The next morning, I found out that Josh wasn’t the only one with friendship issues. When I headed for school, Penny-Love was waiting for me by Nona’s mailbox. I could tell by the way she stood with her hands on her hips and her lips puckered into a pout that something was up.
“I have a confession to make,” she said bluntly.
“About what?”
“How I’ve been feeling—not that you’ve noticed,” she accused. “Since you hooked up with Josh, you’ve forgotten about me. We’re supposed to be best friends.”
“We are—the very best.”
“Then how come you’re suddenly so busy? I had to get up early just to meet you this morning and you haven’t been over to my house in a week. If you aren’t with Josh, you’re talking on the phone with him.”
“Well, we are going out. Josh isn’t spending much time with his friends, either.”
“It’s not just Josh. You’re always busy with newspaper work, too.”
“I went to your cheer club meeting,” I reminded her.
“Which you ran out on early without telling me why.”
“Sorry.” I squeezed her hand. “I didn’t know you were feeling this way.”
“Now you know, so don’t shut me out anymore. And there’s another thing.” She moved aside so a trio of elementary kids could pass. Once the kids were out of range, she said in a hushed tone, “I have to ask you something, even though it’s gonna sound crazy.”
“Crazy?” My heart jumped with the worry that she’d found out my secret. At my last school I’d had this friend, Brianne, and people thought we were sisters because we were together so much—until she found out about me. I don’t know if she was scared of me or bitter because I’d kept something from her. When I saw the petition to get me kicked out of school, her name was on the first page.
“You’re gonna laugh when I tell you,” Penny-Love said. “I mean, one of the things I admire about you is your easygoing attitude. I have my drama moments, but never you. You’re the most normal person I know, so I’m sure the rumor is totally untrue.”
“Rumor?” I managed to smile like I was amused. “What?”
“A friend of Jill’s saw you hanging out yesterday with a Goth freak. I told Jill her friend was mistaken, that it must have been someone else because you wouldn’t be caught dead with one of those losers.”
“Well … ” I hesitated. “Thorn isn’t a loser.”
“Are you serious? You’re too busy for me, but you find time to hang out with someone named Thorn?”
“I barely know her. She’s helping with a—a project.”
“What project?”
“With the newspaper. It was Manny’s idea.”
“So this is Manny’s doing. Is she his latest girlfriend?”
“No, just a friend.”
“As long as she doesn’t become your friend, too.” Penny-Love picked up her backpack, and we started walking. “For a second there you had me worried. Afraid you’d gone over to the dark side.”
“Never happen.” I glanced away guiltily. Maybe I should have said something more to defend Thorn, but I didn’t want to hurt Penny-Love, and she was already sensitive about our friendship. So I smoothed things over by inviting her to my house tonight.
“Great! I’ve been curious about that guy your grandmother hired. If he’s the hottie I spotted out in the pasture on my way here, I’ve got to meet him.”
“Bad idea. Dominic is rude and totally antisocial.”
“Oh, a challenge!” She rubbed her hands together. “Nothing I like better—especially when he’s fine.”
“You’ll just be asking to be shot down. He’s not your type.”
She didn’t argue, but the gleam in her eyes worried me.
* * *
The rest of the school day made me feel like a circus juggler, only instead of balls, I juggled people. Passing notes to Penny-Love in homeroom, admiring Josh’s latest magic trick, and listening to my teachers so I didn’t miss any assignments. Wearing a permanent smile, always hiding a part of myself. This was especially hard with Josh because when he looked at me, so sweet and caring, I’d long to tell him everything. Only I didn’t dare.
At least there were no secrets with Manny, who still teased that I was his “miracle.” After glancing around the classroom to make sure no one was watching, he handed me a paper from my “To Be Edited” folder, and I pretended to work while he clued me in on the latest news. “I accidentally found a memo to the principal from the police.”
“‘Accidentally’?” I couldn’t help but grin. “Where? In his pocket?”
“On his desk.”
“How did you manage that without getting caught?”
He smirked. “A journalist can’t divulge professional secrets.”
“So what did you learn?” I picked up a red pen and marked a misspelled word on the article.
“Regis High football players are cleared—partying that night with lots of witnesses. The janitor is out of the hospital, but has no memory of the attack. The police checked local pawnshops for the missing stuff—without success. They also received an anonymous tip saying that the stolen things were still at school.”
“An anonymous tip?” I said, shivering despite the sun shining through the classroom windows. “I wonder who called it in.”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Well, if something comes to you, let me know. Recovering the missing items would make a great article.” Manny leaned closer to whisper, “Which is why we’re going to search the school tonight.”
“We are?”
“Yeah—before anyone else does. Thorn’s cool with the plan, and we’re gonna meet in the Taco Bell parking lot at ten. Are you in?”
“Sure. As long as I don’t have to do anything illegal.”
“Misdemeanors only. And no one will find out.”
“You’re sure?”
“Trust me.”
Not exactly encouraging words. But taking action was better than waiting around. So I nodded, and hoped I wasn’t heading for trouble.
* * *
What was my grandmother doing on the porch with a paintbrush and a cow?
As I neared the house, I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Nona’s gray-blond hair was wrapped in a bandanna and her oversized gray T-shirt brushed inches above the porch floor as she squatted on a low stool to paint blue, pink, and yellow flowers on her cow, Daphne.
I had to ask, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer. “Nona, what’s going on?”
“I’m painting.”
“On a cow? Can’t you use a canvas like normal people?”
“Most people aren’t as sensitive to the needs of their pets as I am.” Nona patted Daphne’s tawny head. “Poor dear was feeling like a plain Jane next to Stormy so I’m giving her a make over.”
“But Stormy is a horse.”
“Shhh!” Nona gave me a critical look. “Daphne has enough self-esteem issues to deal with. Dominic explained it all to me. He’s very knowledgeable about animals.”
“He told you to paint flowers on a cow?”
“Of course not.” Nona laughed. “He suggested I weave ribbons in her tail. The flowers were my idea. And I’m using natural washable paints that have vitamins and a skin softener mixed in. My own creation.”
“She’s a cow, not a cover model. And Penny-Love will be here soon. How am I going to explained a flowered cow?”
“Tell her it’s the latest in modern art.”
I spread out my arms in frustration. “Why can’t you be an ordinary grandmother who works in a garden or bakes homemade cookies?”
“There’s a whole plate of homemade carob chip and asparagus cookies in the kitchen. Help yourself.”
“Someone needs help,” I muttered.
Daphne turned to moo at me, and I had a feeling I was being chastised.
Amazingly, when Penny-Love arrived, she didn’t even notice the cow. But she didn’t miss a muscle on Dominic’s tanned, hard body.
“He’s so hot!” Penny-Love pressed her face up against the window in my attic bedroom, peering down at Dominic as he repaired a broken fence board. “Do you have any binoculars?”
“No.” I tugged on her arm. “Get away from the window, and I’ll help you with your homework.”
“He’s wiping sweat off his brow. Now he’s hammering again. Oops! He dropped a nail and is reaching for a new one. Thank you, gravity!”
“Pen, stop it.”
“He’s saying something to that wild bird perched on a fence post.”
“Dominic calls the falcon Dagger.”
“How sweet! I adore guys who like animals. It shows a deep sensitivity. Now he’s petting the falcon. What a fantastic animal.”
“The falcon or Dominic?” I couldn’t resist asking. What was the big deal about Dominic anyway? Sure, he was good-looking if you went for the rugged, sweaty type. But he was also annoying and arrogant. Why couldn’t Nona have mentored someone civilized, like Josh?
“Look!” Penny-Love said with her nose pressed against the window. “He’s taking off his shirt. Have mercy! What a great set of abs! I’m in six-pack heaven! He’s in way better shape than my last boyfriend. Let’s go out and talk to him.”
I shut my calculus book. “I want nothing to do with him.”
“Anyone who looks that good can’t be bad.”
“Worse than bad. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Penny-Love glanced in the mirror over my dresser and smoothed her curly red hair, then flew out the door.
Sinking on my bed, I sighed. Then I reached out for a dish filled with lumpy, fresh-baked cookies and bit into an asparagus and carob chip cookie.
* * *
As I predicted, Dominic barely said one word to Penny before rudely striding off to the barn. But did that deter my boy-crazy friend? Not a bit. She invited herself to dinner and spent the whole time quizzing Nona about Dominic: Where was he from? What was his family like? Did he have a girlfriend?
“He’s an excellent employee,” Nona said evasively. “If you want to know more, you’ll have to ask him.”
But even though Penny-Love lingered after dinner, drying dishes while I washed, Dominic did not appear. We finished our homework, listened to CDs, and played computer games. Penny-Love kept glancing at the door while I kept a close watch on the clock. By nine-thirty, I was stressed completely. How could I tell my best friend to leave so I could rendezvous with Manny and Thorn?
Fortunately Penny-Love’s cell phone rang at 9:35. I knew it was her mother before she answered. Her mother’s angry voice came across loudly, “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t going to be home for dinner? Why didn’t you let me know where you were? I’m coming to get you, now!”
A subdued Penny-Love said goodbye, then hurried outside. I waited until her mother drove off before switching into dark clothes and finding a flashlight. I told Nona I needed to go copy some notes from a friend, and I crept outside and disappeared into the night.