“Barbecue chips.”
“French toast. With butter and syrup.”
Thad grinned. “Chocolate bars, preferably a Crispy Crunch.”
“Umm,” I said, tasting imaginary chocolate. “Chocolate chip cookies. Warm from the oven, when the chocolate’s still gooey. With milk.”
Thad groaned. “When we get back, can I come to your house? Because I really want one of those cookies. How did we get stuck on food?”
When we get back, he’d said. I lifted my eyes to his.We?I thought.
“What?” he asked.
For a second, neither of us spoke. Then I said, “Socks.” I smiled.
Thad looked surprised. “Socks?”
“Socks.” I nodded. “I miss socks. My feet freeze at night.”
“Watching or catching a Canucks game. Hell, I just miss hockey, period.”
I laughed. “My iPod.”
“Echo that,” Thad said nodding. “Got Nuffin here.”
“Did you just quote Spoon?” I asked.
“So Charley knows Spoon.” Thad grinned. “What else do you have on your iPod?”
Thad and I had similar taste, which was cool, but we both had lots of bands neither of us had heard of. I wished I could look them up on iTunes, but of course, I couldn’t.
“Hey, listen, I could talk tunes all day, but Heesham’s setting up island ball and I said I’d play. Come with me?” His voice was anxious, like he wasn’t certain I’d say yes.Boys.
The minute our feet hit sand, Thad smiled devilishly.
“Race you back,” he said. “Winner bakes the other a chocolate chip cookie when we get home.”
“You can bake?” I asked.
“I have hidden talents.” He grinned.
I laughed.I’ll bet you do. “You’re on.”
We lined up beside each other, two track stars toeing an invisible line.
“On your mark,” Thad started, “set… go!”
I hung with him until the end, when Thad easily pulled away.
Huffing and puffing, I jogged up to Thad, who was breathing hard, hands on his hips. “Did you quit on me?” he asked.
“Did you hold back?” I shot back.
“Nope. You quit. Or at least you didn’t kick it at the end.” He laughed as I made a face.
“No way. You’re just fast.”
“Well, we’ll have to work on that. Fast is good on Nil.” Thad’s jaw hardened despite his smile.
