Free Just a Little Promise by Tracie Puckett Page A

community. Take your job shadowing program, for instance. You wanted us to figure out what we wanted to do post-graduation . You wanted us to be proactive. Well, I’m being proactive. I found something I like doing. I’m sticking to my guns. The Fall Ball was great, but it was small potatoes compared to what I’m doing now.”
    “Which is?”
    “ Managing the Oakland Holiday Parade,” I said. “ Which brings me back to Grace. She’s going to cut me a deal on flowers for the floats. I need flowers, and lots of ‘em. Grace is my go-to gal. ”
    “This isn’t the Rose Bowl, for God’s sake,” he mumbled, burying his head in the palm of his hands. “What’s the other reason?”
    “Hmm?”
    “You said you want ed to meet with Grace for two reasons,” he said. “What’s the other?”
    “Right!” I said. “Glad you asked. She’s the middle man between me and the Grand Marshal.”
    “What’s that now?” he asked so quickly that his words sounded like one long slur.
    “The Grand M arshal,” I said. “The parade honoree…they r ide through the line first , leading the rest of the floats along the route . ” Charlie’s mouth hung open , so I elaborated . “The Grand M arshal is an outstanding member of the community that is deserving of an award or recognition of some kind —”
    “I know what the Grand M arshal is,” he said. “I just don’t know who it is.”
    “Luke,” I said, watching his face turn a dark shade of crimson.
    “Luke?”
    It was strange to hear his name cross Charlie’s lips. I’d gotten so used to hearing him , Matt, and everyone else we knew call him Trigger . To hear Charlie refer to him by name … well, it told me just how quickly the dynamic of their relationship had changed. It was no longer rainbows and butterflies… or, beer and poker nights . Their friendship—or what they had of one—ceased to exist the night Luke opened his heart to my uncle.
    “He was nominated by the committee and voted into the posi tion last week,” I said. “I wanted to do a flashback kinda thing with his float—old pictures, mementos from his past… really celebrate who he is. Grace is gonna try to dig some of that up for me. When it comes right down to it, we just w ant to give him the best float possible. After all, it is Luke. ”
    “Aren’t they s’pose to just ride in on a car or something?” Charlie asked, trying to keep his voice calm and unsuspecting. “Why a float?”
    “ Change of management, Charlie. We’re doing things different this year,” I said. “ Grace is my right-hand man, and she agrees… it’s time for change . And ,” I said, looking at my watch. “S he’ll be here any second to pick me up, so if you’re not going to let me go… you’ll have to tell her yourself. We’ve had these plans for weeks. She won’t be happy if I cancel. ”
    Right on cue, the doorbell rang. We all knew it was Grace, but the real question was whether or not Charlie would ever let me walk out the door with her.
    “Julie,” Charlie said as I jumped from my chair and sprinted for the door.
    I turned back and met his stare.
    “Yes?” I asked, long and drawn out.
    “Just you and Grace?” I nodded, and it seemed to ease his mind. “One hour. I want you back here by sundown.”
    “Great!” I said, wearing a genuine smile. “I couldn’t stay out long, anyway. Luke’ll be here at eight to he lp me pull together the proposal for the parade route. See you in a bit.”
    I turned on my heel just as Charlie said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Get back here.”
    I stopped and turned back yet again.
    “ Yes ? ” I asked, as melodramatically as before.
    “What did you just say?”
    “See you in a bit —”
    “Before that.”
    “I couldn’t stay out long anyway,” I said, acting as though I didn’t know what he was aiming for.
    “After that.”
    “Oh,” I said, nodding. “Derek will be here at eight to help pull together the route proposal.”
    “You said Luke