Moonglass

bobbed on the ripples.
    After him came a stream of naked guards, all streaks of brown and white. Everyone came up euphoric and energized. I floated on my back, still marveling at the stars, while Tyler treaded water next to James and they congratulated each guy on being a rookie no longer. When everyone had finished and it came time to head in, Tyler swam over to me.
    “I’m impressed. You’re the first girl I’ve seen take that jump, and you took it like a man.”
    “Thanks, I think.” I dipped my chin into the water and blew bubbles. “Thanks for climbing up there with me.”
    “Yeah, sure.” He motioned toward the shore, where we could see the silhouettes of the few people who hadn’t gone out. A spotlight flashed on and panned across the water in our direction. It was mounted to a lifeguard truck. The air went out of me.
    “Shit,” I whispered, all euphoria zapped instantly.
    “I thought he was at Catalina.” Tyler’s voice echoed the feeling in my stomach.
    “So did I,” I lied. “Shit.” My mind raced. “Okay. Don’t swim in with me. Stay back with those guys. Actually, you guys should go back over to the edge of the rock and come in that way. Let me deal with him.” We had stopped swimming forward and were facing each other. Tyler was shaking his head, trying to hide a smile.
    “I thought I said something about you coming to this party being a dumb idea …”
    “Yeah, I know. Thanks.”
    “Maybe he’ll be proud of you for carrying on the tradition he started.” He was nearly laughing now.
    “Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be stoked when I get out of the water in my bra and panties smelling like champagne.” I was in for it. “Save yourself,” I said flatly.
    He didn’t move. I didn’t either. I could feel another moment creeping up on us, and I willed him to just tilt his head in and kiss me before I had to swim in and deal with what waited for me on the beach. But he didn’t. And too quickly I found myself kicking away through the black water, regretting that I didn’t either.

CHAPTER 9
    I took my time on the way in because I knew it wouldn’t be pretty once I got there. Not because of what he was going to say to me. Because of everything that he hadn’t. When I stepped a firm foot on the sand and walked out of the water, it was with purpose.
    My dad stood, arms crossed, leaning against his truck. The fire ring was empty. The only indications that there had actually been people there were the red cups strewn around the outskirts of it, and a few empty champagne bottles lying on their sides in the sand. The clothes piles of the swimmers were too far off from the fire ring to be visible, and I was thankful for that.
    I walked straight to the truck, arms crossed over my bra, and looked my dad in the eye as best I could. He threw a towel at me and said in a low, controlled voice, “Get in.”
    I stood still, arms crossed. “Where’s Ashley?”
    His tone stayed even. “She got a ride. Get. In.” I didn’t move, but my mind raced, trying to find a place to start. “Now.” He opened his door and sat down.
    My face burned. I didn’t say anything but grabbed my dress and stomped over to the passenger side of his truck. I threw my stuff onto the seat between us, sat down roughly, and slammed the door. He shoved the truck into gear, and we crawled up the beach without saying anything.
    After a long moment he turned to me and spoke again in the same low, controlled voice. “You smell like alcohol. You’re in your underwear. And you were at a party with the exact people I specifically said you weren’t to be around.” He looked back out the windshield.
    I knew I was asking for a fight, but it would be easier if he wasn’t so calm. “Yeah, Dad. And you know what I found out tonight? That a long time ago you did the exact same thing. Oh, wait. You were actually naked and drunk , according to the story. So don’t get all pissed off. I’m not drunk, and I didn’t die or have sex or do anything but jump off the same rock you did—”
    “Christ, Anna! You jumped off Ab Rock!” He was yelling now, and the force of it startled me. “Do you know how idiotic—” He slammed his hands on the steering wheel. “Goddamnit—”
    I cut him off. “You about done?” He went deadly silent, and my courage almost left me. I lowered my own voice. “Because I heard the rest of the story too.
    And there’s a lot you left out. Like how you met Mom.”
    In the faint light from the