10 Weeks Read Free Page B

water.
    “All of you kids are so impatient.”
    “Oh really, grandpa, how can you even deal with us?” I slide back on the board and inch closer to him. I feel the heat of him against my back , and I want to lean into him so much, I can taste it.
    We both don’t say anything for too long. He feels it too and I’m wondering what his next move will be. My eyes scan the beach and I see a bunch of campers at swim lessons. The guards are all either in the lake teaching or scanning the water where the classes are. Jo’s staring at me way too hard , so I don’t even pause when our eyes meet. She’s too far away to know if I actually see her or not. I think.
    I look over my shoulder and see our camp director Irene peeking out at Alex and me from her tiny office. I wave and this time Alex falls in. He comes up sputtering.
    “Can you keep your flailing under control, Kay-Kay?”
    He slides up behind me and grabs the rope again. This time he guides my hand with his and together we pull the sail up. I grasp the bar and the board starts to move. I almost can’t believe it. I laugh and Alex moves closer to me as his hands grip the bar outside of mine. We’re sailing and it’s crazy and amazing and I love every second of it.
    “Head us back to the shore,” he says after we’ve been up for a few minutes.
    “Why? This is so much fun. I wish I could stay here forever.” I can’t help myself, I wiggle my butt closer to him. Closer to… oops.
    “Yeah. I’ve had about all I can take.” He jumps off the board and swims the rest of the way to shore.
    By the time I’ve navigated back onto the beach, he’s standing with my towel open and looking out at the campers swimming. I wrap the towel around me and tilt my head.
    “ Aw, Alex, you can look away but that’s not gonna work. Damage has already been done. I’ll see you later.”
    Then I grab my clothes and move to the bathrooms near the dining hall. I lock myself into a stall and try to gain control of my erratic heartbeat. I lean my head against the side wall and thump it a few times. I’m so very, very screwed.

Chapter Five
    It’s so hot they’ve cancelled all my classes. All the campers are in the lake for free swim. Only water activities are planned for today. I practice shooting arrows for a few minutes , but my T-shirt is completely soaked through with sweat.
    Alex is giving a lesson on the windsurfing board without the sail. He’s helping campers practice their balance. Apparently, they have to do this for a long time before he actually lets them use the sail. I must have been lucky. My clothes are already off and I’m up to my waist in the water in my bikini before I hear my name called over the camp PA.
    “Kay-Kay Benson to the office, please. Kay-Kay Benson to the office.”
    Alex looks up and watches as I retreat back to the shore. I throw my damp T-shirt on and make my way slowly up the hill to Irene’s office.
    “Have a seat,” she says and points to the chair opposite her desk. For some reason, this whole thing feels like a trip to the principal’s office.
    She takes a drag off a cigarette , and I try not to fan the smoke from my face. Irene is eighty, married to an old guy who doesn’t recognize her anymore, and smokes like a chimney. The wrinkles around her mouth are puckered from the constant pursing around her cancer stick. But whatever, she’s old and runs a camp for girls. I can’t imagine she’s got that many vices.
    “Kay-Kay, honey, I think you’re spending too much time with Alex.”
    My mouth drops open. “Excuse me?”
    She takes another drag then stubs out the half-smoked cigarette and lights another. “I’ve seen the two of you together , and I think you’re spending too much time with him. You’re giving the campers the wrong idea.”
    “We’re friends.”
    “I understand that, but our camp is about making ladies out of girls. And some of our gi rls are confused by the message that you’re sending when you spend time