nice girls?” Amanda asked them.
“Like I’ve said; I’ve been busy,” Trent returned, but heat climbed into his cheeks.
“Right; I don’t believe that,” Amanda responded with a smile. “I have a hard time believing you are too busy to notice girls.”
“I can’t afford the distraction, the work doesn’t come as easy to me as it does your brother,” Cade admitted. “I want to succeed at this.”
“He has two girls both frustrated beyond belief that he ignores them,” Trent added.
“Don’t let that get around town; it’ll ruin your reputation,” Amanda teased.
“Hang my reputation, I want a degree,” he insisted.
Amanda knew this already. He had written time and time again how grateful he was to be getting to go to school and how badly he wanted to prove that he could make something of himself. He wanted to prove he wasn’t like his dad.
“So you’re so busy you’re blind?” Amanda returned to her brother; she had seen the color in his cheeks.
“Okay, so there’s one girl I noticed but I’ve been too busy to get to know her,” Trent admitted.
“What’s her name?”
“Haley and she’s more cute than hot but she seems nice. Like I said, I’ve been too busy to find out any more about her.”
“I’m glad, Trent; maybe you’ll get to know her soon.”
“Maybe,” he shrugged.
“Is she interested?” Amanda persisted.
“She smiles when we talk but I’m not sure.”
“She’s interested,” Cade inserted as he tossed Trent’s old baseball up and down in the air. “She blushes every time he approaches her line. She works in the on campus bookstore.”
“Oh,” Amanda was smiling widely at her brother now. She watched her brother smile and knew he was more interested than he was letting on. She was glad he was moving on.
_____________________________________
The next evening found Amanda seated between her brother and Cade as they drove to the bowling alley where Amanda was meeting Jenny. Jenny’s face broke into a grin the moment they walked into the building.
“Well if it isn’t the sexiest two bachelors to leave for college this past fall!” Jenny greeted each with hug. Amanda smiled as she watched both men redden.
“How are you, Jenny?” Trent inquired of her.
“I’m good but we sure have missed you two; you keep things interesting,” Jenny told him with a teasing grin. Amanda was taking great pleasure in watching her brother squirm.
“It’s good to see you, Jenny,” Cade seemed amused by Jenny’s teasing.
“I’m glad you’re all here, I was looking for someone to play pool with me; you can be my partner and Mandy and Cade can play against us,” Jenny informed Trent as she linked her arm through his. For the next hour they played, each team holding their own, thanks to Cade for Amanda and Cade’s team; Amanda still hadn’t mastered pool. When Trent and Jenny edged them out, Amanda shrugged and set aside her pool stick.
“Hey I see, Mike; I’m going over to say hi,” Trent headed toward one of the lanes and a friend he had graduated with.
“Grab your stick, Manny. You’ve really got to work on your game if you’re going to play pool with me,” Cade instructed Amanda. She offered no argument; she took pointers while Jenny watched them, her smile nearly as wide as the Cheshire cat’s.
“No,” Cade stepped forward as Amanda lined up a shot. “Manny, you can’t just hit the ball anywhere and expect it to go where you want. Look,” Cade leaned over the table to show her how the ball responded to different angles of attack. “You’re good at math; there’s some math to it,” Cade explained.
“Hey, Mandy,” Chris came to lean against the table; his gaze flickered between her and Cade a moment before it settled on Amanda.
“Hey, Chris,” Amanda returned before leaning over to try a shot. She sank the ball where she intended and turned to Cade for his approval.
“Good; keep practicing,” he smiled.
“You looking forward to the Christmas party?” Chris asked her as she circled the table to select another shot.
“I am,” she offered him a smile.
“Me too,” he smiled back. “David and I are picking Jenny up first since she lives further out; we should be by for you by about six-fifteen; is that okay?”
“Sounds good,” she assured.
“Just remember, Atkins, that if you try anything inappropriate both her brother and I will stomp your ass,” Cade informed the younger man.
“Cade!” Amanda turned to glare at him.
“Just making sure he understands, Manny; that way he’s been warned,” Cade offered without apology.
“I have a brother,” she informed him before returning to the table