Old Enough to Love... (Just One of the Guys) Read Online Free PDF Page A

attention…or like I was too stupid to grasp what she was saying.
    “I’m a freshman, Mom.”
    “You’re right. With so much experience under your belt.”
    I grunted and hated myself for resorting to such an immature sound. Ryan was up with Dad probably chatting about the girls he’d conquered this summer, bumping fists with my father and discussing football plays.
    “Why can Ryan do anything he wants with a girl and I fall asleep with a guy fully clothed and I’m a ‘ho. It’s so totally not fair.”
       My mom’s eyes shot daggers.
    Whew. I could tell she was pissed and done with me for a while.  An unavoidable smile touched my lips.
     
    Not that I was expecting to see Zach staked out at the city limits with a huge banner as I came back into town. After all, our uneventful arrival into Ashland was later than expected, but my eyes scanned every car as we drove including scouring the Burger King parking right off the 5.
    Once home, I bolted from the car, tore through the house and grabbed my cell phone scrolling quickly through the texts looking for an unfamiliar number. I never had the chance to give him my number. Then again, he never asked. 
    My pounding heart took my breath away.
    “Hey Runt. Go grab some crap.” Ryan hit me with his duffle bag.
    “Give me a sec.” I kept scrolling as Reesy darted around the kitchen smelling for any unfamiliar scent.
      “Did Zachy-poo text?”
    “Shut up, you ‘ tard.” I turned away from him.
    “He’s too old for you and you’re not dating him. Where’s my phone?” he asked and dropped his heavy bag on my foot.
    Ouch! “Ryan!” I didn’t have time for his games. I tried to shove him but his freakishly large body didn’t budge.
    Ryan and I were siblings, but there was nothing about us that remotely resembled each other. For some unfair reason I’d gotten my grandmother’s reddish blonde hair while Ryan’s was a beautiful beach blonde, at least during the summer. I barely came up to his rib cage and he was easily six foot something and weighed over two hundred. If he wasn’t my brother, I’m sure I’d think he was hot because all the girls did.
    My heart sunk as he scrolled through the names on his phone. Outside of Ali and Lauren texting in the past few days there were none on mine.
    The night before school, I didn’t sleep well. It was too quiet. The roar of the crashing waves in my ear for the past two months seemed a constant now. I missed it.
    The forecast was sunny and a warm eighty-five which, compared to the sixty-five on the beach, was a heat wave. I wore my plaid mini skirt and two tanks—dressier than normal but I had a guy to impress. I snarfed down a banana as I ran out the door.
    Ryan pulled into the back of the lot, where all the seniors parked, which meant I had to tolerate seeing his dumb jock friends. Once we parked, they rushed his truck, which was typical, following our summer hiatus. Brett worked the shocks of the truck, rocking it up and down with his foot.
    “What’s up?” Ryan shouted slamming his door.
    “Testosterone,” I whispered under my breath and grabbed my backpack.
    “Hey Runt! I think you’ve grown.” Connor lifted me up and over his head. I dropped my backpack and opted to hold my skirt down. This is what I’d always been to them—a little rag doll—picked up and dragged around. Maybe fun when I was little but now, annoying.
    “Connor, please.”  I glared at Ryan.
    “Put her down, dude,” Ryan said.
    Connor immediately slid me off his shoulder, and on the way down, I spotted him—Zach Owens across the parking lot talking to Estelle Kramer. ESTELLE? Crap. I hid behind the older boys for a moment and spied between them.  Zach’s posture was relaxed, too relaxed and his hands rested in his khaki pockets. Estelle was laughing, all 5 foot 8 inches with her glorious mane of black hair flowing half way down her back. I swallowed as I felt the banana rise in the back of my throat. Zach was tanner from