Moonglass

breakfast or something?”
    “Um … school?”
    He waved dismissively. “You can go late. I’ll write you a note, or whatever.”
    I couldn’t help but smile at his dadness as I nodded. “Okay. But I have to miss all of first period. It’s Mr. Strickland.” He laughed. “Deal.”
    We sat for a while without saying much and watched the storm move over the water. It was barely dark and I hadn’t eaten dinner, but exhaustion hung heavy over me. I stood up and stretched.
    “I think I’m gonna go to bed. It’s been way too long of a day.”
    My dad looked up. “You never told me what the deal was with Carter.” He had scooted to the edge of the couch, ready to hear the story.
    I shook my head. “It was nothing…. I’ll tell you tomorrow. I’m too tired right now.”
    “All right.” He smiled. “Get some sleep then.”
    I nodded and headed back to my room. I’d have some explaining to do to a few people tomorrow. Ashley and Jillian for sure. But I couldn’t think of that now. Now I just needed quiet and rest.
    In my bed, with my eyes closed, I ran my fingers over the bare spot on my neck and tried to distinguish between the sound of rain on the roof and the waves on the beach. Sleep closed in from the edges of my mind, and when I finally slipped into it, it was dreamless and deep.

CHAPTER 28
    The view out our front window looked like redemption. A line of pelicans glided low over the water and, though pale, the early morning sun silhouetted a wave as it crumbled lazily over the rocks and spilled up onto the sand. It carried on its back a surfer I took to be my dad. He rode it out with an ease that spoke of countless mornings spent in the water, then hopped off his board and scooped it up, looking back for a second before he turned his face to our window. And I saw it wasn’t my dad at all. It was Tyler. I felt the zing as he waved.
    “That Tyler out there?” My dad stepped in from the kitchen holding his cup of coffee.
    “I think it is. Mind if I …? I’ll be right back.” I grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around my shoulders, then near-ran down the stairs. When I got to the bottom, he was waiting, face still dripping wet, with his ever-present Tyler smile.
    “Mornin’, sunshine.”
    I felt myself break into a big, surprised, I-am-so-happy-to-see-you grin. “Hi.” I almost laughed it instead of speaking it. “Um … do you usually surf out here before school and I just never noticed?”
    “Nah.” He set the end of his board in the sand and leaned an arm on it. “Usually Ab Point. But Ashley said you left the meet yesterday, and then you didn’t answer the phone last night, so I thought I’d come by this morning. But it was early, and I didn’t want to wake you up, so …” He looked me over just about the time I realized I was standing in my pajamas, my hair all tangled and matted, with a blanket wrapped around me. “You okay? Looks like you could’ve used a day at the spa with Ashley.”
    “Funny.” I pulled the blanket tighter and reached a hand up to smooth my hair. “You have no idea …” He took a step closer and smiled, and I felt his eyes run over me carefully, lingering a moment on the spot where I’d banged my head. “What happened yesterday?”
    “That … is a really long story. But”—I took a step into him—”I’m okay. The storm’s gone, I’m not going to first period, and here you are, first thing in the morning.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed the salt water from his lips. He took a small step back, and I had a feeling my dad was probably coming down the steps.
    Tyler sighed. “You’re leavin’ me alone for Strickland’s class, huh?”
    “I know. Sorry to do it.” I looked out over the water. “But look at it out there. It’s a perfect morning—”
    “Hey, Tyler.”
    Sure enough, Dad walked up and set his board on the sand, then reached around behind him to zip his wet suit. “Get some fun ones out there?”
    “Yeah, it’s good. Hard to leave it, but I can’t miss first today.” He looked over to me. “See you later?”
    “Yeah. I’ll find you,” I said.
    “All right. You guys have fun out there.” He gave a quick nod, then tucked his board under his arm and jogged up the beach.
    My dad kneeled over his board with a bar of wax, then stopped, smiling.
    “What?” I fought the urge to smile too as I pulled the blanket up around my shoulders again. Heat crept up my cheeks.
    He looked at me for a second, then