“See these gray hairs?” He plucked at his scalp. “This is proof that I’m old.” I shook my head at him. Changing the subject, he asked, “Where do you want to go for dinner?”
Before I could answer him, Dani came over. “Uh … Mr. Pryce, I mean Steven, Mara and I are going to a party,” she said sweetly. “We could really use this time to get ready.”
My dad sighed. “I get it. You don’t want to be seen with your old man. It’s okay, Mara.” He’d said it jokingly, but his shoulders sagged, and I knew him well enough to know that he was hurt.
I glared at Dani and turned back to my dad. “I have plenty of time to eat and get ready. I don’t take five hours like some people.” I pointed over my shoulder at Dani.
My dad instantly perked up.
“Good, good.” He clapped his hands. “Shall we go?”
“Yeah, just a second.” I turned to Dani. “Do you want to get ready at my house or do you want me to come over?”
She eyed me up and down. “My house. You have no fashionable clothes. I’ll need to dress you.”
“Great,” I said, with false enthusiasm. “And you’re not dressing me.”
The last time Dani dressed me I nearly flashed a nipple. It was a traumatizing experience.
She laughed and danced away calling, “Ta-ta,” over her shoulder in a sarcastic tone.
“Come on, kiddo,” Dad said, slinging his arm around me. “Let’s get rid of this thing—” he tugged on my blue gown “—and get something to eat. I’m starving.” He patted his stomach.
I laughed. “Sounds like a plan. Why don’t you go wait in the truck and I’ll meet you there?”
“All right, kid,” Dad said.
I followed the mass of students to the gymnasium where we would return our gowns. I found myself unconsciously looking for the mysterious dark-haired boy. I’d have to remember and ask my dad about him during dinner. I knew he’d seen him too.
Once in the gym, I had to wait in line to return the cumbersome gown.
“Hey, Mara?” questioned a voice behind me.
I turned around and found Eli standing behind me. He was a football player, tall, broad shoulders, brown hair, green eyes, and the school hunk. But he liked me for whatever odd reason. Maybe it was because I was “hard to get” when really, I wasn’t interested. I mean, Eli was a nice guy, especially for a popular football player, but he wasn’t my type. In fact, I wasn’t sure I even had a type.
“Hi, Eli,” I said kindly.
“Man, was it hot outside or what?” he asked.
“Yep,” I said, nodding my head. I tried to send out not so subtle go away vibes.
“Uh—” he glanced around nervously. “Are you going to Jules’ party?” he asked as he rubbed the back of his head.
Apparently, my vibes weren’t working.
“Yeah,” I admitted reluctantly.
He smiled. “Me too. Maybe I’ll see you there?”
I was saved from answering by one of the teachers calling me over to take my gown. I handed the blue fabric to her and she checked my name off the list, then I dashed out to the parking lot before Eli could find me and continue our conversation.
Dani thought I should go for him, but I didn’t see the point in wasting my time or his. That hardly seemed fair to either of us.
Dad’s ancient Ford Ranger idled outside the front of the school. The old red paint was more of a brown color now thanks to a combination of rust and chipped paint.
He had the windows rolled down and a country song playing on the radio. I opened the door and climbed inside. “Where to, kid?” he asked, putting the truck into gear.
“How about Mammies?” I asked, naming off a local diner.
He grinned. “You read my mind.”
He finagled his way into the line of exiting vehicles and honked his horn and stuck his head out the window to yell at various drivers that he deemed either too slow, too fast, too arrogant, or too something.
My dad’s driving antics always made me laugh. It was always an adventure when he was behind the wheel.
“I declare,” my dad said, now safely cruising down a main thoroughfare, “people do not know how to drive these days.”
I laughed. “Dad, maybe it’s you who doesn’t know how to drive.”
“Nonsense.” He waved his hand in dismissal. His gold wedding band reflected in the sunlight.
My mom had been dead for almost eighteen years and in that time my dad had never dated anyone. Whenever I asked him why, he would look at me thoughtfully, and say, “Your mom was the love of my life. I’ll never find another love like hers.”
Sometimes, I wished he would date or get any kind of social life, so he wouldn’t be so involved in mine. But other times, I was thankful that my dad was so present in my life. We were close and had an unbreakable bond.
As the truck cruised down the road my hair swirled around my face. I had to keep batting it away and pulling it out of my mouth. My dad thought it was funny.
He pulled into Mammies and parked the truck. He took up two parking spots, but in Dad’s book, that was okay—but you know, driving five miles under the speed limit was completely and totally unacceptable. I hopped out and followed him inside. He picked our usual booth and didn’t even bother opening a menu.
Jessica, the lone waitress, came over and leaned against the booth.
“Let me guess … the usual?” Her eyes twinkled with amusement.
My dad smiled, chuckling softly. “Of course.”
Jessica grabbed the menus off the table and disappeared into the kitchen. A moment later she returned with a Dr. Pepper for me and a Bud Light for my dad.
I slurped the brown liquid down quickly. Thirst was choking me from sitting out in the Arkansas heat for the last while. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a band off my wrist. Little wisps of hair still managed to escape and hang in my face. Oh, well.
Jessica came back to the table with a refill of Dr. Pepper and a basket of fresh rolls. I grabbed one up and slathered it with butter before devouring it. I hadn’t realized I was hungry until we got there.
“Slow down, Mara. You’re going to choke yourself,” he warned me.
“Hungry,” I mumbled around a mouthful.
Dad laughed. “That’s very ladylike, Mara.”
“Bite me,” I growled.
“Girls,” he muttered. “Why couldn’t I have had a son?”
“Because I’m awesome and way better than any boy.” I swallowed loudly around my words, adding a flip of my hair for emphasis.
“Mara, Mara, Mara.” He sighed, hiding his laughter behind his hand.
“Oh,” I said, swallowing a bite of bread. I took a swig of soda for good measure. “Did you know that guy, the one with the dark hair and clothes, leaning against the bleachers?” I questioned, taking him by surprise on purpose.
“I didn’t see anyone,” he said way too quickly.
I narrowed my hazel eyes at him. “Really? I saw you looking at him.”
“No,” he said adamantly. “I saw no one.”
I stared him down.
I knew I saw the boy and he had definitely been looking at him too. So why was he acting like the guy didn’t exist? It was peculiar, to say the least.
Jessica came out with our food. A turkey sandwich and fries for me and an artery-clogging cheese burger for my dad.