete became absorbed in conversation, and soon Jason and Kat seemed to be forgotten.
He and Kat didn’t stop talking through the entire meal. It was pretty damned amazing to be able converse with a girl who seemed to have a lot in common with him. They liked the same foods, enjoyed the same kind of movies, and even listened to nearly identical music—classic rock all the way.
“The food’s so good here,” Kat said, dropping her napkin onto the table once they were finished with dinner. Her glance around the room was wistful. “I’m really going to miss this place. I hope we come back here someday.”
“Want to go for a walk?” Jason asked abruptly. He was suddenly beginning to panic.
Kat looked startled. “Ah…sure.”
“I was thinking we could take a walk towards Dragonfly Pointe?”
Kat looked down at her feet. “Maybe I should put on a pair of jeans and switch out my shoes?”
And then she lifted a brow.
Uh, oh, Jason thought shaking his head.
He quickly cleared his throat when he realized Kat was looking at him oddly, finally answering her question. “Yeah. Want me to come along?”
She looked at her mom and dad who were busy talking with his mom and grandparents. “Nah. They’re going to be here for a while. I should only be a few minutes.”
Despite Kat’s prediction, everyone stood up from the table five minutes later. They’d decided to visit the bar for an after dinner drink when Jason told them he and Kat were planning on going for a walk.
His mom had a strange look on her face again. “How about having Kat back here within the hour?” she asked.
His mom looked over at Anne who nodded her agreement while smiling at Jason. “We want to get an early start tomorrow.”
Jason answered with a firm nod of his head. “No problem.”
They all began walking together towards the lobby.
Grandpa Will paused, giving Jason a wink, before turning and following his mom and the Conlins through the breezeway into the bar.
Jason shook his head despairingly. His family was reading him like an open book tonight.
But noticing Ashley coming through the entryway with her parents, who were obviously heading towards the restaurant, Jason made a quick move through the lobby and sat down in a chair near the elevator. He’d been doing a pretty good job of avoiding her, especially after noticing the way that Brian had been treating her when he’d been pulling her out from the water the other day. Jason felt like an idiot for never noticing the chemistry between the two before. Heck, he’d never been that much into Ashley. She’d been convenient, not to mention pretty hot as far as her looks were concerned. But unlike Kat, Ashley worked really hard at making herself look good.
Less than five minutes later, wearing jeans and tennis shoes along with her denim jacket, Kat stepped out from the elevator carrying a hooded sweatshirt over her arm.
They began walking together through the lobby.
“Wanna take the path along the lake?” she asked, as they stepped outside onto the wraparound porch.
He smiled wryly. “Sure, if that’s what you’d like?”
She smiled back, nodding her agreement.
They strolled along the extended porch and headed down the stairs to follow the path beside the solarium. Jason almost reached for her hand when they began walking towards the lakefront. But no, he decided, he really needed to be careful.
Reminding himself again—she was only thirteen.
This time was so unlike the first time they’d traveled down this path together on their way to the beach. He’d been in a hurry to distance himself from Kat because she just wasn’t what he’d been expecting. Jason pointed across the lake towards town and the bridge they’d traveled under the other day to have lunch and play pool.
Once they’d strolled across the beach and reached the base of Crystal Rock, the sunset was a blazing ball of fire sinking far beyond the horizon.
The path was well lit and by the time they climbed up the trail to the very top of Crystal Rock, the half-moon was aglow in the sky along with dozens of brightly shining stars.
On the steep rocky ledge under a huge white pine, they stood for several spellbinding moments staring up at the moon in silence.
Until finally Kat spoke. “It’s beautiful here, Jason.”
Jason was gazing at Kat when he answered softly, “Yeah, it is.”
When she stared into his eyes for a long lingering moment, he almost kissed her. In fact, it took every bit of willpower he could muster not to.
Kat finally sighed wearing a pensive smile on her face. “I suppose we’d better be getting back?”
Jason grimaced and sighed. “I suppose. We’ve probably been gone for over an hour.”
Much to her surprise, as well as his own, he reached for her hand before they began traveling down the trail.
They were quiet on their way back to the inn. This time they walked down the brightly lit road after strollin
g across the beach past the concession stand where Jason had turned and smiled at Kat, remembering their first day together at the beach. Had it only been six days since they’d met? It was sure hard to believe. Jason felt like he’d known Kat forever.
Once they returned inside through the inn’s main entrance, they found his mom and grandparents waiting along with the Conlins in the lobby.
“Ah,” Pete Conlin remarked, standing up on his feet. “There they are. Just in time.” Turning, he reached out to shake Grandpa Will’s hand. “Hopefully, we can return the favor. We’d love to have all of you for a visit sometime.”
Pete continued, talking specifically to Jason. “Maybe we can find time to hit a ball game together in the spring or next summer?”
Jason caught his mom’s eyes lingering on his and Kat’s hands, still linked together.
Jason cleared his throat. “Thanks Mr. Conlin. But I’m afraid I’ll be on my way to Germany with Mom to visit Dad for a while.” Jason turned to Kat and looked into her eyes. “And when I return to the states, I’ll be entering the Air Force Academy in Colorado.”
Kat’s jaw dropped.
“Wow.” Pete Conlin blinked. “That’s…admirable, son.”
“It’s been in the works for a pretty long time now,” Jason answered.
Was it just his imagination, or did Kat look like she was ready to cry?
“It’s not something I have to do, it’s something I need to do,” he said to Kat, nearly pleading for understanding.
Which was silly considering they’d probably never see each other again.
Still holding Kat’s gaze, Jason continued, “It seems like I’ve known it my entire life.”
Kat swallowed and nodded.
“But how about we keep in touch for now?” Jason couldn’t believe he was asking. The worst thing he could probably do was encourage their budding romance when he wouldn’t be able to communicate with her at all once he entered the academy. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to Kat. She still had a heck of a lot of growing up to do.
And a whole lot of hearts to break—as much as the idea bothered him.
In fact, the thought of Kat even kissing another guy was making him feel kind of crazy.
“Okay,” she answered quickly. “Let me give you my email address.”
Two Hearts Christmas Wish (Two Hearts Wounded Warrior Book 4) Page 4
