Read Isle Be Seeing You for Free Online Page B

How about if we just, you know, go on a date or something? We could do a picnic up on the ridge maybe. What do you say?”
    I opened my mouth and closed it a few times, my stomach sinking in my gut like a rock as I realized I’d just missed my chance to cut him off cleanly. It was as if I’dbeen playing basketball, hoping to sink a shot, and ended up dribbling right past the basket, under the scoreboard, and out the gym doors into the parking lot.
    Snapping my mouth shut, I smiled tightly. “Um,” I mumbled intelligently. “Uh, let me think about it, okay?”
    It seemed the best I could do under the circumstances. Unfortunately Ryan seemed thrilled.
    â€œCool!” he cried, his limbs twitching slightly as his grin stretched from ear to ear. Come to think of it, those few minutes during our conversation were the longest I’d seen him hold more-or-less still since arriving on the island. Or possibly ever. “Take all the time you need,” he added. “You know where to find me when you make up your mind. See you, Dani! ‘Bye! Catch you later!” The twitching turned into actual movement, and he danced off down the path.
    I sighed as I watched him go. Okay. What was I supposed to do now?
    An hour later I had made up my mind. I had to find Ryan and let him down easy. It wasn’t fair to let him get his hopes up. It wasn’t fair to me, either. Thanks to Ryan’s little announcement, I’d totally missed yet anotherchance to spend time alone with Josh, and I didn’t want that to happen again.
    But finding Ryan was turning out to be harder than expected. He normally spent the afternoon fishing or bodysurfing, but that day there was no sign of him anywhere on the beach. “Hey” I said, sticking my head into the shelter. “Anybody in here?”
    Brooke opened her eyes and looked up at me sleepily. “What?” she demanded. “Can’t you see I’m trying to take a nap?”
    â€œSorry I—”
    A shout interrupted my response. Pulling my head out of the shelter, I saw Josh running down the beach waving his hands over his head.
    Brooke sat up and rubbed her eyes. “What’s all the yelling about now?” she mumbled grumpily.
    â€œI’m not sure.”
    All over the beach, other people were looking over to see what was happening. Ned, who was reading one of the twins’ fashion magazines in the shade of a palm tree, squinted curiously as Josh ran past him. The twins stopped splashing around in the surf and stared. Angela wandered out of the supply cave holding a beach towel.Macy glanced up from chopping something on the food-prep table. Even Ryan finally appeared at the edge of the jungle carrying an armload of firewood.
    Josh raced over to the fire pit and jumped up on one of the logs we used as seats. “Hey, everyone!” he called. “Over here! I have something important to tell you.”
    We all drifted toward him. Since I was the closest to the fire pit other than Macy I was one of the first to arrive. Josh grinned at me. “Guess what, Dani?” he exclaimed breathlessly. “Kenny was right! There’s definitely a fire on that other island—and I don’t think its a wildfire, either. There’s got to be people over there!”
    â€œWhat?” Brooke was right behind me, still rubbing her eyes and yawning. But at Josh’s words, she suddenly looked fully awake. “What did you say, Josh? Did you say you saw people?”
    â€œHuh?” Cassie cried, running the last few steps to the fire pit. “Did someone say we’re being rescued?”
    â€œRescued? What?”
    All of a sudden everyone was talking at once. “Wait!” Josh waved his hands desperately over his head. “Listen!”
    â€œShut up, people!” I shouted helpfully. “Let him talk!”
    Angela wrinkled her nose at me. “Gee, this is a first.McFeeney the motormouth telling