Spring Fling (9 page)

Collecting seashells. Making sand castles. Swimming in chlorine-free water. I was thinking of going. Why don‟t you come with me?”

Ava shook her head. “Thanks for the invite, but I‟m not ready to start dating again.”

“Who said anything about a date? I just want to be friends. Nothing wrong with two friends hanging out together at the beach. Come on,” Cooper urged. “You know you want to go. You didn‟t come all the way down to Miami to spend your time next to a swimming pool. You could have stayed home and gone to the North Ridge Country Club for that.”

“Just friends?” Ava asked.

Cooper crossed his heart. “Just friends.”

“What time did you want to go?”

“I‟ll pick you up at ten?”

“Okay.”

Cooper didn‟t know why he did it, but he gave Ava a hug. Maybe it was because he felt she needed it. “I know you‟re still hurting. Trust me, I‟ve been there. Eventually, the hurt goes away.”

Just then, Mindy Yee popped up in front of them with her camera. “Say cheese!” she exclaimed.

Cooper blinked as the flash went off in his eyes.

Ava, however, had a completely different reaction.

She tore herself out of Cooper‟s hug and pushed herself into Mindy‟s face. “What do you think you‟re doing?” Ava didn‟t give Mindy a chance to answer. “Are you planning to send that photo to Josh? To tell him I‟m cheating on him? Well, here‟s a news flash for you, Mindy. Josh and I are over! Didn‟t know that, did you? That‟s because I only told Danielle and Lindsey. I didn‟t tell anyone else. We broke up last month, so your big scoop is no scoop!”

At first, Mindy was speechless. But then she found her voice. “I wasn‟t going to e-mail a photo to Josh. I was only taking pictures of everyone at the barbecue. I‟ve been doing it all night.”

Lindsey, who was standing next to Mindy, nodded. “She has.” Mindy pulled up the photo she‟d just taken and handed Ava her camera. “Here, delete it.”

Ava shook her head. “No, that‟s okay.”

“Then I‟ll delete it,” Mindy said, pressing a button. She turned the camera around to show Ava the empty frame. “It‟s gone. Sorry I made you upset.” Then, before Ava could say anything else, Mindy left the barbecue.

Maybe I should have picked the brunette
, Cooper thought.

Obviously, Ava was still hung up on her ex-boyfriend if she was freaking out over a picture of herself with another guy making its way to him. It also showed that she meant what she‟d said. That she wasn‟t ready to start dating again. It hadn‟t been a line and she wasn‟t playing hard to get. She still had feelings for Josh.

It made Cooper like Ava even more because it showed that when she cared about someone, she
really
cared.

That was what he wanted in a girlfriend. He wanted someone to care about him the way Ava still cared for Josh. But unlike Josh, he wouldn‟t mess things up. He wouldn‟t throw away a girl as great as Ava.

Cooper never would have thought Ava could get so angry.

It intrigued him.

It made him want to learn more about her.

And he would.

Starting tomorrow.

But right now, he needed to make her feel better. He could see she was upset by her outburst.

“I can‟t believe I did that,” she groaned to Cooper. “I
never
lose it like that.”

“You made a mistake. It happens to everyone.”

“It was more like a meltdown.”

“You know what you need to feel better?”

“What?”

“Ice cream! And since you‟re a girl who likes ketchup on her hot dogs, I‟m thinking you don‟t go for the same-old same-old when it comes to ice cream.”

“So what do I go for?”

“You‟re not a vanilla with hot fudge girl, and I don‟t think you‟re a chocolate and hot fudge girl, either.”

“Then what am I?”

“At first I was going to say caramel sauce, but I think you‟re more strawberry sauce.

As for ice cream, this is going to be tricky. I think you like a little crunch with your ice cream, so I‟m going to say either Rocky Road or chocolate chip.”

“Close.”

“What kind?”

“Cookies and Cream.”

“I like Cookies and Cream, too!” Cooper exclaimed.

“Then what are you waiting for?” Ava pointed in the direction of the kitchen.

“There‟s a gallon of Cookies and Cream ice cream in the freezer with our names on it!”
Chapter Eight

Danielle woke up to the sound of frying bacon. There was no mistaking the sizzling snap, crackle, and pop or the delicious smell wafting in the air. As Danielle inhaled, her stomach started grumbling. Suddenly, she was starving.

She jumped out of bed and threw on her robe, heading downstairs to the kitchen.

She wondered if Sharla had decided to make breakfast for them and if she was taking requests. In addition to some crisp bacon, Danielle was craving a stack of blueberry pancakes.

As she neared the kitchen, Danielle could hear Lindsey screeching.

“What do you think you‟re doing? That‟s disgusting! Use a glass!” Danielle pushed open the door to the kitchen and found Howie standing in front of their refrigerator, guzzling from a container of orange juice.

Howie burped and handed the container of juice to Lindsey. “I don‟t know where the glasses are.”

Lindsey shoved the container back at him. “Keep it! I wouldn‟t drink out of that if you paid me! You‟ve gotten it all germy!”

“I‟m cootie free,” Howie said.

“What‟s going on?” Danielle asked.

“Our next-door neighbor thinks our kitchen is his own personal buffet!” Lindsey exclaimed. “He‟s eaten everything! All our eggs. A box of cereal. The potatoes and onions.

An entire loaf of bread. And now he‟s getting ready to inhale the bacon!”

“Speaking of bacon,” Howie said, walking around Lindsey and removing the bacon from the frying pan. He placed the strips on a paper-towel-covered plate so they could drain.

“That bacon is ours!” Lindsey cried, snatching the plate away from him. “We paid for it! If anyone is going to eat it, it‟s going to be me!” Howie‟s face crumpled as he watched Lindsey shove the bacon into her mouth.

“How did you get in here?” Danielle asked.

“Crystal‟s aunt was leaving when I came over. I asked if I could borrow an egg, and she said to make myself at home and take whatever I needed.”

“I‟m sure she didn‟t mean that you could eat us out of house and home!” Lindsey told him between crunches of bacon.

“I‟m in training. I need the calories,” Howie said, staring longingly at the bacon Lindsey was eating. He tried to snatch a piece off the plate, and she slapped his hand away.

“Back off!”

“What‟s with the yelling?” a sleepy Ava asked, walking into the kitchen and rubbing her eyes. “I could hear you all the way upstairs.”

“Our next-door neighbor thinks our kitchen is his own take-out diner,” Lindsey said.

Ava walked over to the refrigerator and stuck her head inside. “What are we supposed to do for breakfast?”

Danielle shrugged. “I guess we could always grab some donuts.”

“I‟ll go get them,” Ava said, leaving the kitchen.

“I like chocolate glazed,” Howie called out.

“You‟re not getting another bite out of us!” Lindsey ordered, pushing Howie in the direction of the back door. “Now, get out. Out!”

“Uh, Lindsey?” Danielle called out.

Lindsey ignored her, too busy slamming the back door after Howie and locking it.

“Linds?”

“What?”

“I think maybe you should have made Howie stay a little longer.”

“Why?”

“Take a look around. Notice anything?”

The kitchen was a disaster area. There were eggshells, potato peelings, and onion wrappings scattered on top of the counter and on the floor, used pots and pans on the grease-splattered stove, and empty mixing bowls piled in the sink.

“He made a huge mess,” Danielle said. “Now we‟re stuck cleaning it up.” Lindsey sighed. “I‟ll do it. You go get ready for your date with Ethan. That‟s more important.”

“Are you sure?”

Lindsey shoved her out of the kitchen. “Go! I‟ll call you when Ava gets back with the donuts.”

Donuts were the last thing on Danielle‟s mind. Now that Lindsey had reminded her of her date with Ethan, all thoughts of hunger were gone.

“I‟ll take four chocolate glazed, four jelly, and four apple cinnamon,” Ava told the man behind the counter at Donut World.

“Anything else?”

“That‟s it.”

As Ava was paying at the cash register, she saw Mindy Yee walk over to the counter. Ava felt awful for the way she had snapped at her the night before. Talking about Josh with Cooper had stirred up all her hurt feelings. And since she couldn‟t take things out on Josh, she had aimed all her anger and resentment at the first person who had crossed her path.

Unfortunately, that person had been Mindy.

After Ava paid for her donuts, she went back to the counter.

“Hi.”

A startled Mindy turned around. She seemed surprised that Ava was talking to her.

“Sorry for flipping out on you last night,” Ava said. “I shouldn‟t have done that. I was wrong.”

“Don‟t worry about it. I can‟t blame you. After all, my reputation speaks for itself!”

“Still, I should have given you the benefit of the doubt. I don‟t usually jump to conclusions like that. And I did remember seeing you taking pictures earlier in the night. I was mad, but I wasn‟t mad at you. I was mad at someone else.”

“Josh?” Mindy asked.

Ava nodded. Since the secret was out, there was no reason not to talk about it, even if it was to North Ridge High‟s biggest gossip.

“Bad breakup?”

“Pretty bad. I‟m still trying to deal with it.”

“Give yourself some time.”

Ava was surprised that Mindy wasn‟t bombarding her with questions. That was her usual style. Maybe her breakup with Josh wasn‟t juicy enough.

“Where‟s the rest of your crew?” Ava asked.

“Back at our beach house. Wanda was craving donuts, so here I am!”
Wanda couldn’t get her own donuts?
Ava had a feeling Wanda hadn‟t asked for the donuts but ordered Mindy to get them.

“You don‟t usually hang out with Wanda, Lacey, and Vivienne, do you?” Mindy shook her head. “My parents are down here for business and they told me I could bring some friends, so I invited them.”

Ava didn‟t think the Princess Posse was anyone‟s friends, but she didn‟t say that.

Obviously, Mindy liked them or she wouldn‟t have asked them to come to Miami.

“Wanda seems like a handful.”

“She‟s a perfectionist. She likes things a certain way.”

“Nobody‟s perfect.”

Mindy laughed. “Try telling that to Wanda!”

“So what are you doing today?”

“Heading to the beach. How about you?”

“Same thing.”

“Maybe we‟ll run into each other,” Mindy said before telling the counterman what kind of donuts she wanted.

“I‟ll keep an eye out for you,” Ava promised. She held up her box of donuts. “I better get going. Danielle and Lindsey are waiting for breakfast. See you later.” Usually when Danielle went to the beach, she didn‟t put much thought into her appearance. She‟d pull her hair into a ponytail and then toss a T-shirt and shorts over her swimsuit and that was it.

Today it was an entirely different game plan.

She couldn‟t look casual, but at the same time, she didn‟t want to look as if she had gotten dressed up. After all, she was going to the beach. Between the sun and sand and the wind, there was no way she could look perfect the entire day.

Ethan had seen her twice yesterday, and both times she had looked great.

She needed to look great again.

That meant wearing the red bikini.

Why not pull out her best swimsuit? Everyone had raved about it because they knew it would get results with the guys. So why not wear it for someone who was going to appreciate it?

Over the bikini, she added a white cotton jacket that had bell-shaped sleeves, and she decided to give herself some extra height by wearing sandals with cork wedge heels.

Her new haircut fell effortlessly into place, so she didn‟t have to worry about that.

She dabbed a little mascara on her lashes, a touch of blush on her cheeks, and some lip gloss. She was good to go.

When Danielle walked downstairs, she found Ava and Lindsey in the kitchen munching on donuts. Ava held out the box. “Want one?”

Danielle shook her head. “I‟m too nervous to eat.”

“What did you decide to wear?” Lindsey asked.

Danielle loosened the belt of her jacket and opened it so Ava and Lindsey could see her red bikini.

“Ethan is going to love it!” Ava exclaimed.

“That‟s the plan,” Danielle said.

Lindsey peeked into Danielle‟s tote bag. “Why do I see a copy of
Time
and
Newsweek
in there?”

“Because I‟m going to read them. I like keeping up on current events.”

“This is a vacation!” Lindsey stressed. “A vay cay!” She reached into the bag and pulled out the magazines.

“Hey! I want to read those.”

Lindsey waved the magazines in Danielle‟s face. “These are
not
suitable for vacation! You can read them on the plane ride home.” Lindsey left the kitchen and returned with another stack of magazines, handing them to Danielle. “Today you‟re going to read these!”

Danielle flipped through the stack. “
People
?
National Enquirer? Us Weekly? In
Touch?
! If Ethan sees me reading these, he‟s going to think I‟m a mindless idiot.”

“I don‟t think Ethan is going to be paying attention to what you‟re reading,” Lindsey said. She waved a finger at Danielle‟s red bikini and then gave a snap. “His attention is going to be elsewhere.” Lindsey peeked into Danielle‟s bag again. “You didn‟t pack that awful white sunblock that you always bring to the beach, did you?” Danielle clutched her bag to her chest before Lindsey could reach into it. “I need to protect myself from the sun!”