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Show 104 "No, it's just-" she hunched her shoulders, sort of looked around, then climbed in beside him and stashed the bag at her feet. She's embarrassed. And I'm not helping things, making a big production of picking her up. "It'8 just that . . . I know you're not going anywhere near my place," she said, once he was driving. "Just let me off anywhere, okay?" "Actually, I'm going right by your house." "Liar!" He laughed. "Yeah, you caught me in that one all right. But I'll be glad to drive you home if you'll make one stop on the way with me." "Yeah? Where's that?" she asked, sounding skeptical still. He made another instant decision. "Thought I'd get a hamburger someplace. I had a ton of housework to do after school, so I didn't cook. All I had was cereal and bananas." Dyna smiled for the first time. "You're right, Parker, that's not enough for a growing boy. But, hey, look . . . I don't have any money with me. You stop wherever you want to and I'll catch a ride on in. Honest, on a busy street I never have to wait." Parker chuckled, thinking he wasn't too good at this sort of thing. "What I meant was, you know, it's on me. My pickup and I feel sort of honored to have you aboard. I think we ought to celebrate." She was quiet for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Okay, but you're gonna be sorry. I can eat you under the table!" "You wanta bet?" He stuck out his hand and they shook on it. Hers felt ice cold, even inside the glove* They finished two bacon burgers, cokes, and a large order of fries before Parker was able to talk Dyna into having a cup of the Burger Chalet's specialty, coffee cappuccino. "You said you'd never had one before," he argued with her. She wrinkled her nose* "A buck and a quarter for a cup of coffee?" she whispered across the table. "That's too expensive!" He ignored her and ordered two, anyway, unabashedly enjoying her face when the tall,hot drinks arrived. Dyna's eyes shone. "Lord, Parker, how am I going to get around that?" Carefully, she spooned one chocolate curl off the mound of whipped cream, put it in her mouth, let it?melt. |