{WATTYS 2021/2022 SHORTLIST}{Editor's Pick} {Featured Story}
One girl. Two boys. An impossible choice.
Stella LaFever, a theatre student from California, can't wait to spend a summer in Newport, Rhode Island, with her best friend. She is in despera...
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Chapter Song: Dancing Nancies by Dave Matthews Band
I towel dried my hair, then wrapped the white towel around my hips. Pain from sailing all day throbbed in every muscle.
I fastened the strap of my watch and checked the time.
There were a few minutes before I needed to get dressed, so I collapsed on my bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Thinking of Stella.
I couldn't get this girl off my mind. Something about her drove me crazy. When I touched her hand, there was this snap—this charge. And then there was the way she moved.
My hand trailed down my chest. Gripping the knot of my towel. Her body and that laugh of hers were as good as a drug. This girl had me twisted. I wanted to feel her in my arms again, circling her hips against...
The sound of heavy footfalls down the creaking hallway killed any ideas I was starting to have.
I was surprised to see my father when the door opened, and I leapt off the bed. Tying the towel around my waist tighter. He was dressed in his summer white uniform—a short-sleeved white shirt and pants. Every inch impeccable.
"What are you doing in here, Westmore?"
"Just getting dressed after my shower," I explained. Adding, "I have fifteen minutes until I need to be downstairs for Nora's departure."
"I see," he said. An annoyed edge to his tone. "Well, I've received an urgent call from the Pentagon and will be heading back to D.C. with Nora."
I rocked back on my heels and clasped my hands behind my back. "Is everything okay?"
"I don't have all the details yet, but hopefully." I nodded, and my father cleared his throat. "I'm planning on being gone until next week. Which means the family schedule will need to be updated. My aide is already working on the details."
My brows shot up, and I tried to hide my excitement. He was leaving for a week? It was almost too good to be true.
"I'll look at your accountability journal right now if you have today's entry ready."
The accountability journal. My father's brilliant invention. There were questions I had to answer each day, along with space to annotate all the activities I completed.
I also had to list any indiscretions.
My dance with Stella had been labeled lewd behavior unbecoming of a gentleman. The knot of embarrassment in my stomach twisted tighter.
I grabbed the hardbound notebook off my desk. "I don't have it finished yet."
My father let out an irritated huff. "Scan and email today's page to me. And make sure you continue to do so while I'm gone. I don't want you slipping in my absence."
