Two Steps Back (13 page)

Authors: Belle Payton

“We'd better start,” said Mrs. Sackett to the girls. “Luke will be here to tutor Ava at 7:30.”

Thinking about Luke made Alex's face grow hot, so she looked down intently at the vegetarian taco she was assembling. She couldn't believe how out of control her mad crush on him had gotten! What had she been thinking? Not that he wasn't totally gorgeous, and smart, and funnyâin short, a perfect match for her. But he was a sophomore in high school, just like Tommy. Alex knew now that that was too old for her. Whatever. She was pretty sure Luke hadn't noticed how much she'd fawned over himâboys were oblivious at any age, it seemed.

“Have you heard what the committee decided the dress code for Homecoming will be?” Alex asked Ava, as Ava handed her a plate of black beans. “âSnappy casual.' What is that supposed to mean?”

Ava shrugged without looking up from the large taco she was constructing. “You know me, Al. I never let these things bother me. I have you to help me avoid any fashion don'ts.”

Alex eyed Ava's football jersey and sniffed. “Well, I wish you'd listen to me a little more often,” she chided her sister. “Anyway, I'll do some research about this and find out what people mean by âsnappy casual.'”

“I'll be anxiously awaiting word from you,” said Ava.

They heard the front door burst open and suddenly Tommy loomed in the kitchen doorway.
Did he grow another inch since I saw him this morning?
Alex wondered. Their Australian shepherd, Moxy, who had been slumbering on top of Alex's feet under the table, scrambled to her feet and barreled into him, her tail wagging like crazy.

Coach slipped past his son and dog and bent down to kiss Mrs. Sackett on the cheek.

“Sorry we're late, honey,” he said, plunking down his oversized leather briefcase and stepping to the sink to wash up. Alex was always amazed at how well the orange Tigers coaching shirt complimented his skin toneâhow was that possible, for such a bright, garish color? Maybe it was the deep Texas tan he'd acquired in the few months since they'd moved there.

“Are you ready for the game tomorrow?” asked Mrs. Sackett as she playfully slapped Tommy, who was attempting to sit down, and pointed at the sink for him to wash his hands.

“It's going to be an easy one, right, Coach?” asked Ava.

“There are no âeasy ones' in this league, Ava,” said Coach.

“Well, easier, then,” amended Ava.

Alex didn't know football the way her sister did, but she'd known their dad long enough to know that he never conceded that a game could be easy. She supposed this was a coach thing.

“It's the Homecoming game next week we have to worry about,” said Coach. “We have to beat Western if we want any chance to make it to State.”

“Oh, I am so excited for Homecoming Week!” said Alex, bouncing up and down a little in her chair. “I can't believe the dance is a week from Saturday! So, Tommy, are you going to the high school dance with a big group?”

Tommy had built himself three towering tacos in a remarkably short time. He picked up the first one, his mouth open wide, but stopped before he took a bite and said, “No. I'm thinking of asking someone.” Then half the taco disappeared.

The other four Sacketts stopped and stared at him.

Alex recovered first. “You're going to ask a girl?”

Tommy swallowed and glared at her. “No, it's actually a pet armadillo,” he said, and made the rest of the taco disappear.

This was big news. Tommy was supercute and Alex knew lots of girls were interested in him, but to her knowledge, he'd never really reciprocated any of their interest. Or at least, if he had, he had never talked about it.

Tommy was funny and playful and pretty nice about driving Alex and Ava places when they asked, but he didn't share much about his love life.

“Who is it?” demanded Ava. “Anyone we know?”

So this is news to Ava, too, Alex thought. She was glad. Sometimes she felt a little jealous of the close bond her brother and sister shared.

“He'll tell us when he's ready,” said Mrs. Sackett, with a glance at Coach. “Tom, honey, you're acting like you haven't eaten in three days. You don't have to eat quite so fast. I'm afraid you'll choke.”

Tommy had already polished off two tacos and was starting on the third. “I've got rehearsal in twenty minutes,” he said.

Tommy also played piano in a jazz trio in the little time off he had from football. Alex smiled. His group had gotten tons of attention recently, ever since she'd done a feature story about them for the “Tomorrow's Reporters Today” segment on the local news.

“I need to get ready for Luke,” said Ava, pushing her chair back from the table. “I have a big, huge, important science test on Monday.”

“I think it's wonderful that you're applying yourself so much, honey,” said Mrs. Sackett.

Alex jumped up and helped her brother and sister clear the table. “I need to go, too,” she said. “I'm going to ransack my closet to see what items qualify as âsnappy casual'âthat's the dress code for our Homecoming danceâso I can do an inventory of possibilities.”

Tommy grinned. “You do that, Al. And be sure to start a spreadsheet so we can run the numbers later.”

Alex knew Tommy was teasing her, but that was okay. He was never a mean teaser.

Mrs. Sackett sighed and put a hand over her husband's. “Well, we did enjoy five minutes of overlap when all of us were together at the dinner table. Not bad for the middle of football season.”

About the Author

Belle Payton
isn't a twin herself, but she does have twin brothers! She spent much of her childhood in the bleachers readingâer, cheering them onâat their football games. Though she left the South long ago to become a children's book editor in New York City, Belle still drinks approximately a gallon of sweet tea a week and loves treating her friends to her famous homemade mac-and-cheese. Belle is the author of many books for children and tweens and is currently having a blast writing two sides to each It Takes Two story.

SIMON SPOTLIGHT

Simon & Schuster, New York

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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.