“I didn’t think of it that way. You just weren’t ready to tell the whole truth.”
Her heart was full to bursting. She had to blink through tears to bring the stars back into focus. “Seriously, Joe, are you perfect or do you just pretend to be?”
“I’m the real deal, Sarah. Maybe someday you’ll realize—”
A white streak blazed across a good portion of the night sky. Sarah shrieked and pointed. “Did you see that?”
“Whoa. Yes. I did.” He sounded as awed as she felt. “It means you get to make a wish.”
“Why not you?”
“You saw it first.”
“How do you know?”
“Because.” He reached over and rubbed her head until her already messy hair was a total disaster, making her shriek again, with laughter this time. “I said so.”
“Stop! My coif! My stunning updo. Ruined!”
“Now.” He let her go. “Make a wish.”
“Okay, okay.” Sarah thought—took her about half a second to decide—then reached up to the sky and wished with all her might that she might love a man who loved her back. It was all she’d ever wanted. So many people managed it. Her parents. Paul and Ellen. Why not her?
“Finished?”
“Yes.”
“Should I check?”
Sarah frowned. “Check what?”
“To see if the six hottest members of the U.S. Navy are waiting naked in your room?”
She giggled. “That’s not what I wished for.”
“Then I hope you get whatever it was.” He got to his feet, reached down and pulled her up opposite him as if she weighed nothing. “And I think you need to go to bed.”
“Yes, Dad.” She didn’t resist when his arms came around her. He was such a good friend. So patient with her, so nonthreatening. Why couldn’t she fall in love with him?
“Listen to me.”
“Mmm?” She laid her head on his solid shoulder.
“You are going to sleep really well tonight.” He started stroking her hair, working the tense muscles at the base of her scalp. “And tomorrow you are going to wake up and realize you’ve put this Derek demon totally to bed.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes. As if. She’d be happy if she could think about him without getting wet. And talk to him without getting so flustered and guilty she could barely form words.
“And.” Joe rocked her back and forth. “You are going to remind yourself that I love you no matter how insane you get, no matter how completely and insufferably annoying, no matter how—”
“Uh, Joe?” She patted his chest. “Yeah, um, thanks. That’s enough.”
“No problem.” He squeezed her then took her hand. “Let’s go.”
“I’m ready.” She followed him across the beach, fumbling for her flashlight. “Hey, who was that girl you were talking to all night? The cute little one.”
“Carrie?”
“Yeah. Where’s your flashlight?” She tried to remember seeing him use one, still not having any luck extracting hers from her sweatshirt pocket since it was on the side of the hand Joe was holding.
“Don’t need one. Just follow me.”
“Wait, seriously? Through the woods? The path is treacherous and it’s pitch-black. I’ve come here all my life and even I wouldn’t do it.”
“I have cat eyes.”
“Joe...” She hung back, still trying for the flashlight, until he tugged her impatiently forward.
“Just lift your feet so you don’t trip. You’ll be fine.”
“Okay. But if you kill me I’m suing.” She followed him a few more steps, getting braver as it became apparent he was navigating nicely. “So...what about Carrie?”
“Nice girl. What do you want to know?”
“I don’t know.” Her voice came out too high and she had to relax her throat to get it back to normal. “Do you like her?”
He snorted impatiently. “No, I talked to her all night because she repulsed me.”
“Okay, okay. Never mind.” Sarah’s giggle felt forced. What was wrong with her, she was so self-absorbed she couldn’t even be happy for her best friend? “I’m glad for you. I hope something comes of it. You deserve someone wonderful.”