Samantha’s eyebrow hitched. “Why’d youlaugh?”
It was embarrassing, but I needed the job.“I had an incident years ago at the fun fair with a mascot.”
“An incident?”
“Yeah. When I was five. My Dad and I camehere every summer with my buddy, Payton, and I had anaccident…”
Samantha looked confused.
“While sitting on the mascot’s lap,” Ifinished.
Samantha grinned. “You know what they sayabout karma, right?”
I laughed once more, and nodded. “I’ll takethe job.”
“Good. You’ll start on Friday.”
“Ms. Salzbrennar?” I asked, nearlyforgetting the other question I wanted her to answer.
“Yes?”
“My friends from school are looking for ajob, too. They’ve both worked in food service. Do you have anythingelse?”
“As a matter of fact, I do… How soon willthey be here?”
“Monday.”
“Bring them in with you when you come in towork. You’ll be a busy girl this summer. Our hours are 9 to 5,Monday thru Friday.”
“Thanks so much for this opportunity!”
Ms. Salzbrennar laughed. “Oh, I wouldn’tthank me yet!”
Chapter Five
* Friends…*
The DallasFortworth Airport was probably the dumbest place on earth. I’d beencircling the airport for nearly an hour when I finally saw Alexisand Todd on one of the curbs. I honked my horn, and they bothlooked up.
“Hey,” I said, as I put my window down. “Youguys have a lot?”
“Hey!” Alexis yelled.
“What do you think?” Todd asked, and lookedto his right. There were five suitcases and two overnight bags.
“Holy shit! How much did you guys have topay to have that on the plane?”
Alexis rolled her eyes. “Don’t even ask.I’ve heard nothing but Todd’s bitching the entire way overhere.”
“Not the entire way,” Todd said, and thenhad the nerve to look sheepish. Alexis sighed.
“Anyway, it’s hot as balls out here. Pleasetell me you have a swimming pool somewhere near you.”
“I have a swimming pool somewhere near me,”I said, and Alexis’s eyes lit. I frowned. “I was just sayingthat.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. Alexis wasspoiled.
“But, we do have a creek.”
“Oh, God help us,” Alexis said, and Toddsnorted.
“Let’s get Ms. Kardashian’s bags in yourtrunk before that cop over there has you go around again.”
I grinned, and put the car in park andwalked around to help Todd. Alexis crawled into the passenger sideand immediately started messing with the radio.
After a while, we finally pulled upto my house, and Alexis smiled. “This is exactly how youdescribed.”
“I hope that’s a good thing,” I said,wondering if I somehow made the place sound better or worse thanshe thought It’d be.
“No, it’s great.”
I popped the trunk, and my mom opened thedoor and came out to greet my friends.
“It’s so nice to see all of you togetheragain. Keri has been going crazy.”
Alexis nodded and slugged me in the arm. “Iknew she couldn’t stay away from me.”
I laughed. “Uh, you do know that you’re theone that came to see me, right?”
“Sure because you begged me, too.”
Mom frowned for a second, and then Irealized she was joking. My mom, joking… crazy.
“I didn’t beg.”
“You did so.”
“No, I didn’t,” I said, and then Todd cameup behind me with two large suitcases. “And where do these go,Madame?”
I grinned. “Alexis, you need to help himwith those.”
Alexis rolled her eyes and walked back to mycar and got out her overnight bag. “This is good.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll help you, Todd.” Iwent to my trunk and tried to grab one of the bags. “Holy crap!What do you have in here?”
Alexis shrugged. “Power tools.”
I shook my head fast. “Wait, what?”
“My drill, a few hammers…stuff likethat.”
Surprised, I looked from Alexis to Todd,then back. “Your drill?”
“Yeah, I like building stuff.”
“What?”
Alexis rolled her eyes and started talkingabout how she used to help out with Habitat for Humanity in thesummers. She completely shocked me.
I smiled. “Who are you?”
She laughed. “I’m still me. I’ll build thefort, but If I ruin any of these nails, you’re paying for them toget done.” She held out her hand and showed me her French tips. “Ijust got these.”
Todd leaned in and kissed Alexis on thelips. “That’s my girl.”
“I’ve missed you both so much!” I said, andmeant it. I couldn’t imagine ever not having Alexis and Todd in mylife. “Remember what I was telling you about me getting a job?” Iasked, waiting to tell them the good news.
Alexis nodded. “Yeah, you’re going to wear acostume.” She laughed, and Todd joined in.
“I really can’t wait to see this,” Toddsaid.
“Trust me, it’s nothing great.”
“What are you, anyway?” Alexis asked.
“I’m a parakeet.”
Todd snorted. “You’re a huge ass parakeetthen.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” I said, and thoughtabout the smell of the inside of the costume. I flinched. “I workedFriday. Anyway, I got you both jobs, too. You start tomorrow.”
Todd laughed and Alexis was already shakingher head. “Uh, no.”
I grinned. “Too late, I already asked, andyou don’t want me to look bad in front of my new boss.”
“I am not dressing up in this weather. It’slike a million degrees here.”
To be fair, it was hot, but it wasn’t as badas it was going to get, but they didn’t need to know that just yet.“No, I’m the only one wearing a costume. You both are going to workin the restaurant.”
Todd laughed. “Thanks, that’ll be fun.What’s this restaurant called?”
“At least someone’s appreciative,” I said,and Alexis groaned.
“Hey, I’m appreciative, I just don’t want towear a million layers for seven bucks an hour.”
I nodded and looked at Todd. “PirateCove.”
Todd’s eyes sparkled. “Nice.”
“And guess what, slurpy?” I asked, waitingfor Todd to answer.
“What?”
“You get to wear an eyepatch.”
Todd put his head back and laughed. “That’sawesome.”
“I thought you’d like that.”
“And what about me?”
“You’ll be dressed up like a serving wench,”I added with a smile.
Todd grinned at that, and put his eyebrowsup and down. “I love the sound of this job already.”
“I can’t thank you guys enough for coming.I’m going to need all of the money I can get to build thisfort.”
“I know what you mean,” Todd said, and thenlooked at Alexis. “Do you want to tell her?”
I looked at Alexis, too. “Tell me what?”
Alexis smiled at Todd and then at me. “Let’smake her wait until the end of summer.”
Payton
I wanted to go to the Fun Fair about as muchas I wanted to be scalped. I looked at
