I Wish (23 page)

I laughed. “It really will. You did an amazing job.”

An apology had been offered and accepted. Both directions.

She nodded, the efficient seamstress taking over. “Come on, baby. Try on the dress and then stand up here so I can see if the hem is right.”

Our conversation centered around the dance and my dress. I stood on a chair, biting my lip against saying anything impatient to make her hurry. She poked and prodded, tugged and twisted, then snipped a couple of loose threads. When she left, we were both smiling.

Grant didn’t appear to be in the house anymore, which was fine. I didn’t want to see him until I was totally done, and only his complete astonishment would satisfy me.

I read over the
Get Ready for the Dance
list. First item: Downstairs to shower, shampoo, and shave. Back to the attic, wrapped in towels.

Henry sat on my bed, a huge smile on his face and a brown paper sack in his hands.

“What is it, little man?”

He handed me the bag, bouncing as I peered inside. It was a bottle of nail polish.
Pewter Pearl
.

I blinked back the moisture in my eyes. “Where did you get this?”

“At the dollar store, except it was
two
dollars.” He leapt off the bed and ran over to the door. “When we were cleaning up this weekend, Mom said I could keep any change I found under the couch cushions, and I found two dollars and fifty-seven cents. So I bought that for you.”

“Thank you. It’s perfect,” I said, my voice husky.

“Cool.” He bounded down the stairs.

I added a new item to my checklist.

Makeup. Dress. Jewelry.
Polish
.

I was nearly ready when the phone rang. Henry charged up the stairs and held out the cordless. I accepted the phone gingerly, not wanting to mess up my newly painted, pearly pewter nails. “Hello?”

“Guess what?” Kimberley asked.

“Your mother will be late picking me up?”

“No. Guess again.” She giggled.

I blew on my nails. They looked pretty good. “You put on the red gown with the fluttery skirt, and it barely covers your butt.”

“The red one?” There was a pause. “Is that the one we picked? I’m wearing the gold one.”

“The gold one is great.” Nobody would look at me. Guaranteed. “Thanks for calling. Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do.”

“But you haven’t guessed.”

“So you’re not calling about how good you look in your dress.”

“No.” She made a rude noise with her lips. “Eli is driving us.”

I nearly dropped the phone. “Eli Harper?”

“Yeah.”

“Why is he driving?”

“I asked him to be my date.”

The words rolled around inside my brain, beeping and clanking like those little metal balls in an old-fashioned pinball machine. I imagined Kimberley in her crazy-hot liquid-gold gown trying to salsa on the dance floor with the equally crazy-hot Eli. And I would get to watch from the side. “Congratulations,” I said, trying to sound happy for her.

“Thanks.” She exhaled. “I asked Sean first, but he turned me down.”

I cleared my throat, but it didn’t seem to want to work. “Did Sean say why?”

“No. I don’t understand him, and I wish I did.” She sighed. “Okay, I have a big favor to ask.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m leaving my iPad at home, so I need you to help me remember what happens tonight. Can you stick close to us?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Wow. The two of them—and me.

“Thanks.” A doorbell rang in the background. “Can’t talk anymore. Eli is here. I’ll see you soon.” Click.

“Sure,” I said to no one and tossed the phone onto the bed. Then I tossed myself onto the bed.

Kimberley had asked Eli to the dance. I should have been happy for her, right? And I was. They would look adorable together. But it changed my evening completely. I’d expected to hang out with a friend, and now I would be alone.

Muffled voices drifted below me. The tread of shoes on hardwood floors. The occasional
snick
of a door shutting. And still I lay there. Reorienting my thinking. Eyes closed. Mouth closed. Mind closed.

They
would be a couple.

I
would be the pathetic extra.

Eight-year-old feet padded up the attic stairs. A progress check.

“Lacey?”

“Yes, Henry?”

His face hovered over mine, upside down. “Something wrong?”

“Yes.” At least my brother could read me.

“Can I make it better?”

My lips curved a little. “No.”

He sighed. “Is it a high-school thing?”

“It is.” My lips curved a lot.

“Mom wants to know when you’re coming down.”

“Soon.” I sat up. Too suddenly, as it turned out, because a wave of dizziness rolled over me. Gripping the edge of the bed, I waited for the dizziness to pass. “Hey, little man, help me up.”

He grabbed both of my hands and tugged, catapulting me from the bed. Henry was stronger than I expected. “Okay, I’m good.” I looked around for my mother’s jewel-studded sandals that had a little bit of a heel.

“Wow, oh wow, Lacey. You look awesome.”

“You think so?” I opened my eyes wide and prayed he would say nothing else that might have the potential to mess up my mascara. “Can you hand me those shoes?”

“Man! Can you dance in these things?”

“I don’t know. Guess I’ll find out.” I followed him down the stairs.

My mom stood near the front door, applauding. “Oh, baby. You look wonderful.”

“Thanks, Mom.” For a second, it was like being in our family
before
. Henry was proud. Mom was present. If dressmaking was her own special brand of therapy, she could make a dozen party dresses to hang unsold in the closet. “I’ll have the best dress at the dance.” I looked around. “Where is Grant?”

“Behind you,” he said.

I turned to find him in the entrance to the kitchen, his face expressionless, his body still. But his eyes? They shimmered with something hot and intense.

“What do you think?” I asked.

His gaze never left mine. “You are stunning.”

I smiled with pure happiness, letting his perfect words flow sweetly through me.

“When will Kimberley be here?” my mom asked.

“In a few minutes,” I said, glancing back at her. “She and Eli are probably on their way now.”

“Eli Harper is her date?” My mother wrinkled her nose. “That’ll be awkward, hanging around and watching the two of them.”

“Very awkward. I wish I had a date.”

Goosebumps prickled along my limbs. Had I just said
I wish
?

My gaze met Grant’s again. Locked.

How about a date with a hot guy who smoldered in my direction as if I was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen?

A date with Grant?

The idea became all-consuming. It took over my brain and my wants and my everything. I wanted it so badly I suspected everyone could see it on my face.

But this wasn’t a wish. Not a genie/mistress wish. I’d already had one today, and even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t use a wish for this dance. I wanted Grant to want it too. Like a guy and girl on a normal date. “
Will
you come with me?”

He gave an immediate nod. “Do I need a ticket?”

“Eli has an extra one.” And if the universe loved me, he hadn’t given it away yet.

“I’ll change.”

My mom put a hand on his arm. “Do you want to borrow something of my husband’s?”

Henry and I both gaped. Had our mother volunteered clothing of Josh’s?

“Thank you, Crystal. I accept.” He followed her down the hallway. A moment later, the back door creaked.

“Is this a double date?” Henry asked.

“I guess it is. Sort of.” Most double dates were planned. This one had evolved.

“Is Grant your boyfriend now?”

“No.” Of course not. Silly idea. Grant wasn’t human. We couldn’t be more than friends. It was forbidden. Probably.

“I think it would be great if he was.”

Okay. Didn’t expect that response. “Really? Why?”

“Because Grant wants to be your boyfriend.”

I stifled my skepticism. “How can you know that?”

“He stares at you all the time. My friend Reynolds says that means he wants you.”

I tried to imagine two little soccer players attempting to assign meaning to Grant’s behavior. It was cute. “Grant and I are hanging out together for the evening. That’s all.” It was like a fairy tale. At midnight, everything would return to normal.

“If you say so,” Henry said, holding up his index finger. “Can you wait a second? I want to take pictures.”

“With what?”

“My camera. Grant fixed it.” His feet thudded down the hall.

Henry was posing me on the wooden swing when Grant appeared on the porch. I ached with wonder at the sight of him, forgetting to breathe or speak. He was like a beautiful, mesmerizing god.

“Doesn’t he look nice, Lacey?” Mom asked as she smoothed the lapel of his jacket.

I nodded, even though “nice” was a pitifully inadequate word where Grant was concerned.

We posed on the porch for an excessive number of photos. First we were side by side in the swing. Then we leaned against the railing, sometimes with me standing in front of him, sometimes with him standing in front of me. The more pictures Henry took, the more nervous I got.

Where is the pumpkin?
We needed to leave for the ball.

As if on cue, Mrs. Rey’s silver SUV rolled through the intersection and slowed to a halt at the curb.

I started down the front steps, too fast given my relative inexperience on the sandals I wore. But not to worry. Grant caught my hand in his and steadied me before I could make a fool of myself. When we reached the sidewalk, he didn’t let go.

How would I get through the night? I didn’t know how to act around this Grant, the one holding my hand. It wasn’t as if we were out on a real date, although Grant had this whole brooding athlete thing going that was kind of fascinating.

And tonight, I would not be his mistress.

Status Report #22
Friday’s Wish: Mental Health Research

Dear Boss,

The research went well. There are many possibilities that do not involve governmental agencies, although it may take some persuasion to ease Crystal into cutting back on caffeine.

I have located a free clinic at a local church. They promise confidentiality as long as no one is in danger. I have hopes that they can provide a high quality of care.

There is more to report but I must keep it brief, for I have an unexpected engagement this evening. Lacey has asked me to escort her to a dance at her high school.

She is beautiful.

Humbly submitted,
Grant

K
imberley smiled brightly when we reached the car. “I didn’t know he was coming with you.”

“My plans freed up for the evening,” Grant said. He held the door for me and then walked around to the other side.
Mr. Perfect Manners
. Chivalry was hot.

“Hey, Lacey, Grant,” Eli said over his shoulder from the driver’s seat.

Kimberley chattered the whole way to the school, unconcerned that nobody else was saying anything. The parking lot was full when we arrived. She held onto Eli’s arm as she led the way in, her dress giving off an eerie glow in the moonlight, her free hand gesturing while she talked. Grant caught my elbow and let some distance grow between us and them.

When we got to the gym doors, Eli and Kimberley hadn’t made it much past the entrance. The sight of them together had created a minor stir. Several popular couples had circled around them, laughing and shouting over the music. Kimberley smiled as she watched Eli like a hawk, obviously trying hard to fake her way through conversations with people whose names she didn’t remember.

And her dress? It looked even more amazing on her than it had promised on the hanger. It clung to her body in ways that had Eli’s soccer mates gaping and their dates jealous.

“Shall we?” Grant placed a gentle hand in the small of my back.

“Just a sec,” I said and stepped forward to touch Kimberley’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” I spoke in her ear.

She nodded confidently, her eyes glowing with excitement.

Linking my fingers loosely with Grant’s, I walked beside him around the perimeter, taking in the nearly unrecognizable gymnasium. Someone had strung hundreds of strands of white Christmas lights in the rafters. Not very original, but I loved it.

It was too warm. Even though the air conditioner roared overhead, it wasn’t making much of a difference. A DJ bounced in the corner, playing a Broadway tune while dance-club members tried to teach the waltz to a few brave classmates.

“Come on, let’s stand over there,” I said to Grant and headed for a location that gave me a decent view of Eli and Kimberley.

Grant watched the chaotic group on the floor and the huddled pairs dotting the bleachers. “May I ask why we are standing here?”

I gave him a mock frown. “It would be evident to a real teen. BSBs must not get out much.”

His expression remained neutral. “Beings don’t get out at all.”

“Seriously?” At his nod, my frown turned real. “You didn’t hang out with your other assignments?”

“I have never received an invitation for a human social event until now.” He studied the dancing couples, his gaze sweeping the floor rapidly. “My masters wanted me to work, not play.”

“Jerks,” I muttered.

He focused on me, a dazzling smile lighting his face. “I shall ask again. Why are we simply standing here?”

“We’re observing my classmates.”

“Why?”

I laughed. “It’s a sociology experiment.”

“What is the goal?”

“To study the dating rituals of the twenty-first-century North American teen.”

A dozen freshman girls strutted by in high heels and short, sparkly dresses. Seconds later, a half-dozen sports-jacketed guys slouched after them. The two groups met briefly, spoke loudly, and went their separate ways intact.

“Your dating rituals strike me as rather annoying and ineffectual.”

“Depends on what you’re hoping for.”

“I’m hoping for an excuse to hold you in my arms.” He gazed down at me, his expression making me shiver. “Care to dance, Lacey?”