Part 8 (2/2)
”That's cuz this dog works like one,” Carrie quipped. ”I'm hardly ever in my room.”
”So I've discovered,” Billy said. ”So how's life in the fast lane?”
”Exhausting,” Carrie replied truthfully. ”I just came back from a midterm.”
”No doubt a piece of cake for you, oh brainy one,” Billy said lightly.
”I wish,” Carrie said. The truth was that her midterm in English Lit really had been difficult.
And Josh, who had sat only two rows away, wouldn't even look at her, let alone speak. But all that seemed so much less important now.
”So, listen, I've got a surprise for you,” Billy continued.
”You're flying to Yale to whisk me off to Paris for a few days before we all meet at Sunset Island?” Carrie guessed hopefully.
”Sorry, not that good,” Billy said with a laugh.
”Someday, though . . . anyway, here's the deal.
The band's booked at the Play Cafe the first night you're back on the island.”
”Hey, that's great!” Carrie exclaimed. ”I'd love to hear the Flirts again. But how did that hap- pen? I thought it was off season. They don't usually have bands at the cafe in April, do they?”
”True, and they don't usually have fires, either.
But they did a couple of weeks ago,” Billy re- ported.
”At the Play Cafe?” Carrie asked with concern.
”Was anyone hurt?”
”Fortunately not,” Billy told her. ”The way I understand it, some wires got crossed in the heating system. The clean-up is just about fin- ished, but the kitchen's pretty much of a loss.
We're doing a benefit to help Ken get the place put back together in time for summer.”
”Ken must be devastated!” Carrie exclaimed.
Ken Miner, who owned the Play Cafe, was a favorite with all his patrons.
”He's holding up pretty well, but the bank that holds the mortgage on the place is hurting.
That building's mostly wood, you know. You can only get so much fire insurance on a structure like that, and the most expensive stuff-all that equipment-was in the kitchen.”
”Wait a minute,” said Carrie. ”How big a benefit can you pull off when hardly anyone's around at this time of year?”
”Hey, I told you the Flirts have been gaining quite a following around the colleges in Portland, Bangor, even down through New Hamps.h.i.+re and as far away as Boston now. Plenty of kids can't afford to go too far for spring break-they'll spend a Sat.u.r.day night on Sunset for a good cause, no problem.”
”I can't wait,” Carrie said, smiling wistfully.
She wished she could make the time between now and leaving for Sunset Island a mere millisecond.
”I'm so excited!”
Billy laughed. ”I'll see to that.”
Carrie was glad a blush couldn't be seen over the phone. A thought popped into her mind: that was the difference between Josh and Billy. Billy could actually make her blush.
”So listen,” Billy continued, ”say hi to Emma and Sam for me. And speaking of Sam, Pres is watching^the horizon for the first sign of that wild red hair of hers. What's the deal with her, anyway?”
”Last I heard, she was footloose and fancy- free,” said Carrie. ”But that was over a week ago, and you know how it goes.”
”I do know how it goes,” said Billy softly, ”and I hope you're willing to wait another week for me.”
”Don't even consider another possibility,” Carrie answered fervently. ”I'm not.” Oh, she was so thankful she'd had her wits about her last night!
”Okay then, gotta run. You have a safe trip.”
Carrie told Billy good-bye, hung up, and flopped on the bed. She was exhausted from staying up all night, but now her tiredness had a pleasant glow to it. Just a few more days, and she'd be with Billy!
All her efforts of the past couple of weeks were coming to a satisfying conclusion now: midterms would be over, and even the paper would shut down for spring break. As to her other new pastime, she knew she was pus.h.i.+ng it, forcing herself to vomit after meals now as well as after between-meal indulgences. But it was working so well that she was hopeful a change in her appear- ance would be apparent by spring break after all.
She'd already lost almost five pounds.
”So what about Pres?” Emma asked Sam. They were now about an hour past Columbia, South Carolina, where they'd gotten on a small high- way. The landscape had turned from pine flats to soft, rolling hills.
”What about him?” said Sam.
”Aren't you excited about seeing him?”
”Well, yeah. In a way. I guess.”
”Very decisive answer, Sam.” Emma laughed.
Sam swept a strand of hair out of her eyes and reached over to insert another tape into the tape deck.
”He's ... I don't know,” Sam said lamely. ”I mean, he's gorgeous. And exciting. And hot ...”
”You poor baby!” Emma teased. ”How can you stand him, then?”
Sam sighed. ”It's just not ... I don't know.
It's not love.”
”So what's love, then?” Emma asked.
”How am I supposed to know?” Sam said, ”I've never been in it. But when I am in it, I'll know.
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