Free Addie and the King of Hearts by Gail Rock Page B

my life—that doesn’t seem right either.”
    I had never thought of it that way, and it made me very sad to think of anyone, especially my dad, settling for something he didn’t really want just to keep from being alone.
    â€œI don’t have all the answers,” he said. “I guess you just have to try and see what happens. You can’t just give up the first time something goes wrong.”
    He looked over at me, and I knew he was referring to Mr. Davenport.
    â€œThere’re plenty of boys around for you to like, that’s for sure,” he said.
    â€œI don’t know who,” I said dejectedly. “I don’t know how you’re ever supposed to find anybody.”
    â€œWell, you don’t exactly go out and look for somebody,” he said. “You just have to keep your eyes open to what’s happening around you. The right person might be there all along and you wouldn’t see him—somebody like Billy.”
    â€œOh, him. He didn’t even ask me to the dance,” I said.
    â€œThat doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you,” said Dad.
    â€œI guess not,” I said, and wondered how Billy really did feel. I had hardly talked to him at the dance, and he had been very nice to me after all. I wondered if I had hurt his feelings, and I realized it was the first time that night I had even thought about his feelings, I had been so preoccupied with my own.
    â€œI asked Irene to come over to the house for coffee,” Dad said.
    I looked up, surprised.
    â€œI think you ought to try to get to know her,” he said. “I think you’ll like her. She’s a lot of fun …” His voice trailed off for a moment.
    â€œIt isn’t always perfect, you know,” he said. “It doesn’t happen the way it says in the movies.”
    I looked closely at my father as we walked along together. I wondered if it was fair of me to wish he wouldn’t settle for just anyone. I knew I could never do that. If I had been Grandma, I would have married Tom. I would do what I thought was right for me.

Chapter Nine
    Grandma was surprised to see us back from the dance so soon, but I didn’t feel like explaining it all. I went into the bedroom to hang up my coat, and I heard Dad talking to her in the kitchen.
    I put my coat in the closet Grandma and I shared, and stood there looking at myself in the mirror. I wondered if I would grow up to look anything like Kathleen, but I figured I had no chance. Grandma came in and stood next to me and put her arm around me.
    â€œYou didn’t like the dance?”
    â€œIt wasn’t any fun,” I said.
    â€œYour dad told me about the basketball game,” she said.
    â€œOh.”
    â€œThat must have been a sight,” she said, smiling a bit.
    â€œYeah,” I said. “I guess I acted really dumb.”
    â€œOh, I don’t know,” she said.
    â€œI wish I hadn’t even gone,” I said.
    â€œDad says Mr. Davenport’s getting married,” Grandma said.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œWell, I guess your whole class will miss him.”
    â€œYeah, I guess so,” I said listlessly. “We’d have a different teacher next year anyway, so we’d probably never see him even if he was here.”
    I kicked off my high heels.
    â€œDon’t forget to put tissue in those to hold the shape,” Grandma said. “You can wear them to the next big dance.”
    â€œUgh,” I said. “I’d rather wear army boots—these are so uncomfortable.”
    â€œWell, put them back on a minute and come out and have some cake and ice cream. Irene is here.”
    â€œOh, no,” I groaned. I had forgotten Irene was coming over. The last thing I wanted to do was sit around the kitchen table and be sociable with company—especially Irene Davis.
    â€œNow, Addie,” said Grandma. “You behave yourself. Come on.”
    We went into the kitchen,