Free Old Bones by Gwen Molnar Page B

up, get a ride to town, and get to bed so I can be up in time for work. It’s sure not fun anymore; it’s work!

Chapter Thirteen
    For two weeks after their misadventure at Horsethief Canyon, Mandy had to stay close to home. For the most part Casey kept her company.
    They talked about everything those long summer evenings.
    â€œHow’re you getting along with that Trevor guy?” Mandy wondered.
    â€œWe just ignore each other most of the time, but the other day when I went to buy that new book on Chinese dinosaurs I’ve been telling you about, we actually had a conversation. He is totally into palaeontology.” Casey thought for a minute and then said, “He’s not so bad.”
    They didn’t speak for a while as they sat watching the evening light fade and the faint stars began to show.
    Then Mandy asked, “You got a girlfriend?”
    â€Well,” Casey hesitated and then said, “I really like Marcia Finegood, but we’re just good friends, like you and I are, and anyway, she’s hooked up with Terry Bracco now.” He didn’t say anything for a while. Then, “There is a girl I really like an awful lot — Mary Kelly. She’s the daughter of my parents’ best friends, Maureen and Mike. We used to vacation with them every summer at their big lakeside cabin in southern B.C. She and I grew up together in a way, and we’re always on the same wavelength. I was hoping to see her this year as well, but with all the construction at home and me being down here and Maureen and Mike taking a cruise, it looks like it’s not going to happen. But you never know, it just might.”
    Casey turned to Mandy, “I sure won’t miss Mary’s brother, Jason. Mary and I can’t stand him since he turned eighteen — like, I mean, he is a real jerk — but I will miss Mary. We text message a lot, so we know what’s going on in each other’s lives, but it would be so great if we could spend some quality time together. Like I say, there’s just a hair of a chance we could go out there for a couple of days.
    â€œBut, enough about me. How about you, Mandy? Got someone special?”
    Casey saw Mandy blink a couple of times, but it was ages till she said, “There used to be — a terrific guy named Sam — but since we moved down here, I’ve heard from him only twice, and my Edmonton friends tell me he’s going steady with Lacy Lord.”
    â€œLacy Lord! I can’t believe it,” Casey shook his head. “I know her; blonde, and …?”
    â€œWell-endowed,” Mandy smiled.
    â€œYeah, very well-endowed. Great swimmer too, of course, but not everyone’s fave as I recall.”
    â€œAnyway, since Sam, nary a one. Except you, of course, but as we agree, we’re connected by friendship, not romance.”
    Mandy yawned. “Time to call it a night, Casey. See you tomorrow.”
    Casey rode his bike to work every morning, carefully locking it to the rack in front of the museum, and he’d taken a few rides around town on his own. But it wasn’t as much fun as when Mandy was riding alongside. They played a lot of video games, listened to a lot of music, watched a lot of movies, and played chess. Casey’s grandmother had taught him well, and Mandy knew the rudiments.
    An unexpected visit from Casey’s favourite brother, Hank, and his current girlfriend, Sarah, made the kind of break Casey needed — it was perfect.
    Casey realized he hadn’t told them about buying the mountain bike. I mean, he thought, it’s my money. But he knew how his dad loved to be consulted about things, and he wished he’d asked his advice or at least told him. He needn’t have worried. The chief superintendent, who loved every wheeled vehicle ever built, approved of Casey’s purchase. He thought the bike was wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, he asked if he could try it out. He was so