The conversation moved easily on from there. He talked about things she could relate to. He'd grown up on a farm, feeding cows before dawn and driving his dad's hay truck when he was thirteen. He knew about feeling both lost and found in a place as big and sprawling as UW.
Inside, the music changed. Someone turned the volume way up. It was ABBA's, "Dancing Queen."
Tully came running out of the house. "Kate!" she yelled, laughing. "There you are."
Brandt immediately stood.
Tully frowned at him. "Who's this?"
"Brandt Hanover."
Kate knew exactly what was going to happen next. Because of what had happened to Tully in the dark woods by the river all those years ago, she didn't trust boys, didn't want anything to do with them, and she was committed to protecting Kate from any kind of harm or heartbreak. Unfortunately, though, Kate wasn't afraid. Shewantedto date and have fun and even maybe fall in love.
But how could she say that, when Tully was only trying to protect her?
Tully grabbed Kate's arm, pulled her to her feet. "Too bad, Brandt," she said, laughing a little too loudly as she dragged Kate away. "This is our song."
"I saw Brandt at the HUB today. He smiled at me."
Tully fought the urge to roll her eyes. In the six months since that first toga party at the Phi Delts, Kate had found a way to mention Brandt Hanover at least once a day. You'd think they were dating, as often as his name came up. "Let me guess: you pretended not to notice."
"I smiled back."
"Wow. A red-letter day."
"I thought I'd invite him to the spring dance. We could double date."
"I have to write an article on the Ayatollah Khomeini. I figured if I keep sending stuff to the paper, sooner or later they'll publish something. It wouldn't hurt you to try a little harder to—"
Kate turned to her friend. "That'sit. I renounce our friendship. I know you have no interest in our social life, but I do. If you don't go—"
Tully laughed. "Gotcha."
Kate couldn't help laughing. "Bitch." She slung an arm around Tully. Together they walked along the grass-dotted sidewalk of Twenty-first Street and onto campus.
At the campus security post, Kate said, "I'm headed to Meany. How about you?"
"Drama/TV."
"That's right! Your first broadcast journalism class—and with that famous guy you've been stalking since we got here."
"Chad Wiley."
"How many letters did you have to write to get in?"
"About a thousand. And you should be coming with me. We both need this class."
"I'll get in as a junior. You need me to walk you over?"
Tully loved her friend for that. Somehow Kate knew that despite her show of courage, Tully was nervous about this. Everything she wanted could start today. "No, thanks. How can I make my big entrance with someone else?"
She watched Kate walk away from her. Standing there, alone among the crowd of students moving between the buildings, Tully took a deep, relaxing breath, trying to still herself. She needed to appear calm.
She strolled confidently past the fountain of Frosh Pond and went into the Drama/TV Building, where her first stop was the restroom.
There, she paused in front of the mirrors. Her curled, sprayed hair was perfect, as was her makeup. The skintight, flare-legged jeans and shiny white tunic blouse with gold belt and Nehru collar managed to be both sexy and businesslike at the same time.
When the bell rang, she hurried down the hallway, with her backpack bouncing against her ass as she moved. In the auditorium, she walked boldly down to the first row and took a seat.
