Part 3 (1/2)

Kevin still had his earbuds in, so he didn't hear or respond. Sarah just stood a few feet away saying nothing.

Jonathan and Candi looked at each other. Candi shrugged her shoulders at her brother.

”I'm in,” said Jonathan.

”Yeah, me too,” said Candi shyly.

”Actually, I have a bit of a headache, so I think I'm just going to go lay down, if that's okay with you, kids?” said the older Candace.

”Sure, Mom, no problem,” answered Candi.

”I'll stay with Candace,” said Glen. ”I have some things with the program that I'd like to work on tonight, anyway. You kids go ahead with the Petersons if that's okay with you Frank. Do you mind if my kids tag along?”

”No, not at all! The more the merrier!” Frank turned to his wife, ”So, Angela, where should we go?”

”How about the restaurant here in the hotel?” she offered.

Frank turned to the group. ”All in favor?”

”Aye!” said Jonathan, enthusiastically.

”Aye,” said Candi.

”Whatever,” said Sarah, while admiring her fingernails. She nudged her brother.

”What?” said Kevin, taking one earbud out.

”It's settled, then. Let's go.” Frank gestured to a bellhop who was standing nearby. ”Hey, buddy, can you give them a hand with the luggage?” The bellhop hurried over, dragging a rickety cart with him, ready to load all the bags and deliver them to the rooms.

”Frank, wait, let me give you some money for my kids' dinner,” said Glen.

Frank held his hands up in front of him, ”Oh, no, no don't be silly. I've got it covered, it's not a problem at all, my pleasure.”

Kevin looked at his sister and they exchanged questioning looks. Kevin knew their dad didn't have a bunch of extra cash lying around. He was obviously trying to act like money was no big deal, and he was definitely sucking up to Glen Buckley. If the Buckleys hadn't been here, they would have eaten at some fast food place instead of an expensive steak restaurant. It made him feel weird to see his father acting so strangely. It's almost as if he was nervous; and Frank Peterson was never nervous. Especially around guys like Glen Buckley.

The Buckley parents went up to their room while their kids and the Petersons went to the restaurant. Once they were all seated around a big round table together and had ordered some drinks, Frank began to talk.

”So, Jonathan, your dad tells me you've been helping him with his computer software program. That's pretty impressive.” He waited expectantly for Jonathan's response.

Kevin started feeling uncomfortable. His dad was trying to act casual when he obviously had an agenda.

”Oh, not really. Just little things here and there. Sometimes I just check his code for errors. Sometimes you get so bogged down in your own work you miss the little things.”

Kevin watched as Candi frowned at her brother, seeming like she wanted to say something but decided not to. She glanced over at Frank, her expression telling Kevin that his father made her nervous.

”Candi, do you do any of the work with your dad? Are you a computer expert too, like the men of the house?” He smiled at her really intensely.

Looking at him, Kevin was reminded of the Ches.h.i.+re cat. It embarra.s.sed him.

”No, not really. I don't really get into all the computer stuff like Jon does. Sometimes I help my dad with the artwork, but that's it.”

”Hmm, artwork, huh? What kind of artwork?” Frank tilted his head to the side to show how interested he was. It was so overdone as to look comical.

”Well, sometimes when my dad or Jon is working on a part of the program that has a graphic component, they ask me to draw some things on the computer they can use. It's no big deal, really, just small stuff.”

Kevin looked over at his mother, to see what she thought about her husband's second degree questioning. She just stared absently at her menu, ignoring him. Nothing new there.

”Give us an example of the kind of graphic work you've done, say, on this latest project of your dad's.” Frank licked his lips and stared at Candi, waiting to hear her answer.

Kevin couldn't take it anymore watching his dad act so weird, Candi getting more and more nervous by the second. ”Dad, she already said it's just little stuff, no big deal.”

”Quiet, Kevin. I want to hear what the girl has to say.”

”Dad, are we going to talk about business all night, because it's giving me a headache,” snapped Sarah.

Candi smiled first at Kevin and then Sarah, looking relieved.

Jonathan's head was moving back and forth, following the conversation being batted around the table, a confused look on his face.

”No, no ... this isn't business, I was just making conversation.” Frank picked up his menu. ”Why don't we just figure out what we're going to eat? Anyone interested in the sampler appetizer platter? We could share it ... ”

Sarah put her menu up in front of her face, refusing to answer. Jonathan looked around the table, moving only his eyes now. Candi stared at the menu lying in front of her on the table, not knowing what to say. She looked like she felt nauseous, the way she kept swallowing.

”I'm up for it, and some of those stuffed mushrooms too,” said Kevin, rubbing his stomach under the table. ”I'm starving. Those five peanuts I had on the plane just didn't cut it.” He winked at Candi.

She glanced up just in time to see it, blus.h.i.+ng furiously.

Kevin smiled at her extreme embarra.s.sment. It was kinda cool how she blushed so easy like that.

Jonathan caught the exchange between Kevin and his sister and wondered about it. He wasn't used to his sister being so shy all the time. Usually by now she would have opened up and started talking away. When he saw Kevin wink at her, he decided she must be extra shy because of him.

Jonathan had to admit, he wasn't his usual gregarious self either. Kevin seemed pretty nice, even if he was built like an NFL football player; but Sarah Peterson intimidated the heck out of him. She was beyond beautiful and so sure of herself. In his wildest dreams, he couldn't have imagined her even acknowledging his existence and so far she really hadn't, so there were no surprises there. He'd never had a girlfriend before, but he didn't think Sarah Peterson was his type. She seemed angry all the time and probably didn't like science or computers like he did. He knew when he fell in love someday, it would be with someone who shared his interests.

But then again, he had to admit Sarah Peterson was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen. She was the most popular girl in school, and guys like him didn't normally get the chance to eat dinner with someone like her. He smiled to himself as he pictured the look on his friends' faces when he told them he went out to dinner with Sarah Peterson.

”What are you staring at, you little creep?” said Sarah angrily, glaring at Jonathan.

”Umm ... nothing ... uh ... I mean, you ... but not like a creep ... I was just thinking about telling my friends I had dinner with you ... ” Jonathan's face started burning immediately, realizing he'd revealed too much.

”Ew, I'm not eating dinner with you, I'm eating dinner with my family and you just happen to be here.” Her face showed something akin to disgust.

”Sarah!” yelled her father, his own face a fiery red that matched the color of Jonathan's.

”What?! He's sitting there staring at my cleavage, what am I supposed to do?” Sarah reached up to her blouse, b.u.t.toning it up two more places.