Song of a Sophomore

CHAPTER 41 - Boombastic

The doorbell rang. Anticipation flowed through my veins like electric current. Fanning away the sweat under my arms, I sauntered down the stairs in my satin dress. It was a white, strapless ball gown—like a wedding dress, except for the delicate black floral embroidery cascading over the bodice, tumbling down one the waistline, and fanning out like garland around the hemline. It was a dead ringer for the dress Audrey Hepburn wore in Sabrina, one of my favorite old movies. I hoped I was doing it justice.

Gloria looked at me before she opened the door. "Perfect."

"Thanks," I said with a nod. I believed her.

"You ready?" she asked.

Ryan stood ready with the disposable camera like an adolescent paparazzo.

"Yes," I said breathlessly. My stomach flipped upside down.

Gloria drew open the front door to reveal Zachary Ashburn, standing like a god bathed in golden sunlight with his hands buried deep in the pockets of his white tuxedo jacket. With those broad shoulders and an intense gaze, he looked like he could play the lead in a James Bond film. His eyes, a devastating sapphire blue like the wild north Atlantic, met mine. For the first time I understood why the women swooned in old-time movies.

Gloria stared in shock at this perfect teenage specimen standing before her. She probably didn't believe that I could catch such a prize fish. "Don't you look handsome, Zach."

"You look—so, so," I stuttered. "Amazing."

"Not nearly as amazing as you, Rose." He checked me out from head to toe. My heart skipped a beat. "Mrs. Blakeway, I don't think we've officially met." He offered his hand. "Zachary Ashburn."

Gloria shook his hand and beamed, "Handsome and a gentleman, too." She nodded her approval.

Zach gave Ryan a strong handshake and a million-dollar smile. "Pleased to meet you, young man," he said with perfect manners. "Do you like football?"

"Oh, yeah," Ryan smiled and reached into the coat closet for his Dallas Cowboys cap. He put it on. "Cowboys all the way."

"I'm a Redskins fan myself, but I'll give you a pass," he said and playfully pushed the ball cap down on Ryan's head. "You should come watch a Meadow Wood football game sometime."

"You play football?" Ryan looked at me and raised one eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm the place kicker, which means I really only get to be in the game here and there, and when it really counts."

"That's a lot of pressure," Ryan said. "You ever choke up?"

"Not yet," Zach said and looked at me. "Not with a pretty girl like your sister cheering me on from the sidelines." I almost died.

"Do you play any other sports?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, sir. I am a swimmer and I play soccer."

Gloria put her hands under her chin and smiled in a gesture that made her look like she was whispering thank you to the heavens. "Well, Zach, you are really something."

"I approve," Ryan said with a smile.

We were all under his spell and it was magic. In that moment, I was glad my dad wasn't home to lay eyes on Zach. He might refuse to let me walk out the door with such a smooth talking beau who had the presence of someone ten years older. Zach was definitely not a boy. He was a man, and I was smitten.