The Geis: Awakening Part 13

"I told him I was taking you out this weekend."

I groaned, "I bet he took that well."

Lucas laughed, and his cheek dimpled. "I didn't really say that."

I punched Lucas in the arm and he pretended to be hurt.

"He told me that you were at the feis last weekend. I didn't see you there."

I bit my lip and considered how to answer. "I left early."

"Did you dance?"

"I tried. They wouldn't let me compete because Rourke isn't certified to teach Irish dance.

"And Rourke's the janitor?" Lucas looked doubtful.

"Yeah, he's a pretty awesome dancer. He doesn't need a certificate for me to know that."

"So, because he doesn't have a certificate, you can't dance?" Lucas squeezed my hand. I couldn't help smiling.

"Well, it doesn't stop me from dancing, but I can't compete with Rourke as my teacher. I need to find someone who is certified."

"And then you can compete?"

"I think so."

Lucas looked down at our interlocked hands. "Did you see me there?"

"Yeah, I did, but you were sitting by Taminy's family, and I guess I wasn't sure if you wanted me to say h.e.l.lo."

"You should've. I wasn't with Taminy. When her mom saw me she insisted that I sit by her." Lucas shook his head. "She can be a bit controlling."

"I've noticed," I said. Hope flared in me. If Lucas didn't go to the feis for Taminy, did he drive all the way there for me?

"Let me know when you get to perform, and I'll be on the front row."

My face flushed. I studied a crack on the sidewalk, sobered by the memory of why I left the feis early. When I'd come home that night, I'd told Aunt Avril about Mrs. Saddlebury trying to force Zoey out the door. Aunt Avril didn't say much, but her face told me that the matter wasn't closed.

"There's the Red Baron," Lucas said. "I'm starving."

The delicious smell of barbecued burgers. .h.i.t me before I saw it. The restaurant itself was tiny, but a covered patio extended from the building, with a place underneath it for picnic tables. Giant hand-painted signs advertised burgers and fresh raspberry shakes.

Cars circled the patio with their windows rolled down, and carhops darted back and forth between the cars and the restaurant. Heavy snow clouds hung low, threatening a storm. I zipped up my jacket.

"Let's eat outside," Lucas said, letting go of my hand. I sat across from him at a picnic table.

I looked up at the menu painted above us. "What should I get?"

"Don't worry, I'll order for you."

Lucas ordered two raspberry shakes, drinks, and a 'Big Red' burger with fries. The carhop smiled at Lucas, flipping her long ponytail every time she wrote down something.

"Anything else?" she said, shifting her weight so that her hip swung in Lucas's direction.

Lucas smiled at her and she beamed. He looked around the girl at the windows of the restaurant. "No, this is great."

The carhop popped her gum and went back inside.

After watching another carhop walk between cars, I decided that being on the cheer squad or drill team must be a requirement to work here.

Lucas leaned on the picnic table. "So how do you like being the new girl in town?"

I relaxed. "I didn't think I would like the valley at first."

"What do you think now?"

Star Valley was beginning to feel like home. "It's growing on me."

"Yeah, well, I can't wait to get out of this small town." His gaze wandered to the carhop window behind me.

"Why?"

"You can't make a name for yourself here."

I thought about it. "That may true, but you don't get lost in the crowd as easy here."

"What crowd?" Lucas laughed.

I smiled, knowing that I would go over each word he spoke to me later. For now I just wanted to take everything in.

"Did you have a boyfriend in Utah?" Lucas leaned across the table and played with the napkin next to my cup. My heart hammered and I kept my hand on the table next to his.

"No."

"What a shame for a beautiful girl like you to get lost in the crowd."

I blushed.

He covered my hand with his, tracing little circles on my hand with his thumb. My heart fluttered as his touch echoed in every vein of my body.

"Here's your order." The carhop plunked our tray down on the table and spun on her heels. I pulled my hand away reluctantly and took a drink to hide my nervousness. A tangy blend of cool sweetness with a touch of sour exploded on my tongue.

"This is good. What's in it?"

"It's a scotch and soda." Lucas laughed at the look on my face. "It doesn't have alcohol in it, just lime and vanilla."

He peeled the paper off of a giant hamburger with ham and cheese melting over the sides. In the time that it took me to eat half of my raspberry shake, Lucas ate a full meal. I excused myself to go to the restroom.

Inside, the restaurant was filled with even more people sitting at booths. The greasy scent of fried food didn't smell nearly as appetizing as it had when I was hungry.

I turned the corner and b.u.mped into someone coming out of the restroom.

"Sorry," we said at the same time. It was Taminy, dressed in the red shirt and black ap.r.o.n that the other carhops wore. I should have known that she would work here too. She sniffed and pretended like she didn't recognize me, walking right past me into the kitchen.

I shut the bathroom door and leaned against the sink, pulling out my phone to text Christa. I already had three texts from her, asking me how my night was going.

Hey.

Spill it. Even though Christa was on a date with Derek, her response was immediate.

Things are good. I grinned as I typed.

How good?

Pretty dang good.

Like kissing good?

Not THAT good.

Could happen . . .

I looked at myself in the mirror. The skin on my neck was clear. No rash.

Gotta go, I typed. I'll call you.

I twisted a few curls back into place and put a fresh coat of lipstick on, then changed my mind and took most of the color off.

I walked back through the restaurant, checking to see if I could spot Taminy behind the order counter. I pushed open the door to the patio and stopped short.

Lucas still sat at the picnic table, his back to the window, one bent leg resting on the seat. Taminy stood next to the table, pen in hand with a black ap.r.o.n tied around her tiny waist. It looked like she was taking his order, but the conversation wasn't about fast food.

"You brought her here on purpose, didn't you?" Taminy pointed her pen at him.

Lucas gave Taminy a dazzling smile.

I clutched my chest as all of the air in my lungs escaped. I backed into the door. Cold nausea hit my stomach.

Lucas looked past Taminy to where I stood in the doorway. "Oh good, you're back." He motioned for me to sit down.

Did he think I didn't hear what she said? Or that I would blow it off? Not knowing what else to do, I crossed behind Taminy and sat on the bench, my back stiff. Had Lucas known that Taminy worked here? The answer was painful. Of course he had.

"Oh, hi McKayla," Taminy flipped her hair and moved closer to Lucas. "Did you have a good time at the feis? Oh, wait, I forgot, you can't compete."

I clenched my fists until my fingernails bit into my palms. "Don't worry, I'll be at the next one."

"I really wish you could. Too bad you can't come up to Jackson for lessons." Taminy put her hand on Lucas's arm. He didn't make a move away from her. "Do you want me to get you some fries to go?"

"I can't turn my back on free food."

A customer flagged Taminy over. She winked at Lucas as she walked away.

I didn't know I could be so happy one minute and then plunge into despair the next. Lucas didn't really want to get to know me. Instead I was caught in crossfire between him and Taminy. The thought made me want to cry. But instead, I took a deep breath.

"I'm not hungry anymore." I forced myself to look Lucas in the eye. "Please take me home."

"Hey, what's the matter?" Lucas leaned forward and tried to take my hand again.

I pulled my hands out of reach and put them in my lap.

"McKayla, please listen," Lucas said. How could I still thrill to have him say my name when I knew that he was using me?

"No, I get it." I stood up. "You needed someone to show off to Taminy. You got what you wanted, now please take me home." Tears were threatening my vision. I blinked hard.

"That's not it at all." Lucas's voice hardened. He stood next to me, taking both of my hands. "I've been having fun tonight. And I think you're pretty amazing. Give me a chance."

I softened at his touch. I wanted to believe that he cared for me.

Taminy backed out of the swinging door with a tray in her hands. When she saw us standing, hands clasped together, she stopped.

I looked up into his face. He gave me the same stunning smile he had used on Taminy a few minutes earlier. I broke free of his hands and backed away.

"I'll find my own ride home." I didn't want to see the look on Taminy's face. Running back inside, I pulled out my phone and dialed Christa before remembering that she was out with Derek. She answered before I could hang up.

"Hey you. Why are you calling me when you are on a hot date?"

I swallowed hard, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. "Things aren't working out so well after all."

"Where are you?"

"At the Red Baron." I looked out the window to where Lucas stood next to Taminy. He said something to her and she turned on her heels and pulled out her pen to take the next customer's order. Lucas stared after her before walking back toward his truck.

"We're in Alpine and won't be home for a while. Hang on, I'm texting Josh right now to come and get you."

"No, don't-" I tried to stop her, but she had already taken the phone from her ear. I didn't relish the idea of having to explain to Josh why I was stranded at the drive-in.

"Josh is on his way. Sit tight," Christa confirmed.

I left the restaurant, taking a wide detour around the parked customers to sit on the sidewalk, trying to look as casual as possible. What a disastrous ending to a perfect day. I swallowed my emotions, allowing a numbness to take over.

Josh pulled up next to the curb and jumped out. I opened the pa.s.senger door and he held it open for me, his eyes meeting mine for a brief second before he shut it. He walked around the front of the car, and I scrambled to think of a good reason for why he had to come pick me up from a date.

I looked for Lucas's truck, but he had already gone. As we pulled away, I caught a glimpse of Taminy, smiling as she took down an order.

"You ok?" Josh asked, glancing my way before concentrating on the road.

"Yeah." My voice came out shaky and I squeezed my hands together in an attempt to keep control. "Thanks for picking me up."