Page 52 of Trophy
“Yeah. They do it every year—a kind of rally to build momentum and raise some money for the school year. I’ll be going with some friends and thought you might enjoy going too. Cali is on the cheerleading squad. Did you know that? She’d really appreciate it if you can go.”
Allison knew she shouldn’t go. No matter what Rob said, if she went with him, people would assume they were dating. People would talk. Then there would be pressure, expectations. Things would get a lot more complicated.
But he looked so hopeful, like he really wanted her to go with him, and she couldn’t bring herself to kill that light in his eyes. She didn’t even want to. She wanted to go out in public with him, and she told herself there was no good reason not to.
People dated all the time without having a future, without getting married. She’d be making no promises to Rob or anyone else.
It was just a not-quite date.
“I guess that would be okay,” she murmured, feeling a little embarrassed for no good reason.
She dropped her eyes, so she didn’t see his expression, but she felt him brushing her lips with his very gently. “I’m not pressuring you,” he said.
“I know. I appreciate it. I don’t feel pressure. I think I’d like to go.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
He didn’t sound inordinately happy about her acceptance, just generally pleased. Things were fine. She was blowing things out of proportion—as she always did. People dated all the time without it meaning anything permanent. Chelle was wrong. Allison didn’t have to feel guilty.
She could enjoy Rob for a little while longer.
18
At five thirtyon Saturday evening, Rob had to tell himself to get a grip.
He’d showered, shaved, and dressed in jeans and a Fielding high school football T-shirt. He wasn’t sure Allison would be impressed by his outfit, but he had to make sure to act casual and natural.
He’d told her this wasn’t a date. He might be so excited he wanted to jump out of his skin, but if he started to act like this was a date, she’d get spooked and withdraw from him.
He couldn’t believe she was going somewhere in public with him. This was more progress than he’d expected. He wasn’t going to blow it all by acting like an eager teenage boy on his first date.
He was just really glad he wasn’t pinning his hopes on a lost cause like his previous relationships.
They were only eight blocks away from the high school, so they’d agreed to walk. Nearly everyone in town came to these events, so the parking lots and streets were always packed in the surrounding blocks anyway. At exactly 5:35, when they’d agreedto meet, Rob stepped outside and looked over at Allison’s house. In another minute she came out and waved at him.
She must have understood the dress code for this evening, because she wore jeans and a fitted white T-shirt. Her hair was loose, and she looked pretty and more like part of Fielding than he’d ever seen her.
They met in the middle of the street. “You look nice,” he told her.
“You have no idea how hard I had to search before I found this top.” She was smiling as she spoke. “All my other clothes looked wrong for this kind of thing.”
“You look perfect.”
She slanted him a playful look but didn’t say anything as they turned in the direction of the school and started to walk.
“So who else are we meeting there?” she asked after a minute.
“Keith—my buddy, you know, who comes into Dora’s sometimes.”
“Oh yeah. I know him.”
“And his wife and their younger kids. Plus Mitch. He’s a sheriff’s deputy.”
“I think I met him at your cookout.”
“Yeah, he was there. It’ll be casual. We all just sit in the bleachers anyway. There’s no pressure.”
“I’m sure it will be fine.” She was still smiling and didn’t look nervous, so Rob assured himself that he wasn’t pushing her to do more than she was comfortable doing.
