Free Acrobat by Mary Calmes Page B

then?”
    “I guess,” he grumbled.
    “I’ll be looking forward to it.”
    “I hope so,” he said softly, leaning forward but stopping himself. There were teenagers present, after all. “I’ll see you at seven.”
    “Seven,” I agreed.
    He left without another word, and when I turned back to Michael and Danielle, she was making the oh face and biting her bottom lip and Michael looked like he was ready to hurl.
    “Well?”
    “Awww,” she cooed. “He totally leaned right then. He wanted to kiss you so bad.”
    Michael gagged.
     
     
    I TOOK them to a great place where the owner made baklava and tiramisu and crème brûlée and many other desserts from scratch. I had bread pudding and coffee and watched the kids share strawberry shortcake with each other. When Michael fed Danielle, I gagged for him.
    “Nate!” She squealed, leaning forward to smack my arm.
    Michael chuckled, knowing that I was doing it on purpose, smiling in appreciation of that. “Girls are icky, right?”
    “That’s right.” I shivered. “Girl cooties.”
    Danielle got to pretend to be scandalized as I sipped my coffee with chicory in it. I liked the taste, but a lot of people didn’t.
    As we were walking back to where I had parked my car, Danielle slipped one arm in mine and the other in Michael’s.
    “Aren’t I the lucky one.” She sighed. “I get taken out by two gorgeous men.”
    “He’s too old for you,” Michael muttered, but I could hear the sheepish happiness in his voice.
    “Too gay too,” she agreed, tightening her grip on both of us. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel good struttin’ my stuff between the two of you.”
    I patted her hand. “Just make sure you tell your father how much of a gentleman Michael was. He won’t let you go to the Winter Ball with him if he wasn’t.”
    She sucked in her breath and turned to him. “You want to take me to the Winter Ball?”
    “I—I would,” he stammered, recovering his bravado in seconds. “If you want,” he finished with a shrug, like it was no big deal either way. Like he wouldn’t die just a little right then and there if she said no.
    “I’d love to.” She sighed and let go of me to wrap both arms around his one.
    They were so adorable together. Really, they should have gone on postcards for young love. I felt like Cupid.
    They sat in the back of my Honda Accord, and when we stopped at her house, Danielle leaned forward and kissed my cheek before getting out of the car. Michael followed right behind her, patting my shoulder as he got out.
    “Wait for me, driver,” he couldn’t help adding.
    “You know what you can do with your—”
    “Quiet or you won’t get a tip.”
    I growled as he got out, scrambling after the girl, slamming the door before following her to the porch. There was talking, and then the light went on, so he leaned and kissed her, which would have been fast, but she grabbed hold of the lapels of his topcoat and held on as she kissed the hell out of the boy.
    That was how her father found them, lip-locked on the porch. I was amused, Mr. Tulia was amused, Danielle was in floaty-happy heaven, and Michael was terrified. When he got back to the car, this time sliding into the passenger seat, I asked if he saw his life flash before his eyes.
    “I did, yeah.”
    I chuckled. “Hey, where’s my thank you?”
    “I know, right?” He turned and beamed. “Shit, Nate, you’re fuckin’ brilliant. I’m taking Danielle Tulia to the Winter Ball. How can I ever repay you?”
    “I want to see what you’re going to write about La Bohème for Mrs. Chang.”
    “Oh crap, that’s right.”
    It was fun to listen to him grouse about it all the way home.
    We parted at his door, and I walked to my apartment more tired than I realized. I wanted to just pull the suit off and fall into bed, but there was still Ashton’s book to finish reading, and it was already Wednesday night. I’d promised it to him by Saturday, and I was not about to let the