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moving in on the kid,” he admitted.
    Stuart’s eyebrows rose, and then he sat back laughing. “Where’d you get that idea?”
    “Oh, I don’t know — the dancing, coming up here just the two of you, all the sly looks.” James was beginning to feel a little foolish.
    “Sometimes you just take a notion and run away with it, Marshall.” Stuart sat up and leaned his elbows on the table. “Laurel and I are just friends. In fact, I’ve been driving her crazy with questions about Virginia all afternoon.”
    “Glad to hear it. Because going after Laurel when you have that history with Virginia wouldn’t be right.”
    “Since when do you get all bent out of shape about a girl’s feelings?” Stuart teased.
    James frowned into his glass and said nothing.
    Stu leaned over and spoke close to James’s ear. “Laurel answered a lot of questions from me today, but she asked a few too — about you.”
    James’s head shot up. “Say what?”
    Stuart nudged him with his elbow. “I was trying to show your good side by getting you up there to sing to her. Girls love musicians.”
    “You could have told me first.”
    “When did I have a chance to tell you?”
    “She’s a high school girl, Stu.”
    “High school graduate, my friend — college bound. She’s nice, and I know you’re not blind; she’s pretty, too.”
    James shrugged.
    “And she likes you — or she did until just now. Oh, sit tight; she’s coming back.”
    Laurel stood behind James’s chair and put her hand on the back of Stuart’s. “I’m heading home, I guess. I’ll see you tomorrow, Stuart.” She looked at the floor. “See ya ’round, James.”
    Stuart gave James a little glare and indicated Laurel with his eyes. “James, would you mind walking Laurel home? I think I’ll stay a while.”
    “No, that’s fine,” she began. “I can — ”
    “Sure,” James interrupted her, not at all certain why he was suddenly so eager.
    “Great. See you tomorrow, Laurel.”
    “Bye.”
    James stood up and waited for her to pass in front of him.
    “Be nice,” Stuart mouthed behind her back. James just rolled his eyes.
    They stepped out into the crisp, night air and walked down the hill toward the road in silence.
    “Laurel, I — ” he said when the quiet grew awkward.
    “You should know that Stuart is planning to visit Virginia up at school tomorrow. He’s been asking me about her all day.”
    “I, uh . . . well . . . ”
    “I thought maybe you didn’t know that he was still interested in her, so if you were thinking you might ask her out while you’re here, you may want to reconsider, given that he’s your friend and all. I mean, they do have a history. It’s bad form to ask out an old girlfriend of your best friend, especially since said friend is still interested in said girl.” She frowned. “Some guys think that, because Virginia’s had a few boyfriends, she’s easy, but she’s not.”
    She quickened her pace, and before he could think of how to defend himself, she turned up the driveway to her parents’ house. “Good night,” she called without looking back.
    James stood there, feeling stupid. He’d just been trying to make sure that she didn’t get hurt! He didn’t give a rip about Virginia. Then he remembered what Stu had said: “she likes you — or she did until just now.” So she was interested, but how was that supposed to work? He pictured her red hair framing her face and her long legs walking in front of him and her eyes: pretty, blue arrows that went straight to his heart — or his groin; he couldn’t determine which at that point. Was he really considering asking out his boss’s daughter? Bad idea — bad, bad idea.
    And to top it off, she thought he had the hots for her sister. He almost laughed at the absurdity of the misunderstandings. He shook his head and resumed his walk down to the houseboat. The next time he saw Laurel, he would find a way to clear this up. He had no interest in Virginia Elliot; she