“Mr. Fletcher wouldn’t even let me drive back to the school. He told me I was ‘a menace to society.’”
“Is he allowed to say that?”
Rae shrugged. “He said it.”
Kylee gave her a sidelong look. “So it really was bad?”
“Yep. You might have to eat that salad, after all.”
Kylee grabbed her arm. “You wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”
Rae hung her head as they walked down the hall. “Can we talk about something else?”
A wicked grin split Kylee’s face. “Like David? Oh, look. Speak of the devil.”
He burst between them, flinging an arm around each of their necks.
Rae looked up, her face suddenly warm. “Hi, David.”
He smiled. “Good morning.”
“Ew.” Kylee shook him off. “You’re one of those cheery Monday people, too. Gross.”
He let Kylee distance herself but kept his arm around Rae, giving her his full attention. “How was your drive this morning? I had my fingers crossed for you.”
Kylee scowled. “Oh, please.”
Rae’s heart squeezed. “Um, it was . . .”
“She ran over two puppies and a nun.” Kylee pointed a finger at David. “You better watch out.”
“Kylee.” Rae gave her the look. “Don’t you have government first period?”
Kylee tugged at the oversized metal skulls hanging from her ears. “So?”
“So aren’t you going the wrong direction?”
Kylee gave an exasperated sigh. “Fine.” She turned to go. “I guess I’ll see you guys later.”
As her friend walked away, Rae became instantly and acutely aware of David’s arm still hanging over her. She pictured Rob and Izzy and pulled away.
David didn’t seem bothered. “You going to Community Hope today?”
“Of course.”
“Then you have Driver’s Ed.?”
He already knew she did. She nodded.
“I guess you’re pretty busy these days, huh?”
She tucked her hair behind her ears and shrugged. “Isn’t everyone?”
“Yeah, but even straight A students should have some fun once in a while.”
He gave her an intent look, and her heart began to hammer. What was he getting at?
His smile grew. “What are you doing on Saturday?”
The color drained from her face. At least she was pretty sure it did. Not that she could feel her face, because her whole body was suddenly numb. She concentrated on the floor in front of her. Was he . . . ?
“Um . . .”
He slowed his pace. “I was hoping maybe we could go to a movie.”
Her eyes widened.
“Or something else, if you want.” He held up his hands and laughed. “I’m open to suggestions.”
This was not how she imagined it. She never thought that when the day came to stick to The Plan and turn some poor schmuck down, it would be someone she actually cared about.
“David, I—uh—can’t.”
His confident smile wavered. “Hey, no big deal. If you’re busy this weekend, we can try next weekend instead. I’m flexible.”
“No, I mean . . .” Her heart did this kind of weird squeezing thing that felt like dying. “I can’t go out with you.”
“You can’t?” A flicker of pain flashed in his eyes. “Or you won’t?”
She never should’ve let it get this far. Never should’ve encouraged him to volunteer with her or let him sit with her at lunch. See where that sort of thing led?
“My parents don’t allow me to date. They want me to focus on my schoolwork.”
“You have all A’s. I don’t think schoolwork is a problem.”
“Yes, but—”
“Can’t you talk to them about it? I just want to spend time with you. It’s nothing serious.”
She looked into his face, so hopeful and eager and sincere. Her parents hadn’t brought up the boyfriend issue since the beginning of the school year when they gave their annual obligatory “Keep your eyes on the prize” speech. What would they do if she brought it up now? They might change their minds if she begged. But given their strange behavior lately, and the hard set of their faces, she had her doubts.
“I don’t know. . . .”
“Oh.” He came to a full stop now. “Okay. I get it.”
He turned to go.
“David, wait.” She grasped for his arm, but he was already out of reach. “You don’t understand.”
But something about the way he continued walking, as if he hadn’t heard her, and the way he hung his head, the set of his shoulders, told her maybe he did understand. He understood exactly what had just happened.
She had turned him down.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Gerrit crossed to the other side of the truck and let Daisy out. He hadn’t left the house without her since The Incident. She hadn’t complained, but he felt self-conscious driving around town with a dog. And a corgi at that. Not even a manly dog.
He glanced around the yard. Bernard the Terrible was nowhere in sight. It was almost as if he’d been avoiding Gerrit since last week. Or waiting for the ideal time to cause more trouble. Hannie had found the whole story about the police officer highly amusing and had wondered aloud if maybe Bernard was worth having around, after all. But Gerrit had already determined the rooster’s days were numbered. As soon as he could figure out a way to utilize the evil monster for one more payback on George, the creature would be gone for good.
He lumbered to the mailbox and pulled out a couple of envelopes. One was a monthly account statement from the bank. He didn’t have to open it to know what it would say. That they’d been withdrawing almost a thousand bucks a month from savings for expenses. That his nest egg was already being eaten away by groceries, insurance, taxes, and prescriptions.
A quick calculation told him it would be gone in ten years. He’d need to die when he was seventy-three. Then his life insurance policy would buy Hannie a few more years. But what about a new car for her? A boiler for the shop? Thinking about spending money on those things felt like taking years off his life. And what if he or Hannie got sick? Or, heaven forbid, Evi decided to get married, and they had to pay for the wedding?
Luke would tell him to have some faith. “God will provide,” he always said. Well, Gerrit wasn’t going to count on
