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.“Only one of them was willing to make the lamb chops for our budget,” she explained now to the others once they had finished reading.“But the rest of the meal suffered for that.The others offered more variety but no lamb chops.So I’m a little torn.”“Let’s go with this one.” Tanya waved a page.“Crackerjack Catering.But tell them to substitute something else for the soup.I hate when they serve soup in those spoons and call it finger food.Soup is not a finger food.”“Hear, hear!” Maria said.“It’s time someone stood up against that insanity.” Tanya narrowed her eyes, and Maria said quickly, “I’m serious.I hate that too.” Tanya returned her attention to Mel, and Maria gave me an amused got out of that one look behind her back.I grinned at her.“I actually kind of liked the third menu best,” Melanie said to Tanya.“From Spicy Girl Catering.I thought she was offering us more for the money and the food seemed a little more interesting and sophisticated.”Tanya shook her head.“We need to go with Crackerjack.They know the school and everyone was happy with what they did last year.”“But this could be even better,” I said.She shot me a look.“And the guy who owns it has a nephew at the upper school.His sister is president of the Parent Association and called me last week to make sure we were using him again.”“Why were we checking all those other caterers, then?”“I didn’t want it to look like nepotism.We had to be fair and open-minded about this.”I folded my arms across my chest.“In that case, both Mel and I think that Spicy Girl offers more for the money.” I didn’t really care, but I was mad she’d wasted our time.Well, Melanie’s time.“I’ll take that into consideration,” Tanya said flatly.Marley never showed.Cori apologized for that as she escorted us all to the front door an hour or so later.“Marley just called to say she feels awful that she got held up and hopes you all understand.And she said to please let us know how we can help out with the event.” She smiled brightly as she ushered us out the door.As we strolled toward our cars, sluggish in the midday sunshine, Maria said to me, “I’m so glad Noah came to Austin’s party.And you know who absolutely fell in love with your son?”“Who?”“Debbie Golden.”“Who?” I repeated, just as blankly.“Joshua’s mom.”“Oh, her! She was really nice.”“She’s great,” Maria said.“And Joshua and Noah are two peas in a pod.I’m surprised they haven’t connected before now.But Debbie said Joshua’s been talking about Noah ever since the party.You have to get them together.”“Well, now that I know their last name I can actually look them up in the directory,” I said.“Thanks.”“And how terrific was Coach Andrew?”“He was pretty awesome.” I felt funny as I said it.Like I had some personal stake in how “terrific” Coach Andrew was.Which I didn’t.Did I?“Bye.” Maria gave me and Melanie each a peck on the cheek and then walked briskly toward her car, agile despite four-inch high heels that would have slowed me down.She got into a large black Mercedes and drove off.“Wait a second,” I said.“Her license plate—I’ve seen her car before.”“Yeah, at all the other meetings,” Mel said.“No, I mean—” It hit me.“She’s the one who cut me off in car pool a couple of months ago! I was so annoyed—she broke all the rules and then blocked me in.”“A lot of people have black Mercedes.”“No, it was definitely her.The car had that license plate—and now that I think about it, I can picture her driving.I just didn’t know her back then, but I remember the blond hair and all.” I shook my head.“It was the most piggish thing I’ve ever seen.”“But you like her now,” Mel said.“I guess.It’s weird.I hate so many things about her but I like her.”“You judge people too quickly.If you hadn’t grown up with me, you’d probably hate me because I’m so wishy-washy and boring.You’d think I was pathetic and write me off.”“That’s not true.I couldn’t help but like you.No one can.”She shook her head.“You’re loyal to everyone who’s close to you, Rickie, and suspicious of everyone you don’t know.I promise you, if you had never met me—”“My life would be a tragic waste.” I cut her off in such a mock-dramatic voice that she laughed and thankfully dropped the subject.The next Sunday, when I opened the front door in answer to his knock, Andrew took a startled step back.“Holy cow,” he said.“That’s a stupid swear,” I said.“When did you cut your hair?”“Last week.” I touched it self-consciously.“I know it’s extreme.” He studied me so intently that I had to look away.“Well?” I said when I couldn’t stand it anymore.“It suits you,” he said and came in the house.I wondered what he’d say to Gracie—she of the long, blond flowing tresses—if she showed up one day with it all cut off.Probably not “It suits you.”Nicole and Cameron were joining the coaching session.Mel had dropped them off earlier and gone on to take a yoga class in Brentwood.Whenever I looked out the window, the three kids seemed to be having a great time playing with the coach.At the end of the hour, Noah ran into the kitchen ahead of the others, shouting, “I totally creamed Cameron in the last game!”“You shouldn’t gloat,” Nicole said as she and Cameron followed him in.She was wearing a neat ponytail and a yellow sweatsuit that fit her low in the hips and showed off her little-girl belly bulge—which I loved.“That’s bad sportsmanship.”“Sorry.” He whispered to me loudly, “But I totally did!”“Who wants a cookie?” I asked diplomatically.I put out the plate of cookies I’d made while they were playing and poured some milk for them and then went out back where Andrew was tossing the last of his equipment into his net bag [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]