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“Nothing’s the matter.” Force a smile.
“Then why are you making that weird face?”
“I’m not making a face. This is just my face.”
“It’s not.”
“I HAVE A BIG SHOW TONIGHT!” Hmm, that came out a little louder than I expected. A woman sitting with her Pomeranian starts. “Sorry, ma’am. It’s a big deal. Old Mr. Huxton is coming to watch the derby team!”
“That’s great news!” Terence touches my shoulder, and I feel a jolt of electricity. “Where can I get a ticket?”
PANIC ALERT.
Terence in the audience would be the worst. Never mind the whole Alli as the comic relief thing, making a fool of herself by design. If Terence comes, I’ll completely forget how I’m supposed to mess up. I’ll freeze, I’ll fall in the wrong direction, I’ll put all the team’s plans at risk. I cannot let this happen.
“You can’t come.”
“Oh.” His face falls. “Why not?”
Think fast. “Sold out.” I don’t even know if there are tickets.
“I see.”
He looks dejected. I don’t know why, since it’s not like this is the first time I’d be doing some crazy thing that he didn’t come to. He didn’t watch a single one of my wrestling matches. He showed up for some softball games, but I think that was for the free popcorn. Best I just change the subject.
“Your turn to tell me what’s going on with you.”
His face lights up, and he looks around to see if anyone is watching. “I’ll walk you to your bike.” Outside, we get a few paces away when he turns and grabs my arms. His hands are so big, so strong, so warm, I might faint.
Hold it together.
“I’ve got news, too,” he says with a shine in those crystal blue eyes.
“If it’s about you being the hero of Hampton Falls, I know all about it.”
“Oh gosh, did you see that?” Streaks of red cast out from his neck. “I had no idea they were going to show it on repeat.”
“It’s more than Channel 9 now. That baby is syndicated.”
“Syndicated? Oh, boy.”
He removes his hands from my arms and covers his face. The cool air covers the place where moments ago he was touching me, and I feel both relieved and sad because I want him to hold me again.
Ugh. I can’t want that. Put it aside.
“So if not that, then what’s the story, Ter-Ter?”
An impish grin breaks out over his face. “My trend report is done, and it’s good.”
“So you’re going to pass your probation period?”
“No question of it now.” He shifts his weight from side to side. “The televised bit might have helped, too. I wasn’t trying to promote the Dog’s Paw, but that’s the way it came out. And thank goodness. I could have just as easily put my foot in it.”
“You’re a star now! It’s the Dog’s Paw who’s lucky to have you, and not the other way around.”
He crosses his arms with a sly smile. “The credit goes to Ranger, and you know it.”
“Someone had to train Ranger and know how to read him. Don’t sell yourself short.”
