“Sorry boys, not tonight,” I say as I scan the crowd, looking for Ali.
I spot her with her parents. Our eyes meet and she quickly looks away. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I saw her blush. She looks good. Painted-on Levi’s with a lacy tank top and a plaid shirt on top. Cowboy boots. A turquoise buckle. Her hair’s loose and shiny, grazing the middle of her back. Tyler sees me watching her and practically races across the lawn to put his arm around her shoulder, but she shrugs away from him. I’m glad for it. I don’t want him touching her. Especially after what happened at the game last night. I still can’t believe he hit her, even if it was an accident. Tyler was always a loose cannon. He’s one of those guys that gets so jacked up before a game he has to throw up. I want to kill him, but I can’t draw attention to myself. I have to gain their trust and work my way into the inner circle.
I notice Miss Granger enter the party through the side gate. The Preservation Society kids are watching her as she makes her way to the patio. I wonder if they suspect something about her, if they can sense her connection to God or something creepy like that.
If what Miss Granger is saying is true, the chosen one could be any one of them. As soon as the Devil chooses, takes root, the others will fall. At least that’s what happened back in Mexico. I need to protect Ali until the exorcism. As soon as that happens, she’ll be cleansed of all this. Miss Granger says it will be like it never happened—just a bad dream.
Miss Granger’s wearing a fitted navy blue dress. It matches my tie. Mr. Neely, Deputy Tilford, and Dr. Perry are all over her like a tick on a coon dog. My first instinct is to go over there and give her an out, but I have a feeling Miss Granger can handle herself. And I can’t let on that she’s behind this in any way. Maybe she’s doing this as a distraction, so I can make my move.
I start fiddling with the gold cross pin on my tie, making sure it’s in place, when Dale sneaks up on me. I flinch.
“Jesus, Tate. You gotta relax.” I can see he’s already plenty relaxed. “Want some?” He opens his coat and I see the silver flash of his dad’s flask.
“I’m all good.”
“I’m just on a break. Hell House duty. Hey, did you see Mrs. Neely?” he says, as he gives the air in front of him a good humping.
“Dude, that’s Tyler’s mom.”
“And?” He laughs.
I shake my head. “And that’s just wrong.”
“That’s so right it hurts,” he says as he takes another sip. “Speaking of fine-looking ladies … someone can’t take their eyes off you.”
I follow his gaze to see Ali, standing alone now, on the edge of the dance area.
Dale pushes me toward her. “Go, you dumbass.”
I take a deep breath and start the long walk across the lawn. People are slapping me on the back, shaking my hand, calling me out by my number. I just smile and nod. I don’t hear a word they’re saying. I don’t even care. The only thing I care about is getting to Ali. Feels like I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.
20
“HI, CLAY.” Ali’s voice is so soft it takes me aback. Is this really happening? Is she seriously talking to me?
“Hi.” I hold back a grin as I put my hands in my pockets and rock back on my heels.
She pulls her hair over her shoulder. “I know you don’t like to dance.”
“I do,” I blurt a little too eagerly. “I mean … I’d like to dance with you … I mean, that is, if you’re asking?”
A smirk lights her eyes as she takes my hand, leading me to the center of the dance floor. All eyes are on us, but I don’t care. Ali Miller is holding my hand. A slow song comes on, an old Hank Williams tune. It’s like they’re playing it just for us.
She steps in, lacing her hands behind my neck. I tentatively place my hands on her waist and we sway to the music.
“So, Clay Tate’s finally decided to grace us with his presence?”
I can hardly concentrate on what she’s saying because of the way she’s casually stroking the ends of my hair.
“And he’s finally talking to me again?” she adds, lifting her chin so she can look me straight in the eye.
“Me?” I know I’m supposed to play it cool, but I can’t help myself. “You’re the one who ran out on me that night.”
She lowers her voice. “I wasn’t supposed to be there.”
“Since when do you do everything the Preservation Society tells you to do?”
She looks at me sharply, but doesn’t reply.
“Besides…” I take a deep breath. “After that, it seemed like Tyler was always around.”
“Since when have you been scared off by Tyler Neely?”
“Since it seemed like you wanted to be with him … instead of me.”
“Is that what you think?”
There’s a wall of tension between us that doesn’t belong there and I don’t know how to break it down. I don’t know how to fix this.
“To be honest, I was afraid,” she says.
“Afraid of what?” My breath catches in my throat.