Page 80 of Her Goal
Chuck asks, “What are you two smiling about?”
I tuck my chin. “I’m not smiling.”
“Yeah, okay. Right. That’s an upside-down frown. Got it.” Chuck spins his finger in my direction.
Hudson surreptitiously coughs into his fist. “The game.”
“Uh huh,” Chuck exaggerates.
“We weren’t smiling,” Hudson and I say at the same time.
My brother looks us over carefully. “Key wordweweren’t smiling. You were both definitely smiling.”
I roll my eyes at him and stick out my tongue as only a sister can.
Chuck slits his gaze with suspicion. “In fact, I’ve never seen you smile like that ever, Leah.”
Pink dusts my cheeks and I notice the same shade creeping up Hudson’s neck.
“Things just got interesting,” Chuck says before throwing open the door and declaring, “The party is here!”
Hudson and I remain alone in the hallway for approximately five more seconds before we both stammer, point to the door, and then try to walk through at the same time.
He slides back and gestures for me to go first. This time, I accept and then scurry away, finding the amazing spread Margo set up with loads of snacks, Knights colors tableware, and a big banner withFor the Winin big silver balloons intended for selfies. But my thoughts repeatedly return to how I couldn’t have been smiling. No way. Neither was Hudson. Much.
24
LEAH
I findthe girls and fall into casual conversation until Ella appears, lips pressed together. She bounces a little on her toes.
“What’s gotten into you? You’re flitting around like a butterfly.” Margo motions with fluttery fingers.
I say, “The food and décor are amazing.”
Everyone agrees and compliments Margo on her event-planning prowess. Heidi asks about what she has coming up this fall.
Oddly, Ella remains uncharacteristically silent, but like a little kid who has something she desperately needs to confess, she bounces on her toes. I have three siblings, so I’m familiar with the antsy dance.
Whit interrupts and asks, “Is there something else you want to tell us, Ella?”
She nods and looks around, everywhere but at me, like she’s guilty of something.
“Okay, out with it,” I demand, waving my jumbo pretzel stick coated in white chocolate and silver sparkles like a wand.
“I heard you were flirting in the hallway.”
I practically crush the pretzel in my fist. “Chuck.”
Gracie frowns. “You were flirting with your brother?”
I cock a hip. “No, he told her that I was …” But I trail off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
Drawing a deep breath, Ella says, “Carlos said that he caught you and Robo locked in a stare-off.”
“Duh. You know I can’t stand him.”
Whit lifts her eyebrow. “But we don’t know why.”
