“Good game.” She placed her hands on her hips. “I really thought the boys might pull it off.”
I nodded as I grabbed Danny’s shoes. I’m not sure when he had taken them off. “Yeah, it was close.” I gestured Danny to sit, and I squatted in front of him.
“I wanted to remind you that this Saturday is the dance.” She tilted her head toward me.
Ahh crap! I forgot. “Uh…”
“And don’t forget, you need to bring a date.” She gave a small wave and rushed away.
I growled. “Great.” I tied Danny’s shoe tighter than necessary. His eyebrows scrunched together, and he looked at the floor. Great. Danny picked up on my negative energy. He shot a questioning look my way.
“Sorry about my shoes. I am faster without them.”
I rolled my eyes and ruffled his hair. “I don’t know about that, but I’m not upset about it.” I let him see my face and that I meant it. “I’m not frustrated with you, bud, it’s other things.”
I grabbed his bright orange jacket and slid one arm through the hole. “Are you mad about the game?”
I tilted my head. “Nope, the boys played hard, and that’s all I can ask of them.”
Danny stared at the retreating cheerleader coach. “Is it about the date thing?”
“Yeah, I guess.” That and the fact I couldn’t stop thinking about Faith. I put his other arm in its sleeve. “But don’t you worry about that.”
“You could ask Ms. Faith. She isn’t a date, remember.” Danny nodded, happy with the solution he had come to.
“Yeah, maybe.” I directed him toward the gym doors. It was already past his bedtime. I helped him up into the truck and made sure he was buckled.
“Can I play on your phone on the way home?” Danny asked.
I grabbed it out of my back pocket, checking once again for any missed calls or texts. There were none. Not that I was expecting any.
I handed it over. “Please don’t download anything this time. The thing can barely handle what’s on it, and I really don’t want to have to get a new phone.”
Danny took my unlocked phone.
I walked over to my side and started the truck, cranking the heat. Pulling out of the parking lot and onto Main Street, I glanced over at Danny. He definitely wasn’t playing a game. He was scrolling through my contacts and he pressed send on Faith’s name.
“Danny!” I reached for the phone. “What are you doing?”
He leaned out of my reach. “I’m helping you not be grumpy.” He scrunched his eyebrows.
“I’m not grumpy. Now, hand the phone over.” I growled and snapped my fingers and pointed at the phone while flicking my eyes to the road.
“You are grouchy. I figured it was because you missed our friend Ms. Faith. If she goes with you to the dance thing, then you won’t be grumpy.” He held the phone out of my reach.
I sobered at his reasoning. I hadn’t realized I had been moping, and that Danny had noticed. “Look, Champ, you can’t just call Faith.”
“Why not? She was my friend first.”
I sighed. I never should have blurred the lines between teacher and more than friends.
“Hello?” I heard Faith’s faint voice from the phone in Danny’s outstretched hand. “Hello?”
Ugh!
“Hey Faith, my dad is grumpy and needs a date.”
I rubbed my hand down my face.
