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Or maybe he was just using his trick—I was so tranquil now, so composed. My breathing was so slow, I thought I might fall asleep. I knew then I could hold my breath for a very long time.
He let go, and there was a clattering and a splash. He’d set the oars.
I blinked the water out of my eyes. The gray sky was a fraction darker than before. How long had I been floating there? With a shake of my head, I righted myself and grabbed onto the side of the dory.
He gave me a knowing smile. Once again, he’d known I could do something, and once again he’d been right.
I glared, reluctant to give him another victory.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You’re smiling. ”
His eyes wrinkled, making him look perplexed. “And that’s bad?”
“It makes you look like a pirate. ”
He laughed. “Just get in the boat. ”
I wanted to coax one more laugh from him. I wanted to erase the discomfort of our earlier conversations. I wanted to make it all okay. “Does that mean you forgive me?”
His eyes rested on me for a long moment. “It means I knew you could do it. ”
I took that as a yes.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I slowed to a halt. Yasuo and Josh were sitting on the low stone wall in front of the Arts Pavilion. Chatting and lounging with legs swinging, they looked more like a couple of college dudes than what they really were: two recruits in a deadly vampire-training program.
My eyes zeroed in on Josh. The sight of my so-called tutor put up my defenses. It was time for dance class, which was bad enough. I wouldn’t put it past the vamps to force me to practice my business German while performing a traditional Bavarian folk dance.
“What are you doing here?” I asked warily. “We’re not meeting again till next week. ”
“Gidday to you, too. ”
The clichéd Aussie greeting rankled me, and he knew it.
“Do you practice being so maddening, or did you study it at Harvard?”
“A guy’s got to have a major,” he said, not missing a beat, and then he actually winked.
Like that, the stupid boy brought a grudging smile to my face—again.
“Easy, little D. ” Yasuo hopped down and brushed off his pants. “He’s just keeping me company. Though”—he slugged Josh on the arm—“you could’ve warned me that your mere appearance would get my dance partner’s panties in a twist. I need Blondie in a good mood if I’m gonna pass summer school. I am so not taking this class again. ”
So Josh wasn’t joining us for dance class—that was something. But still, I couldn’t help my eyes from sweeping up and down the length of him. He was a little shorter than Yas, with broader shoulders. Great looking, great surfer, great student, great personality—knowing Josh, he was probably a great dancer, too. And I didn’t trust such general greatness one little bit.
“Shoo. ” I waved my hands at him. “Before Master Dagursson gets any ideas. ”
“I’m gone, I’m gone. ” Josh slid from the wall and had the gall to whisper in my ear as he walked past. “Don’t forget your etiquette homework, meine kleine Gummibärchen. ”
I growled at his back, feeling my cheeks flame red to the roots of my hair.
“Sorry, Drew. I’ll talk to him. ” Yas put his arm around me and guided me toward the stairs. “Did he say something?”
I grimaced. Worse.
I remained silent as we walked into the dance studio, with Yasuo looking more solemn by the minute. “Seriously,” he said finally, “did he just totally curse you out?”
