Free Dropped Third Strike (Portland Pioneers #1) by Micah K Chaplin Page B

eyes piercing her, waiting for an answer, her heart was pounding and she was having a hard time thinking straight. Somehow she got it together long enough to answer his question.
    “You don’t owe me anything, but sure, I’ll go to prom with you,” she said, hoping she sounded casual.
    There was no way she could have declined his invitation. She may have been in denial about her interest in Reid, but she wasn’t stupid. Every girl in the school would have given up manicures for three months for the chance to be Reid Benjamin’s prom date. She’d never even had a manicure, but she was already scheduling one in her head, along with a hair appointment and shopping date to prepare for what was sure to be a night she’d never forget. It didn’t even matter to her that he had invited her as a friend and as a ‘thank you’ for her tutoring help. She was going to prom with Reid Benjamin. The fact mattered more than the reason.
    It took considerable effort to keep her smile from splitting across her face and even more effort to keep from bragging about it in school. In fact, she didn’t tell anyone for several days, until she asked Amy about prom dress shopping.
    “I thought you weren’t going,” Amy said.
    The girls had discussed prom a month earlier after Brady Berry had invited Amy. At that time, Katie stated quite vehemently that she wasn’t interested in attending. Amy was disappointed, but she didn’t push Katie. Obviously, she was pleasantly surprised to see her friend’s change of heart – and more than a little curious about what had caused it.
    “Well, I wasn’t ... until Reid asked me to go with him,” Katie said.
    She had to bite her lip to keep from smiling, even as her best friend gasped and started shrieking excitedly. This was exactly why Katie had waited until they were away from school and inside her house. She didn’t want to cause a scene, and she knew Amy would do just that when she heard the news.
    “Reid Benjamin asked you to prom?!? When? How? I need details immediately.”
    Katie shrugged. “He asked me Monday night, but it wasn’t a big deal. He just thought we should go together as thanks for me tutoring him.”
    “That’s such a lame cover,” Amy said. “He could give you a card as thanks for tutoring him. He’s taking you to prom because he wants to. He likes you.”
    “Don’t get all crazy,” Katie said. “He’s not interested in me. He’s not interested in anyone, really. He told me he just wants to focus on baseball and school. That’s why he’s taking me. He knows I’ll take it for what it is – going to prom as friends and nothing else.”
    Amy wasn’t convinced. Despite Katie’s ongoing denial of anything going on between her and Reid, Amy insisted the prom invitation was not as innocent as it seemed.
    “Well, we’ll make sure he sees more than a friend or math tutor on prom night,” she said.
    Katie tried to keep her prom plans quiet, but the word got out anyway. This generated interesting behavior from the girls in the school – glares from afar and absolute butt-kissing up close. Their jealousy could not have been more obvious or intense. It would have been annoying if Katie didn’t find it so amusing. She wasn’t fooled by any of the antics. She knew none of them were genuinely trying to be her friend, but she had a little fun with them anyway. She accepted a few lunch invitations and gave vague answers or simply smiled when the girls asked if Katie and Reid were dating.
    Her calm demeanor at school was a far cry from how she felt as she got ready on the day of the dance. Katie had searched five stores, trying on gowns of all lengths and colors before she found the perfect one. It was an ice blue strapless gown with navy blue beading that sparkled and danced in an abstract pattern from the sweetheart neckline, along the curves-hugging bodice and continued all the way to the ankle-grazing hem. A slit up to her left thigh showed a hint of leg and made