Who need baby-sitting when there are boys around!

We stood around and watched a while longer. Then we continued with our exploring. It took us another hour to walk along the boardwalk, and finally we ended up on the beach in front of the Pikes' house.

"Can we go in the water?" asked Nicky.

"I looked at my watch. "Nope. Sorry," I said. "It's five o'clock. The lifeguards are getting ready to leave. Besides, you guys aren't wearing your bathing suits."

"Can't we even go wading?" Nicky pressed.

"Please, please, please? Just to our knees?" added Vanessa.

"No," I told them. You know the rules."

"You could make a sandcastle or look for shells," suggested Mary Anne.

Nicky pouted. "That's girl stuff," he announced. "I know. We'll play paddle ball." He ran into the house to get rackets and balls.

Mary Anne and I settled ourselves in the sand. We watched the rest of the Pike kids run around, laughing, glad to be at the seashore finally. I looked at the other people on the beach. They were mostly families. Then I watched the lifeguards. They had jumped off their wooden stand and were pulling on blue windbreakers that said SEA CITY COMMUNITY BEACHES. One had dark curly hair; the other wavy, blond hair. They looked about seventeen years old.

As the blond one leaned over to fold his towel, the sun caught his hair, making it gleam. And at that moment, he glanced up. He saw me looking at him, and gave me a smile and a little wink.

He was gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.

He turned back to his towel and I let out my breath in a shaky gasp.

"Oh, wow," I whispered to Mary Anne. "I'm in love."

"Huh?" she said frowning.

"I'm in love," I repeated, "with that gorgeous lifeguard."

Mary Anne just shook her head. I knew she though I was crazy.

Boy-Crazy Stacey
Published by Scholastic Inc. 1996
ISBN: 0590435094