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What? “You wouldn’t dare.” I stomped my foot.

  His eyebrow rose higher. “Wanna make a bet?”

  This is ridiculous. I decided to take control of the situation and let Chase come to me. “Fine,” I huffed, before I turned around and plopped down on a sofa.

  It worked. He walked over and sat down on the couch across from me. Chase drilled his stubborn blue eyes right into mine. “So, what do you have against Martin Roberts?”

  “Nothing.” As long as he stays away from Hannah.

  “Em-ma?”

  He sounds like my stepdad. I crossed one leg over the other and willed my foot not to bounce in irritation. “Look. I don’t have anything against the guy, okay?”

  “So why are you acting weird?”

  “Because, believe it or not, sometimes you bug me.”

  “Do I bug you because I talked to Martin? Or, do I bug you because I act like a Viking?”

  “Ugh!” I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and put my hands over my face.

  “There’s that grunt again.”

  I chuckled and shook my head. My voice was muffled when I warned, “Chase, you really know how to push a girl.”

  “I hope so.” He chuckled.

  I sighed and sat up. “Okay, you want me to be straight with you? Fine. Hannah, did get asked out by Martin today, all right?”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. And no thanks to you, she rejected him.”

  “What? Why?” He looked shocked.

  I’ve had enough. I put my hands on my knees and stood up. Chase quickly copied me. We had a small ornate coffee table between us. “You really shouldn’t try to set people up, you’re not that good at it. Believe me. Hannah happens to like someone else, that’s why she said no.” I put one hand up. “And before you ask if I’m sure, yes, I am. I saw the email she wrote to him.”

  “Emma,” he croaked.

  My eyes flew to his not sure what to make of the emotion he seemed to barely control. I couldn’t tell if he was angry, or sad, or frustrated, or— “What?” I asked.

  “Y-you wrote it, didn’t you? That email. You were there. You wrote it.”

  “I-I—”

  “You know what? I don’t care. You-you, go and do whatever juvenile high school thing it is you want to do. But, you better watch out and be aware of the pitfalls that come from messing with people’s lives.”

  Me, messing with people’s lives? “Whatever! What about you?”

  “Emmalee. You may think you know it all now, but you don’t. You can’t—you’re just—” All at once Chase stopped. His gaze wearily traced my angry features in silence. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. When he opened them again they were a deep sad grey. “I’m sorry to hear that Hannah told Martin no.” He looked down—shaking his head briefly—before bringing his eyes back to mine. “I hope he’ll be okay.”

  Frozen in place by the intensity of his gaze, I whispered, “So do I.”

  Chase grinned ruefully and brought his hands down to catch my fingers. “I have something to say and I don’t want you to take it the wrong way.” He squeezed my hands and gently swayed them.

  What?

  “I don’t know for certain, but I’m pretty sure you’re thinking Elton and Hannah are going to hit it off. Well, if that’s the case, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. The Bloomfields are known for being—uh, selective when it comes to girlfriends. Believe me, I grew up with Elton’s older brother, it wasn’t pretty.”

  Just when I thought Chase is acting decent for a moment he’s gotta go and blow it. I pulled my hands away from him and folded my arms. “If I was thinking of Hannah and Elton getting together, then I would’ve been worried about your warning, but, since I’m not, I—”

  Chase leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, surprising me into silence as he whispered. “Good bye, Em.”

  What? “You-you’re going home?”

  “Yeah, I don’t want to argue with you.” His rueful smile was back. “See ya.” And with that he was gone. This room’s door was still swinging when I heard the front door shut behind him.

  Chapter 8

  “I must be a snowflake, 'cuz I've fallen for you.”

  After Chase left. I vowed not to feel guilty or get emotional at all. Except, I had to wonder why I felt like crying. I mean, I was in the right after all, wasn’t I? I slowly climbed the stairs to my room debating that question. Martin Roberts didn’t deserve my friend. And besides there really could be no other explanation for it: Elton Bloomfield liked Hannah Smith. I don’t care who says he doesn’t. I know the truth. It was time I showed Mr. Chase Anderson that I was right.

  A couple of days later, I hit on the perfect opportunity to prove it to him. I was going to throw a party. A party designed especially for getting a guy to come clean and announce that he loved a certain girl. So when seven o’clock came and Hannah showed up for our study session, I pounced on her and practically dragged her to the upstairs parlor. Mom was reading one of her Regency novels when we burst in.

  “Mom! Hannah and I have just come up with the best idea ever!” I could barely contain my enthusiasm. Hannah looked just as shocked as my mom did, but she didn’t say anything.

  “What is it?” Mom placed her bookmark inside the book and set it on the table next to my favorite chair.

  I opted to sit down on the small ivory sofa and Hannah, hesitantly, sat next to me. “I think I should we should throw a party.”

  “A party?” My mom seemed interested. “What kind of a party?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Something small—I mean no more than like ten people. I thought we could watch a movie, or something?”

  I glanced over at Hannah, she was smiling. I grinned back.

  “Hmm? Are you talking dinner and everything?”

  “Uh?” Dinner? “Well, maybe pizza and popcorn, that kind of thing. Nothing major Mom, I promise.”

  “Well, we can’t go overboard, you know. Dad can only handle one major party a year. He doesn’t like these sort of things.”

  “I know. But this is hardly anything like your ball or something, sheez.” I rolled my eyes. My mom’s definition of overboard was her annual Christmas ball she held every year. I did mention she was an Austenite right? “It’s just a few people, honest.” I leaned forward. “Look, we can all go to the basement with that big TV and I’ll put the movie on down there. That way it’ll be like you won’t even hear us—you won’t even know we’re there.”

  Mom still wasn’t convinced. “Who are you thinking about inviting?”

  Inviting? “Uh, well, Hannah of course.” Mom smiled over at her. “Elton—Dad likes Elton. Um, I was thinking a couple of people from school—”

  “How about Chase? Will you invite him?”

  “Yes, definitely.”

  “Good, now what about the Hart sisters? They could really use a night out—“

  Ugh. “Are you kidding? You want me to invite Cassidy Hart and her little sister?” I threw my head back. “This is supposed to be a party—you know, where you have fun.”

  “Emmalee Elaine, you have got to be kidding me. They are nice girls. And now that the Anderson’s are practically related to them, they must be included. What would they think if you didn’t invite them?”

  “But Cassidy?” Cassidy Hart was one of the few people who truly annoyed me. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but that girl really knew how to bug. And her sister! Her little sister was ten times worse. Ugh. Just the thought of inviting the Hart sisters over made me not even want to have a party anymore.

  “You know, Emma, I don’t know what you have against that girl, but you need to get over it. If you want to have a party, then I insist you invite her too.”

  Great now I have to throw a party or Mom’ll really throw a fit. “Fine. Whatever. So can I have one?”

  “Sure.” She raised her hand up. “But don’t tell anyone until I talk to Dad. I want him to think this was his idea.”

  “
Okay. I promise I won’t.” I stood up and Hannah joined me. “Thanks Mom. We’re going to be in my room if you need us.”

  “Okay.”

  Hannah thankfully waited until we were in the room before she started the third degree. “What was that all about? Why don’t you like Cassidy Hart?”

  I plunked down on my bed and sighed. “I don’t know.” I rolled over on elbow and watched as Hannah sank into my bright pink beanbag chair. “I wish I did know what I don’t like about her, but I can’t figure it out. I mean, she seems nice enough, I guess.” I shrugged. “Haven’t you ever just met someone you didn’t like, for no reason?”

  Hannah thought about it for a minute before a mischievous smile grew across her face. “Yes, there was someone.”

  I grinned with her. “Who?”

  “You.” She laughed.

  Me? “Me!” I chuckled. “You’re kidding right?”

  “Nope. Well, I felt that way until I got to know you. Once I did, I really liked you.”

  “Seriously? I bugged you?”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, but now you don’t. Maybe once you get to know Cassidy you’ll see that she’s cool.”

  “Hmm… Maybe?” I seriously doubt it.

  “I’ve never met her sister though. What’s she like?”

  “Claire? You don’t want to know.”

  “No, really, I’ve heard other people talk about her. Is she all that bad?”

  I sat up. “Okay, first off, picture someone who doesn’t stop talking—like ever. I mean, honestly, you can’t get a word in edgewise. I’m not kidding, at all. You just have to listen to what she thinks all of the time. Believe me; it gets really annoying really quickly.”

  “So why invite her? Isn’t she way younger, anyway?”

  “Because Cassidy can’t go anywhere without her. Seriously. Do you remember a couple of years ago—it was on the news and everything—about this guy who had been to prison for violating some girl in Colorado? And then he came to Farmington and tried to do it again with another girl? Do you remember that?”

  “Yeah, kind of—vaguely.”

  “Well, Cassidy Hart was that girl.”

  “No way!” gasped Hannah.

  “Yep. Taylor and his girlfriend, Chloe—her older sister—caught the guy just in time. Ever since, her parents have freaked out.”

  “Can you blame them?”

  “Well, it’s like she’s on house arrest or something. Her parents won’t let her go anywhere—not even on dates—without her little sister. Claire’s like her bodyguard, or chaperone, or something.”

  Hannah chuckled. “Talk about freak-a-zoid. The poor girl.”

  “See? And that’s what this whole city says about Cassidy too. ‘That poor girl.’ Man. It’s enough to get on my nerves.” I plopped back down on my tummy and put my hands under my chin. “Thanks to Taylor, that family totally made instant stardom. And it’s all I ever hear about—Cassidy Hart, this and Cassidy Hart, that. Believe me, if you had to live with that name ringing around your head as much as I have, she’d drive you nuts too.”

  Hannah laughed and kicked her shoes off. “I don’t doubt it. I can see what you mean now.” She fluffed the bean bag behind her and rested her head facing me. “So what’s she like at parties?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Well, before the—ah, incident—she was okay. I mean, kind of outgoing and stuff. But now, I think it messed her up. Or maybe just being around her sister so much stopped her from talking, because she hardly does now. She’s almost kind of—I don’t know? Shy? Ugh. It annoys me that she has become this sort of mouse person that everyone fawns over. Like, get over yourself. Get on with it already.”

  Hannah shook her head and laughed. “I’m so glad you’re inviting Cassidy.”

  “You would be!” I chucked a pillow at her and missed.

  “I can’t wait to see how you’ll react when she’s around.” She chucked the pillow back. It flew over my head and bounced on the headboard.

  “Aha! See, that’s where you’ll be sorry. I’ll be perfect. No one will know that she isn’t my best friend.” I threw the pillow back and it landed with a wham on Hannah’s shoulder.

  “That’s it!” She grabbed the pillow and stood up.

  I shrieked and jumping up, rocked-ran on my bed to fetch another pillow. Too late. Hannah’s pillow crashed into my back—the force tipping me forward. “Ahh!” I quickly snatched the pillow up and collected the other one before turning around. Instantly, I collapsed into laughter on the bed. Hannah had the huge bean bag chair held over her head ready to defend herself.

  She snickered and raced forward.

  I shrieked again and tried to block the blow of the bean bag chair with my legs. It worked. Until my sock got caught on the zipper. And then rrriiippp—Holy cow!--millions of little Styrofoam balls flew around the room. Creating the best faux snow scene I had ever seen.

  The day of the party was perfect. Perfect day, perfect weather, perfect time. I even had the perfect movie to watch; Hitch. It was one of those movies that, yeah it was a few years old, but still so funny and a great party mixer. The piping hot pizza had just been delivered about five minutes ago. The buttery popcorn had been popped and snacks and candy filled many little bowls throughout the room in the basement. The floor and couches were littered with large multicolored pillows. There was even an assortment of beverages chilling in the fridge in our small basement kitchen.

  It was destined to be an awesome night. A night filled with all sorts of romantic possibilities. In fact I had a feeling that Elton wouldn’t be able to resist and tonight would definitely be the night that he came clean. If I didn’t know better, Hannah was going to have a boyfriend by the time she went home.

  And what better setting is there than a movie? It’s the perfect time when the lights were low to hold hands and to sit a little closer.

  I can’t wait to see Hannah and Elton hold hands. During a stroke of genius, I called Elton and asked him to stop by and pick her up for me. He was more than happy to oblige. I couldn’t wait for her to tell me all about riding in his car. Eeeh! I am so good at this matchmaking thing.

  I took one final glance around the cozy room and willed myself not to actually squeal out loud. The doorbell rang. Excitedly, I stopped my feet from barging up the stairs.

  When I opened the front door wide I was a little surprised to see only Elton. I looked past him down the walkway but no one else was coming up. “Hannah? Is she—?”

  “Oh? She didn’t tell you? I thought you knew?”

  “Knew?” All at once a sinking feeling hit my stomach. “Knew what?”

  “She can’t make the party.”

  “What?!” My mouth dropped open. “Hannah can’t make the party? What do you mean? Why? Did—?”

  “She’s sick.” He sighed.

  Oh no! “What? You’re kidding? What does she have? Do you know?”

  He looked so bummed I almost kissed him. “Nah, her mom thought it was food poisoning, but she wasn’t sure.”

  “No way. Food poisoning? That’s terrible.” The poor girl was probably puking her guts out.

  Elton sighed again, and rubbed his foot against the step. “Yeah, I feel awful for her, you have no idea. I mean, I was really looking forward to hangin’ with her.”

  “Really?” I tried to hide my smile.

  “Yeah.” He sighed again and then shrugged his shoulders. I was impressed by the way he was able to control his disappointment until he exclaimed, “Oh well. At least we’re not sick. I mean, it’s one thing for Hannah to miss a party, but for me and you that would be the worst. I hate missing parties. Besides it’s always better to have one less person than one more, don’t you think? It makes it more special if there are just a few people.” He surprisingly smiled as he walked past me into the house. “Yum. Do I smell pizza? I love pizza.”

  Shocked and a little baffled, I closed the door and rushed to catch up with him. Elton was following his nose down to my basement. Good grief. “Ye
ah, um, the pizza is down there, I called down the steps. Help yourself.”

  “Thanks. I will.”

  The doorbell rang again and I tried to brush off his almost rude behavior as I retraced my steps to answer it. Maybe he’s just more disappointed about Hannah than he’s letting on.

  Cassidy and Claire Hart both smiled on the step as the door swung wide.

  “Hi! You made it.” Darn it. My smile cracked.

  Cassidy opened her mouth to say something, but her little sister beat her to it.

  “Wow!” Claire gasped as she stepped in the house. “I forget how cool this place is! It is really one of the prettiest homes I have ever seen—don’t you think so Cass? I bet Chloe would love it here! Has she ever been here—oh! I smell pizza! Did you cook it? Or, did you order out? What pretty flowers! These look just like the flowers in our front yard. Don’t these look just like the flowers in our front yard, Cass? Cassidy loves flowers, don’t you? And what a pretty table! Is it an antique? Our mom loves antiques, but we can never afford them. Oh! Before I forget, Chase said he was parking the car at his house and would be over in a minute--”

  “Wait!” I had to interrupt. “Chase? Did he drive you, or something?” I looked over at Cassidy hoping she would answer.

  “Yes, he did.” Cassidy blushed and looked down.

  “It was the nicest thing ever!” Claire rushed over to my side. “He has the most beautiful car in the world. Cassidy was saying how beautiful it was, weren’t you? We never thought anything would be more exciting than Taylor’s car--Chase is so nice. And his car is so comfortable--”

  I was saved from having to hear more when the guy in question showed up. “Speak of the devil!” I smiled frantically up at him while I closed the door that had been open this whole time. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

  “I bet you are.” He looked past me and smiled at Cass and Claire.

  “I’m still waiting for a few more people and Hannah’s sick, so she isn’t going to be able to make it. Could you host for me for a few minutes?”

  “Sure, it’s downstairs, right?”

  “Yep.” I beamed my prettiest smile.

  He smiled, and then whispered as he walked past. “All right, but you owe me.”