Not only was she interesting and intelligent, but she was funny too.
Nora Ledger, the shy ice cream peddler, was the whole package. And if he was lucky enough, she would behiswhole package.
SEVEN
NORA
Jade was all but tearing the door down from pounding on it with such gusto. She shouted Nora’s name, which could be heard all the way into the bathroom and under the shower’s spray.
Cursing under her breath, Nora wrapped herself in a towel, scampered to the door, and swung it open. She blinked at her friend, who stood on her stoop, holding coffees and brown to-go bags from Moonie’s.
“I come bearing breakfast. Only fair, given that you are going to be providing the gossip.”
“The gossip?” she asked, confused.
Jade pushed her way inside, beelining for the kitchen. She was quite at ease, taking down some cups and dishes. She was quick to switch over everything from the plastic containers onto Nora’s porcelain plates. She brought their breakfast wares to the dining room table when that was done.
“Sit. Spill.”
“But I’m still nude,” Nora exclaimed. “I can’t talk about Jack when I’mnaked.”
Jade giggled. “What the hell are you gonna do when hewantsyou to be nude in front of him?”
Nora blushed deep red when she heard the question and imagined the very same scenario. “We aren’t gonna talk about that right now.”
“Oh, but we are. You need to be prepared for when it happens because if your date with him was any indication, you are totally gonna be sleeping with him soon.”
“How could you possibly know how things were going with Jack and me? And what date are you talking about?”
“Duh! I’m talking about the scavenger hunt. You’re welcome for that, by the way.”
“Oh, I knew it was your doing, but I have a feeling that Mrs. Francis is the one who was leading the charge.”
“You’re not wrong. She was the one who suggested that we match you and Jack for the hunt, and she was also the one who insisted that we get you two on the island all alone.”
“You do know that Jack and I figured you out, right?”
“It doesn’t matter if you figured us out. What matters is that you two had some long-coming alone time. Now, you are going to tell me how it went for you.”
Nora held up her hand and shook her head. “Yes, but I amnotdoing it in the buff. Gimme a second to put some clothes on.”
She ran back into her bedroom and slipped on a pair of jean shorts and a light pink tank top. She brushed out her hair, choosing to let it air dry. It was going to be a bit more voluminous this way, but she wasn’t planning on seeing anyone but Jade, and so it didn’t matter. She slipped into a chair at the table and took a bite of Mason’s pancakes before finally giving her attention to her friend.
“So. What do you want to know?”
Jade gaped at her. “Duh. I wanna know everything.”
“Well, we got into the canoe, we rowed to the island, found the other clue in the caves, and then we came back to shore. He walked me home before going back to his cabin. That was it.”
“And what about the kiss? How was it?”
Nora hated that she blushed again. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
Jade rolled her eyes. “I know you two kissed. You need to tell me if it was a good kiss.”
“Nope.” She shoved a huge bite of pancakes into her mouth to keep from answering Jade, but her friend had known her long enough to know Nora’s tells. She knew, of course, that Nora and Jack had kissed a whole bunch. She could probably sense it.
“Fine. Keep your secrets. At least tell me when you’re going to see him again.”