“No, just us. If you’re calling in our dinner, I’d like the salmon.” He tips his head toward the menu I’d left on one of the end tables.
“London is so lovely in the winter,” Dinah remarks, her demeanor brightening. She mockingly waves her silver card in the air. “I guess I’ll have an opportunity to put this to use.”
“Actually, you’re staying behind.” Steve is darn near smirking. He’s clearly enjoying tormenting her. “It’ll just be Ella and me. A father/daughter bonding trip, if you will.”
I frown deeply. “What about the Royals?”
“What about them?”
“Are they going, too?” I give him back the printout.
He tucks the paper in the leather case and tosses it onto the sideboard. “I have no idea what they’re doing for the holidays. But Reed can’t leave the country, remember? He had to surrender his passport to the DA’s office.”
I can’t keep the dismay off my face. It’s true—Reed can’t leave town.
But I can’t believe Steve’s planning on taking me out of town for the holidays. I’m going to miss my first Christmas with Reed? That’s so unfair.
Steve reaches out and dabs his knuckle under my chin. “It’ll only be for a week.” He arches a brow. “Besides, after seeing Reed at all those games, you’ll probably need a break, don’t you think? I can even arrange it that we go for longer…”
The message is clear. If I don’t go to London with him, I don’t get to travel with the dance team. Like the deal I struck with Jordan, it’s imperfect, but I force myself to smile and nod, because in the end I’m still getting what I want.
“No, a week is great,” I say with forced cheeriness. “I’m excited. I’ve never been out of the country before.”
Steve breaks out into a giant smile. “You’ll love it.”
Dinah, meanwhile, is glaring at me with the heat of a million suns.
“Darling, go upstairs and change for dinner,” Steve tells his fuming wife. “I’ll order you a salad.”
As she storms off, I call in the order and then listen to Steve babble while we wait for dinner. After it’s over, I escape to my room and text Reed immediately.
I’m allowed 2 go 2 the game! Be prepared. Bring a big box of condoms and eat a few energy bars. Ur going 2 need it.
For the game?
The game is easy-peasy compared to the workout I’m putting u through after.
Do u want me to walk arnd w/ a permanent HO?
Yup.
We’re supposed to be waiting.
I’m done waiting. Get ready.
I punctuate that with a smiley face and then put the phone away and do some homework.
20
Ella
Say what you will about Jordan, but the girl has a serious work ethic. For the rest of the week, I’m forced to endure twice-a-day dance practices—one in the morning and one after school. And although we’re practicing on the same field and in the same gym as the football team, I don’t have time to even look at Reed, let alone talk to him.
To make matters worse, I only have three days to learn the routines that these girls have been performing for months. Jordan pushes me so hard that my limbs feel like jelly by the time I get home every night. Reed makes fun of me because every time we talk on the phone, I’m icing a different part of my body. Steve thinks it’s great, though. He keeps telling me how proud he is to see me throwing myself into this extracurricular stuff.
If he knew the real reason I was working so hard, he’d probably have a heart attack.
On Friday morning, we have our last official practice before tonight’s game. One of the girls—Hailey—pulls me aside when we’re done and whispers, “You’re such an amazing dancer. I hope you stay on the team after Layla gets better.”
The compliment makes me blush with pride—on the inside. On the surface, I answer with a careless shrug. “I doubt it. I don’t think Jordan can stand to be around me any more than absolutely necessary.”
“Well, Jordan’s an idiot,” Hailey murmurs with a grin.
I try to stifle a snort, but it ends up popping out anyway. The sound draws frowns from Rachel Cohen and Shea Montgomery, Savannah’s older sister.
“What are you two whispering about?” Shea asks suspiciously.
Hailey just smiles and says, “Nothing.”
Okay, I like this girl. She’s not Val, but she’s cooler than I thought. So are most of the other girls. These past three days I’ve learned that Jordan’s mean-girl control only really applies to Shea, Rachel, and Abby, Reed’s ex-girlfriend. Abby’s not on the team, thankfully, but she comes by to watch the practices sometimes, which is super uncomfortable.
I don’t like Abby, and not just because she’s Reed’s ex. The girl is too passive. She walks around like the eternal victim, wearing this sad doe-eyed look and talking in a soft whisper. Sometimes I think it’s all an act and that deep down she’s got claws to rival Jordan’s.