I tried to calm my breathing. I didn’t have the guts to tell them I’d met a man in the woods and that he had saved me from the mountain lion. My stomach was tangled in knots. “Thanks, Dad, but I’m not really hungry. I think I’ll just go unpack a few boxes.”
“All right. I guess you have had quite a day,” Mom chimed in. “We’ll save your pizza, and you can just microwave it later if you get hungry.”
“Thanks.”
On my way upstairs, I glanced out the window but didn’t see anything unusual.
Later that night, when the moon began to shine and the crickets began to chirp and the wind began to whisper through the treetops, I thought about my mysterious stranger. The entire scene played out in my head over and over again in my dreams, and when I woke up the next morning, his beautiful face was on my mind. I had to find him, to see him again, if only once more, and to put a name to the beautiful face that I knew would linger in my mind for a long, long time.
Chapter 2
“Taylor,” my mother called, “we’re going to the lake to fish and take a paddleboat ride. C’mon, dear!”
“Can I stay and unpack?” I asked.
“No, we’re all going.”
I blew out a breath. “But I don’t want to fish,” I whined, far more interested in reeling in the mysterious hottie from the woods.
“Then you can try to get a tan. It’s supposed to be warm and sunny today.”
I gazed at the leaning tower of boxes that rivaled the one in Pisa. “How am I supposed to find my bathing suit in this mess?”
“I’ve got an extra you can borrow.” She chuckled. “But I must warn you that it has a skirt.”
“Mom!” I laughed and shook my head.
She smiled. “Besides, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
My mouth dropped. “No way. Tell me you’re not trying to set me up, especially not while I’m wearing a swimsuit that makes me look like a nun.”
“Honey, it’s nothing like that. I met a friend, and she has a daughter your age. I was thinking you two could hang out. She’s new in town too.”
“Oh,” I said. “It’d be nice to have a friend around here. But let me look for my own bathing suit. I think I might know what box it’s in, now that I think about it.”
“Great. We’re leaving in a couple hours.”
Knock!
When I answered my door, a guy my age with short brown hair and piercing green eyes looked at me. He shot me a grin, and I smiled back. He wasn’t as built as the guy in the forest, but he was definitely a cutie, dressed like a jock in a t-shirt, shorts, and Nikes. I couldn’t fathom why this guy was standing in my doorway.
“Hi,” I said. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Your dad hired me to do some yard work.”
I suddenly remembered that my dad had told me that, but I had no idea the landscaper would be so young and attractive; I’d expected a short, balding man in a grubby old flannel shirt and clunky boots. “Oh, okay. Let me get him for you.” I called for him, and he came to the door.
“This is Fred,” Dad introduced. “He’s going to give our back yard a makeover.”
“It can sure use one,” I said, smiling at Fred. “I can give you a hand if—”
“No way,” my father interrupted. “The last time you helped, the yard looked…well, let’s just say that yard work isn’t your forte, honey.”
Just then, my mom opened the door and peeked out. “Fred, would you like to come to the beach with us?”
Not wanting to be rude, my dad just cleared his throat and looked at her in disbelief. He was paying Fred well to do a job, and he didn’t expect it to be put off. “We’ve gotta get this jungle under control, dear,” he said, looking a bit harshly at her. “I think the sooner Fred gets started, the better.”
“One more day isn’t going to hurt anything,” my mother said. “Let him come with us. He can deal with the yard tomorrow.”
“Is it going to really hurt living in the Amazon one more day?” I asked.
Dad wrinkled his brow at me, then at Mom, refusing to relent. “Taylor, you go on and finish getting ready for the beach. Fred, please come with me so I can show you what we need done.”
Fred’s green eyes sparkled like emeralds. “See ya later, Taylor.”
I waved. “Bye. It was nice to meet you.”
I watched intently as my dad talked his ear off with all his big plans for the yard. Fred sneaked a look over his shoulder and smiled. I grinned back, then watched my dad escort him to the other side of the house. Once they were out of sight, I went back upstairs to my room to finish packing for the beach.
* * *
While I stayed on the beach for some sun and fun, Mom and Dad went fishing not too far away. I spread out a colorful towel, applied plenty of Coppertone, and slipped on a pair of sunglasses, then lay down on my back to soak up all the sun I could. My gold bikini left little to the imagination, including more cleavage than my dad was a fan of, but I figured he needed to face the fact I was growing up and was not his little girl anymore. It didn’t really matter anyway, because there were so few people on the beach that one would have thought shark warnings had been posted. I just enjoyed the solitude and the warm rays and listened to the birds and gulls soaring overhead.
“Taylor?” a girl’s voice said.
I sat up and grinned. “Yep, that’s me.”
A tall blonde in a tie-dyed bathing suit, with a large, striped beach bag over her shoulder, was holding her hand out for a shake. “I’m Julie. I’ve been dying to meet you. Mom tells me we’re the same age, in the same grade. I just moved here last week, and I don’t know a soul.”
I shook her hand and smiled. “That makes two of us.”
She smiled, then spread out her own beach towel, adjusted her sunglasses, and politely asked, “If you don’t mind, I’m gonna catch some rays too.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said. I lay back down and turned my head in her direction. “Where do you live?”
“Not far from you. My parents split, and Mom’s—”
“Divorced?”
“You nailed it. Divorce, the future tense of marriage.”
I had to stifle a laugh, considering that her wounds were probably still fresh, but I appreciated her cynical sense of humor. “I’m sorry,” I said.
“It’s fine, and I’ll be fine too. I always bounce back. It’s like I have nine lives. My dad got remarried and lives in Washington, and Mom got a job as a manager for Sleepy Forest Cottages. Where do your parents work?”
“In their pajamas sometimes,” I said.
“Huh?”
“Heh. They work from home. They’re authors, so for them, this place is like a writers’ retreat, the perfect inspiration.”
“Oh. Well, that’s pretty cool.”
“I guess. They met at a writing conference and have been inseparable ever since. I guess you could call it love at first write,” I said with a smile.
She laughed. “Fairytale perfect, huh?”
“Well…sometimes. But speaking of fairytales,” I said, “I think I met Prince Charming.”
She lifted her glasses up and smiled. “Really? Where? Is he a lifeguard or something?” she asked, looking around.
“Not that I know of—at least not in the traditional sense. Yesterday, my dog Max took off into the woods, and when I ran in there to get him, I bumped into this super hot guy.”
“Whoa!” She lifted a brow. “A hot forest boy, huh?”
Just then, another vision of the Greek god flashed through my head, his black hair wafting in the wind like some majestic stallion’s mane. I grinned as I imagined the intimate touch of his lips on mine.
“Hello? Earth to Taylor,” Julie said, snapping me out of my trance.
“Oh…sorry. I was just thinking about him. He was just so…hot. ”
“Do tell.”
I lifted my sunglasses off my face. “Smokin’…really.”
She furrowed a
brow. “As in…sizzling?”
I grinned. “Smoldering.”
“What’s his name?” she asked.
“Um…that’s the thing. I don’t know.”
“What!? You mean to tell me this gorgeous creature was standing right there in front of you, and you didn’t even find out who he is?
“Well, we talked for a few minutes, and I felt this amazing connection. I guess I was so caught up in the moment that I just didn’t think to ask.”
“You know what that was, don’t ya?”
“What?”
“Chemistry.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“So lemme get this straight. You met some hot guy who took your breath away, and you didn’t even get his name? Do you even know where he’s from?”
“You mean besides Heaven?”
She laughed. “Oh my gosh, that’s soooo corny.”
I laughed back at her. “I don’t know.”
She shot me a look like I was crazy. “Why didn’t you ask?”
“Well, there were mountain lions, and—”
“Mountain lions, as in plural?”
“Yeah. Why?”
She lifted a finger. “Clue number one. Mr. Wonderful doesn’t know much about the wildlife around here. I read up on it. Mountain lions travel alone.”
“Hmm. That’s odd. When we were out there, after we scared one lion away, my dog started acting funny, and he said, ‘They’re back’.”
“Only mothers and kittens live in groups, and I doubt a mama bobcat would come back with her babies. What happened after that?”
“He seemed jumpy and rushed me back home, then took off. When I glanced over my shoulder, he was gone.”
“Hmm. He does sound mysterious. I’ll keep out an eye for him. What does he look like?”
“He’s gorgeous.”
“Yeah, you already said that. What else?”
“Well, he has black hair to his shoulders.” I smiled even wider, recalling every detail of his features. “And he’s got these big, bright blue eyes, almost like he was wearing those colored contacts.”
“You mean, like, pastel or a piercing shade of bright blue?”
“I don’t know, exactly. When I was a kid, there was this crayon in my box of Crayolas that was called Periwinkle. It was kind of like that, the rarest eye color I’ve ever seen. It was the lightest blue ever, as blue as the sky. I don’t know who he is, but I’ve gotta find out.”
“So you’re calling dibs on the hottest guy on town already? Gee, I sure hope he has a brother.”
“I’m not even sure if he lives here,” I said.
“What would make you think otherwise?”
“Well, you said yourself that he made a mistake about the mountain lions. It seems like a local would know better. Maybe he was just hiking and is staying in one of the hotels.”
“Was he dressed like a hiker? Did he have a backpack and gear and hiking boots?”
“No, none of that.”
“Hmm. I do love a good mystery. We’ve gotta find your hunky hottie and see if he’s got an equally smoldering brother.”
I laughed. “And how are we supposed to do that? Stalk the resorts, hotels, and cabins?”
“No. I have a better idea. This guy named Jed is throwing a party tonight at his cabin. Lucky for us, I got invited. If this mysterious guy is a local, I’m sure he’ll be there.”
“And if he doesn’t show up?”
“Then we move on to Plan B.”
“Which is?”
“Stalking the resorts, hotels, and cabins.”
“Man, that’s gonna suck.”
She rolled on her stomach to get some sun on her back. “Yep. If he’s a tourist, he’ll most likely be here for no more than a week or two. But even if he leaves, I’m sure there are other cute guys around here somewhere.”
“I don’t want another cute guy. I want him.”
“Picky, picky, picky! When you show up tonight, make sure you look good. Wear something cute. If he happens to be there and he’s single, maybe you’ll snag him. At least you can find out his name this time.”
“Right,” I said and gave my new friend a fist bump.
“I need to meet somebody to forget about my ex,” she said.
“Yeah, I know the feeling. I did meet another guy who’s pretty cute,” I said.
“Wow. What are you, a guy magnet? How’d you meet that one? And don’t blame your dog.”
“He knocked on my door.”
She laughed. “Hey! How come I don’t have that kind of luck?”
“My dad hired him to do some yard work. His name is Fred.”
“So introduce me,” she said.
“I will.”
“Unless you want him.”
“Nah, he’s a cutie all right, but I’m all hung up on Mr. Blue Eyes. Fred’s are jade green, kinda like yours.”
“Well, anything to get my mind off my ex,” Julie said.
“My love life isn’t so great either. I was dumped about six months ago. Sean said we didn’t have the spark he needs.”
“Spark? The guy sounds like a jerk. Trust me, you’re better off with somebody else than a guy who’d ever say something like that to a girl. If he wants a spark, maybe somebody oughtta shove a lighter up his—”
“Hey! Gross!” I squealed, cutting her off before she made me visualize something I didn’t want to see.
She laughed, and I couldn’t help laughing too.
“Anyway, he is a jerk, like you said. He had a girlfriend one day after he dumped me.”
“Idiot!”
I sighed. “Tell me about it.”
She sat up and grinned coyly, as if she was up to something naughty. “So…are you ready to forget about him and have some fun?”
“Definitely.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up tonight. Mom already told me where you live. Is seven okay?”
“I’ll be ready and waiting.”
“Cool. And look, Taylor, if your fiery forest friend isn’t there, don’t worry about it. I’ve got a feeling there won’t be a shortage of hotties around here—or at least I hope there won’t.”
I smirked. “I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be really good friends,” I said, and I knew it was the truth.
Chapter 3
Julie’s bright blonde hair was in long, beautiful waves, and her green eyes really popped, thanks to the brown eyeshadow she’d chosen. She was dressed in tight black pants, and her black, glittery shirt sparkled from a mile away.
“You do know we’re going to a party in the woods, right?” I said.
“Yeah. Why?”
“You look red-carpet ready.”
“Too much?” she asked.
“Maybe a tad,” I said, gesturing with my index finger and thumb.
Her eyes twinkled like green jewels. “When I get the hottest guy in the room, I’ll be sure to give you my Academy Awards speech.”
I smiled. “Love your confidence.”
“Get in.”
I pretended like I was talking into a microphone. “And the Academy Award for best dressed goes to—”
“Julie Winters!” she said with a laugh.
When she pulled into the driveway of our destination, my jaw dropped. For some reason, I had pictured a cottage in the woods, but the place was far from that. Instead, it was a huge, fancy cabin with a spacious deck and bay windows all around.
“Are you ready to find Prince Charming?” she asked with a huge smile.
“You know it,” I said.
She opened her compact and checked her makeup, making sure her smoky eyes were still smoky enough. “Okay. I think we’re good to go.”
Two thin girls with long hair and short skirts walked past us. They were so pretty that I felt intimidated; I was sure I had no shot with my mysterious guy while those two were in the vicinity. Swallowing hard, I pondered. He had so many girls to choose from, and I felt like a beat-up station wagon in a lot full of Benzes and Ferraris. I had
never been low on confidence, but I suddenly felt as if I didn’t stand a chance with any guy, let alone the one I wanted.
“Taylor,” my new friend said, “is this the first time you’ve been out in public since your breakup?”
“Yeah, basically.” I slammed the door shut. “But you know what? He’s the last person on my mind.”
“I guarantee by the time we go home, you’ll have forgotten all about the scumbag. He doesn’t deserve to be missed.”
“I don’t think about him,” I lied.
She smirked. “Yes you do.”
“All right,” I said, “maybe just a little, but we dated for a long time, so it’s only natural to—”
She grabbed my arm. “No sad stories tonight. Let’s go.”
Glancing around the yard, I noticed beer bottles strewn everywhere. Clusters of people were sitting around outside, and one couple was making out beside a red sports car. A drunk person stumbled down the steps, and a woman in the shortest skirt and the highest heels I’d ever seen ran over to him, laughing hysterically, probably more drunk than he was.
Somebody whistled as we walked past a group of people, and I heard a man ask, “Hey, do I know you?”
“Jed invited us,” Julie said.
“Welcome to the party then,” he said. “Go on in and help yourselves to some appetizers and drinks, ladies.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
Inside, the music was blaring, and everyone was laughing and dancing. It was hot and sticky, and the crowd was a little older than I thought; none of them looked like high school students. It reminded me of a college frat party, and I immediately wondered why Julie had even been invited.
Whether we wanted everyone’s attention or not, all eyes were on us, staring at us like we were some kind of two-headed unicorn. I swallowed hard, glancing from one open mouth to the other. Something was wrong, and I could have almost cut the tension with the proverbial knife. I wasn’t sure why they were looking at us like that, so I assumed they just weren’t expecting teenagers to show up at their older-crowd get-together.
When the chatter and laughter resumed, much to my relief, I nudged Julie. “We should leave. I don’t feel comfortable here.”
“Oh, don’t be a party-pooper,” Julie said. “Look at all these hot college guys. Maybe I’ll even snag one.”
“Really, Julie, I think it’s best we leave.”
Suspending Reality (Five Fantasy Stories) Page 46
