My Fake Summer Boyfriend

by Ann Herrick

  The more I thought about it, the more I worried that it'd be too risky. Practicing a romance could be chancy enough without trying it with someone I really cared about. Besides, Alex thought of me as just a kid. I could see that. Maybe I could do something to change his image of me. Maybe—

  "Oh, good! Katie's back with the soda." Jason ran out of the cottage, grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.

  "Just put it on the kitchen counter," Mom said. "I'll get some glasses."

  "Sure, Mom." I put down the soda and looked around the room. The windows were all wide open. Fresh air circulated, and sunlight danced on the newly-swept floor. The sheets had been pulled off the furniture, exposing white wicker cushioned with blue-and-white pillows. The room was light, bright and cool. I thought maybe the cottage would be okay after all. Of course, the fact that Alex was in Chatfield might have had something to do with my most recent opinion.

  "I'll pour the sodas."

  "Me first," Jason said.

  I started to pour the soda into his glass, then noticed there were only three glasses. "Hey, isn't Dad having any?"

  "He went into town to get food supplies," Mom said. "He'll be back soon. Let's sit at the table."

  I sat down. The ladder-back chair was plain, but sturdy and comfortable. I swirled the soda in my glass.

  "Kids, this summer means a lot to your father." Mom spoke in a low voice. "I don't want it spoiled by a lot of gripping and complaining. Understand?"

  Jason nodded enthusiastically as he guzzled his soda. It was obvious that he was already enjoying himself and wasn't planning on voicing any complaints.

  I sighed and resisted the urge to say, No, duh, I'm stupid—I don't understand. But no point in antagonizing Mom, even though I knew the lecture was directed mainly at me.

  "Good," said Mom. "I—"

  There was a knock at the door. "Somebody let me in. My hands are full!"

  Jason leapt up from his chair and opened the door. "Hi, Dad."

  Dad walked in and set two bags of groceries on the counter. "There's more in the car."

  Without a word Jason raced out the door.

  Mom and I started unloading the bags and putting things away in the cabinets and refrigerator.

  "Say, Katie," Dad said. "I ran into a couple at the store who're from Hartford, too. They're spending the summer in a cottage down the road from us. They have a son who goes to your school. Maybe you know him. His name is Alex. Alex Stedman."

  "We've, uh, met." I gulped. So Alex would be in Chatfield for the whole summer!

  Jason walked in, staggering under the weight of two bags of groceries. I took one and put it on the counter.

  "They've got a daughter, too," Dad continued. "She's about Jason's age—a year younger, I think. Jason, do you know a girl named Hailey Stedman?"

  Jason shrugged. "I don't think so."

  "Well, that's okay. We'll get to know them all real soon." Dad pulled out two packages of hot dogs and three pounds of hamburger from one of the grocery bags. "I invited them over for a cookout tonight."

  "T-tonight?" My heart somersaulted. There was no time to lose. "Where's my room? I really need to, um, freshen up."

  "Turn right at the top of the stairs," Mom said. "It's the third door on your left. The bathroom is between your room and Jason's and our room is on the other side of the hall."

  Sifting through Mom's directions as I ran, I dashed up the stairs to my room. My suitcase was on the bed, which was covered with a blue-and-white spread that matched the cushions on the living-room furniture. I was glad to see a large mirror hung over the white wicker dressing table next to the bed.

  Through the bedroom window I saw two sea gulls flying over white-capped water. The sky was unblemished by even a single cloud. On the horizon was a sliver of land which I knew was Long Island. Three sailboats skimmed across the water near another island that looked as if it was only about a half mile off shore.

  But admiring the view would have to wait. I had more important things to do. Such as fix my hair. I plugged in my curling iron and sat down to comb my hair and decide how to style it.

  After I was satisfied with my hair, I carefully applied makeup, a bit more than usual, then changed clothes twice before finally deciding on a yellow sundress with enough gathers in the bodice to round out my less-than-voluptuous figure. My new white sandals completed my outfit.

  I swirled down the stairs feeling primed to impress Alex with my sophisticated image. As soon as I got within ten feet of my mother I could tell I was getting the once-over.

  "Blue eye shadow for the beach?" Mom raised an eyebrow.

  "It contains a sunblock," I answered quickly. "Where are Dad and Jason?" A deft change of subject on my part. "Shouldn't we be setting things up for this cookout Dad planned?"

  "They're out back cleaning the grill and sweeping off the picnic table." She'd forgotten my eye shadow and any objections she may have been about to raise. "As usual, your father wasn't thinking too far ahead when he issued one of his last-minute invitations, and now he's realized how much there is to do before we can serve company."

  "We're eating outside?" I pictured the wind ruining in an instant what it had taken me twenty minutes to achieve with my hair.

  "Well, we can seat eight at the picnic table. Besides, we might want to go swimming. Jason is already in his bathing suit."

  "I'm comfortable in this." I headed off what I knew would be my mother's suggestion to change my clothes. Instead I again changed the subject. "I'll make some potato salad." I always used my grandmother's recipe, and it never failed to win compliments. It wouldn't hurt to impress Alex in as many ways as I could.

  Once the potato salad was ready and Dad had lit the coals in the grill, I began to pace. "When are the Stedmans coming over?" I asked my mother. I tried to sound casual, as if it really didn't matter and that, in fact, I found the whole idea of a cookout mildly annoying. That way Mom wouldn't wonder why I was so eager.

  "Your father said they'd come around six o'clock, so they should be here before too long. Why don't you go out and see what Jason is up to? I don't want him swimming alone, and if Dad is engrossed with making the perfect fire, he may not be watching Jason too closely."

  "All right," I said, though I doubted that Jason would go swimming without asking someone to watch. He liked to have an audience. But I figured it would help take my mind off Alex, so I went outside and found Jason at the edge of the water, trying to skip rocks. He wasn't having much success.

  "You need the right kind of rock for that," I said. I hunted around in the sand until I found a few smooth flat stones. "Now watch." I tossed a rock. It skipped across the water three times.

  "Let me try." Jason picked up a stone and imitated my form as he threw it. It skipped once.

  "Good try." I kicked off my sandals and waded into the water. "Let me show you how to really get into it." I positioned myself carefully before throwing another rock. A wave smacked the hem of my dress as I let loose with a good throw. The rock skipped five times.

  "Hey. Nice throw." It was Alex. "I used to be pretty good at that when I was little."

  When he was little! I wanted to bury myself in the sand. Alex would have to see me playing with rocks, standing in water up past my knees, my dress now wet and clinging to my legs.

  Alex picked up a rock and threw it. "Hmmm. Only four skips. I must be out of practice."

  I tried to look dignified as I walked out of the water and picked up my sandals. I noticed Alex was wearing red bathing trunks and a blue T-shirt. "I was just going in to change into my swimsuit," I said airily.

  "Great," Alex said. "Meanwhile, I'll have a contest with Jason. We'll see who can skip a rock the farthest."

  In my room I surveyed the damage. My hair had drooped into a nondescript mop, and the bottom of my dress was half-soaked and dotted with specks of sand. My eye shadow had smudged so it looked as if I had two black eyes.

  With cold cream and tissues I removed what was left of the e
ye shadow and most of my other makeup as well. I pulled off my dress and tugged on my swimsuit, covering it with a University of Oregon sweatshirt Dad had brought me after he'd given a seminar there. I ran a comb through my hair, pulled it off my face and fastened it with an elastic band.

  I tossed my sandals into the closet. I could go barefoot if Alex could. With a quick glance in the mirror before heading back to the beach I could see that I looked like the little kid Alex surely believed I was. Well, I may have blown my opportunity to impress him with my clothes, but there was still the potato salad. What was it my grandmother said about the way to man's heart being through his stomach?

  As I went back downstairs I found Mom talking with a woman and a young girl in the kitchen.

  "Katie," Mom said, "I'd like you to meet Mrs. Stedman and Hailey."

  "Hello." I shook hands with Mrs. Stedman, an attractive dark-haired woman with a friendly smile.

  I thought the little girl was tall for her age, thin and solemn-looking. Her dark hair was cut short, above her ears. In a surprisingly deep voice Hailey said, "How do you do?"

  At that point Jason ran into the kitchen, skidding to a halt just inches from Hailey. "They've got the hamburgers and hot dogs going! Come on, Hailey. Let's be first in line!"

  "I'll get my potato salad," I said. I'd emphasized the word "my" so Mrs. Stedman would know I'd made it and would maybe mention it to Alex. It would look better than if I brought it up myself.

  "Now, Thelma," Mom said to Mrs. Stedman. "We can get the catsup and mustard."

  "Okay, Louise." Mrs. Stedman winked. "I guess I can just about manage that."

  I took my potato salad out of the refrigerator and hurried out the kitchen door. I caught my toe in the doormat and stumbled, sending the bowl flying through the air, right toward Alex.

  "Watch out!" I screamed.

  Chapter Three

  "Nice serve!" I heard Alex cry.

  Everyone applauded. Alex had caught the bowl of potato salad right side up.

  "You've heard of tossing the salad, haven't you?" I said, somehow regaining my composure.

  Alex laughed. "I can't wait to have some. Hey, Dad, aren't those burgers done yet?"

  "Almost." Mr. Stedman coughed. Smoke from the grill partially obscured my view of him, but I could see that he was tall and had dark curly hair streaked with gray. He waved a spatula through the smoke, clearing it for a moment.

  "These hot dogs are ready, if anybody wants one." Dad stabbed a hot dog with a fork and held it up for everyone to see.

  "I want one!" Jason grabbed a paper plate from the picnic table. "Come on, Hailey."

  Hailey followed Jason.

  "Guests first," Dad said, sliding a hot dog onto Hailey's plate.

  "Thank you very much, Mr. Price." Hailey waited until Jason got his hot dog, then walked back to the picnic table with him. Jason immediately loaded his plate with potato salad, pickles and corn chips.

  "Perhaps we should wait until everyone has been served before we get started," Hailey suggested.

  "You two may eat," Mom said. "This is just first come, first served. Nothing formal tonight."

  "Thank you very much, Mrs. Price." Hailey sat down after taking small portions of everything on the table. She tasted the potato salad first. "This is quite delicious."

  "Thanks," I blurted out to Hailey just as Alex and I lined up for hamburgers. I wanted to mention that I had made the potato salad from my grandmother's special recipe, but I was kind of unnerved by Hailey's formality. She seemed extraordinarily polite for a seven-year-old. Maybe some of it would rub off on Jason. And maybe he could get her to relax a little.

  After we were seated at the picnic table, I watched out of the corner of my eye for Alex to try my potato salad. Finally he took a bite.

  "This is good." Alex turned to look at me. "Did you make it?"

  "My grandmother made it using my recipe—I mean I made it using my grandmother's recipe!" I felt myself turning red and hot. I sounded like an idiot!

  "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Jason pounded the table, throwing his head back as he laughed.

  I glared at him, trying to silence him with a stare.

  "Well, it's great." Alex smiled and tried to ignore Jason, but it wasn't easy.

  "Th-thank you," I managed to stammer. I felt totally embarrassed and wanted to throttle Jason as he continued to cackle. Hailey looked wide-eyed at Jason, as if she'd never seen anyone laughing hysterically before.

  Alex tried valiantly to make conversation with me, but all I could manage were a couple of monosyllabic replies. Finally, we both lapsed into silence as our parents engaged in a friendly debate about what a coincidence it was that we had all ended up at the same beach for the summer.

  Eventually Mom stood up. "Would everyone like ice cream for dessert?"

  "Yippee!" Jason yelled.

  The Stedmans all murmured their approval.

  "I can't eat another bite," I said.

  "Actually, I'm kind of full, too," Alex stood up and took my hand. "Come for a walk with me, Katie. The exercise will make us feel better."

  "All-all right." Maybe if I didn't have an audience I could relax and show him that I wasn't always clumsy and tongue-tied.

  Alex continued to hold my hand as we walked, and I practically popped a blood vessel trying to think of something to say. Finally I asked, "How did you get your job at Little's?"

  "My aunt knows Mr. Little and when she heard we were spending the summer here she mentioned that he always hires some summer help. When we got here last night I went right over to the store. He hired me on the spot. I guess it pays to be one of the early arrivals—and to have an aunt who knows the boss. It's not a bad job. Weekdays, nine to three."

  "Yes." I couldn't think of anything else to say. It was hard to concentrate on anything except my hand in his and our legs brushing together as we walked.

  Suddenly, Alex stopped. He looked down at me. "Let's go swimming."

  "S-sounds good."

  Alex took off his T-shirt. As I pulled off my sweatshirt I couldn't help noticing that he was giving me the once-over.

  He whistled softly.

  To hide my embarrassment, I ran into the water and let the waves cover me.

  Alex dove in after me. He didn't surface right away, and I was just starting to worry when he grabbed me around my waist and lifted me out of the water. I screamed. "Alex! You startled me."

  "Oh, I did, did I?" Alex grinned.

  "Yes. You did!" I struggled, but not too hard, to free myself from Alex's strong grip.

  Alex held me tight. "I won't let you go," he whispered, his breath hot against my face, "unless you give me a ki—"

  "Katie! Alex!" It was Jason, splashing at the water's edge. Hailey stood calmly beside him. "We want to go swimming with you."

  Alex put me down gently and waded over to splash Jason. As Jason splashed back, Hailey stepped out of range.

  I waded out of the water and stood at the edge of the beach while Alex and Jason continued their water fight. Jason and his perfect timing!

  "Would you watch me while I swim?" Hailey asked. "I'm not supposed to swim unless someone is watching."

  "Sure." I tried to dismiss any thoughts of kissing so I could seriously stand vigil while Hailey swam precise laps back and forth parallel to the shoreline. She did the crawl perfectly, coordinating her arm strokes to her breathing.

  Hailey was a major contrast to Jason's exuberance. I admired her quiet determination as she swam in the choppy water.

  "Youch, ouch, ouie-ouch-ouch!" Jason hopped on one foot, holding his other foot in his hands. "Oh, oh, oh!"

  I signaled Hailey to stop swimming and I rushed to his side. "What's wrong?"

  "Are you okay?" Alex put his hands on Jason's shoulders, bringing him to a standstill.

  Hailey wandered over to Jason, eyeing him with concern. Or was it consternation?

  "It's my toe," Jason moaned. "I cut it on something. Oh, it hurts."

  "Hold still an
d let me look at it," I said. "Is it your big toe?"

  Jason nodded.

  "There's just a tiny cut. It's hardly even bleeding. Let's wash it off." I took Jason's hand. "Just swish your foot through the water, then let me see it."

  Jason gingerly dabbed his foot into the water a couple of times. He noticed Hailey watching him, her brow knit and her mouth turned down at the corners. "I think my toe is all right, now," he said. "Maybe I should take Hailey back to the cottage. Her mother said she shouldn't stay away too long."

  Hailey's eyebrows shot up, forming two little triangles in the middle of her forehead.

  "Are you sure you're all right?" Alex asked.

  "Oh, yes. I'm fine." Jason swaggered over to Hailey. "Let's go back now."

  "Sure," Hailey answered, and she and Jason headed back to the cottage, marching along in unison.

  I turned to Alex. "I think Hailey is a positive influence on Jason."

  "Oh? Why?"

  "Ordinarily he would have gone on for at least fifteen minutes about his toe, milking it for all it was worth."

  Alex laughed. "At least he's not really hurt."

  "Yes." I shivered. "Brrr. I'm getting cold. We should have brought towels." I was sort of hoping Alex would put his arm around me. I hadn't forgotten that he'd been about to kiss me just before we'd been so rudely interrupted.

  "I was the one who suggested we go swimming." Alex spread his shirt out on the sand. "Put your sweatshirt back on and sit here. The sun will dry us off."

  I pulled on my sweatshirt, but I hesitated to sit down. "I don't want to ruin your shirt."

  "It's just a T-shirt. You won't ruin it." Alex sat down. He patted the portion of shirt next to him. "Come on. Sit down. It's our first evening on the beach. Let's enjoy it."

  I sat down. I dug my feet into the sand and sifted it through my toes. Being so close to Alex made me shake all the more. It was almost like my dream of the night before.