Read Online Dumb Luck by Lesley Choyce - Free Book Online

this didn’t seem like the time or place.
    â€œNah, not really,” I answered sheepishly.
    â€œCool,” she said, tucking the joint back into her purse.
    I felt I needed to explain. “It’s not that ...” I started to say.
    Taylor shook her head. “Not to worry. I like you just the way you are.”
    â€œYou too,” I said awkwardly, wondering right away if that made any sense.
    Taylor laughed. But it was a sweet laugh. “Brandon, you don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do. You need to be you.”
    â€œI’m just not sure who I am anymore.”
    â€œWell, I’m gonna have to help you figure that out. Otherwise, some of those buttheads at school are gonna have their way with you.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œYou’ve already got one enemy. Grant Freeman can be a flaming asshole. I know. He used to be my boyfriend.”
    â€œI meant to apologize to him.”
    â€œDon’t. He’d see that as a sign of weakness. Just watch out if he tries to apologize to you and wants to be your friend.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œGrant is Grant. But the ladies—that’s a different story. You’re never gonna know who’s real and who isn’t. In case you haven’t noticed, you are the subject of much discussion.”
    â€œYou should see the e-mails I’m getting.”
    â€œI can imagine. Did you answer any?”
    I might have blushed then. “A few.”
    â€œLet me guess. The ones who sent pictures, right?”
    â€œA couple.”
    Taylor took her sunglasses off and briefly looked away from the road to look me in the eye. “So now you’re beginning to know what it feels like to be the center of attention. I’ve been there most of my life. It ain’t always easy. In my case, people judge me for what I look like, not who I am.”
    â€œGuess that’s been true for me, too. But in my case, it was kind of the opposite of you.”
    â€œBut now it’s different,” Taylor continued. “People will want to be your friend. They’ll want to be with you. They’ll want something from you.”
    â€œAll because of the money, right?” I said, sounding rather dejected.
    â€œPoor little rich boy.”
    The conversation certainly wasn’t going anywhere near where I thought it would go. And Taylor was not the girl I thought she was. “So why did you write your phone number on my hand?”
    â€œWell, because you caught my attention. I thought your problem was interesting.”
    A minute later when she stopped for a red light, she leaned across and kissed me hard on the mouth and lingered there long enough for the light to change and a driver behind us to honk his horn. When she pulled away, I could hardly breathe.

chapter fourteen
    The summer crowds had faded and the beach was mostly empty. We took off our shoes and went walking in the sand. I told her the whole story about Kayla and me climbing trees. Even the part about her kissing me and me falling out and what happened after that.
    â€œAnd now she’s mad at you, right?”
    â€œYeah. And I’m not sure why.”
    â€œBecause you’re changing, Brandon. Your circumstance has changed. Everything about you is going to change. She’s missing the old you.”
    â€œIn some ways, so am I.”
    â€œKayla would be really pissed if she knew you were with me right now.”
    â€œHow do you know that?”
    â€œTrust me, I know.” And of course she was right. “Just don’t give up on her. She may get to like the new you.”
    We sat down on the rocks by a jetty and watched some surfers in the water catching some very clean shoulder-high waves. “I’d like to try that,” I said.
    â€œI had a few lessons,” Taylor said. “It’s not easy at first, but once you get it, it’s a total stoke. Hey, maybe you should learn to surf. Put it on