Excerpt from For Love of a Lake

Michael picked up Mary Beth from home, and she looked gorgeous. The whole drive over he wished he could just skip the dance and take her straight to the lake, but he drove to the school nonetheless. They had a great time. They danced, they talked, they drank punch. Everything was wonderful until she walked in.

Michael didn’t recognize Laurie at first. All their lives, he’d only ever seen her in jeans and t-shirts. Since that day they’d wrestled in the mud eight years ago, she’d always just been one of the boys. The beauty that walked into that gymnasium was more beautiful than anything he’d ever seen. And he was not the only boy there to notice. Every eye in that gym was on her. She wore a gorgeous red prom dress with black high heels and a white flower in her hair. She walked hesitantly, as if unsure of her footing in the heels, when she noticed everyone staring. She blushed from all the attention. And though she walked in alone, she wouldn’t be that way for long. A line a mile long of horny teenage boys stepped up to court her, and she danced with them one after the other.

Mary Beth frowned gripped Michael’s arm tight. “C’mon, let’s dance,” she snarled.

She dragged him out onto the dance floor, but Michael couldn’t concentrate. He’d constantly be looking over his shoulder—or over Mary Beth’s shoulder—to stare at Laurie. He couldn’t believe how much she looked like…like…a girl.

Mary finally got his attention with a slap to the face.

“Ow! What was that for?” Michael asked.

“You came to this dance with me!”

“I am with her…I mean with you.”

“But you’ve been staring at her all night!”

Michael had nothing to say to that.

“I’m your girlfriend, but you spend more time with her! I’m sick of it! You have to choose—me or her.”

“Mary Beth, Laurie is one of my oldest and dearest friends. You can’t expect me to…”

“I can and do expect it. Choose: her or me!”

“I’m not going to do that.”

“Fine! Then I’m making up your mind for you. I’m leaving!” She leaned up to him whispered in his ear. “I was going to let you go all the way tonight, too, but now you’ll never get a piece of this.” She stormed off.

Michael stood there in silence. He felt a twinge of guilt and stared down at his feet. He had behaved rather badly. He did care for Mary Beth, but Laurie was his best friend—and seeing her tonight he began to realize that maybe his feelings for her were stronger than he’d realized.

Laurie walked up to Michael. “I’m sorry if I ruined your date.”

“No, it’s ok.” Michael stared at her speechless for a few moments. He shook his head. “Laurie, you look so…beautiful.”

She blushed. “Thanks. My mom helped me get all dressed up. You wouldn’t believe how excited she was to hear me say I wanted to wear a dress.”

Michael chuckled. “So why did you?”

Laurie looked away, her face hot. “Isn’t it obvious, Michael?”

“No, why should it be?”

Her face was so red at this point that she looked about to burst. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Say what?”

She answered him with a kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him with so much love and passion that he almost fell backwards. He caught his balance but was so stunned that at first he didn’t do anything. Then as he started to get into the kiss he returned it, wrapping his arms around her until she pulled away from him.

“Easy there, cowboy, I need to breathe,” she said.

Michael’s head was swimming. “What was that for?”

Laurie tapped him on the shoulder with her fist. “You’re such a doofus. I’ve been in love with you since we were eight.”

Michael’s face went flush. “You have?”

“Yeah.” Laurie’s cheeks were as red as Michael’s. “I didn’t know it at the time. It wasn’t until you starting seeing Mary Beth that I…I…” Her eyes dropped.

Michael lifted her head and looked into her eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her. At that moment, Sheena Easton’s “For Your Eyes Only” began to play. “Would you like to dance?” he whispered.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she replied softly.

At that moment they danced. Swaying in each others arms it felt as if there were nobody else in the world other than each other. When the song ended, they stood there in each others arms looking into each others eyes. Michael leaned down to her ear and whispered softly, “Let’s get out of here.”

Laurie’s eyes lit up with love as she said, “Yes.”