Heavenstone 02 - Secret Whispers

spicy.
    “Perfect. I have just the place. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”
    “Yes, me too,” I said.
    Even though I didn’t care about Ellie becoming upset, I didn’t want to tell her about my date just yet. I was happy that Ethan had ended the call before she returned. When she did, I said nothing. She was talking now about a different boy she had met at the fraternity party, but she wasn’t sure how she was going to get out this weekend. She couldn’t use me again as an excuse, and as it turned out, her teachers hadcomplained to Mrs. Hathaway even more about her grades. I could see the writing on the wall as Friday drew near. I held back as long as I could, and then on Friday afternoon, I announced my date and said I didn’t have to be deceitful about it, either.
    She stood there staring at me for a long moment in shock.
    “You had your father call Mrs. Hathaway?”
    “Yes.”
    “Great. Now she’s going to wonder how you met him, and she might figure out that we violated her rules.”
    “I don’t think she’ll want to do anything to discourage my socializing, Ellie. Remember how she called you into her office to discuss me?”
    She bit down on her lower lip and nodded. I had always known she was lying about it or at least exaggerating.
    “Why would you want to go out with him? You saw what a dull boy he is.”
    “I didn’t find him dull. I thought he was very nice,” I said.
    She shrugged. “If that’s what makes you happy, go for it.”
    She tried to make it seem as though she didn’t care, but when I began to dress and fix my hair, she left in a huff and slammed the door.
    When I looked back at myself in the mirror, I saw Cassie standing behind me. She wore that Cassie look of self-satisfaction.
    “Well? Have I ever given you bad advice?”
    I tried to ignore her. I finished fixing my hairand doing my makeup, and then I rose and went to my closet. I was determined to wear something a lot more conservative than the dress I let Ellie put on me last time.
    “Don’t get your hopes up, Semantha,” Cassie said when I took one last look at myself in the mirror. “When he finds out about you, he’ll disappear faster than I do.”
    I took a deep breath and went to the door. Ethan would be arriving any moment. I opened the door and looked back. I could see her in the mirror.
    “Do me a favor, Cassie,” I whispered. “Stay here.”
    I walked out and closed the door behind me. Down the hallway, I could see Ellie holding court with a few of the girls. They all looked my way and were silent. I waved to her, but she didn’t wave back. She turned away to start talking again. At least she has a new audience , I thought, but only for a little while. After school ended, she was going home, and I knew how unhappy she was there. For the first time, I actually felt sorrier for her than I did for myself.
    Ethan was right on time.
    “I hope you’re hungry,” he said. “These people who run this restaurant feed their customers as if they were members of their immediate family.”
    “I’ll do my best,” I said, and he laughed.
    “Don’t worry. There’s no way you can do badly with me.” He took my hand, and I held his tightly, something I hadn’t done since I was in public school. He smiled as if he knew, and we were off.
    The restaurant was small and family-run. Because he went there so often, everyone knew Ethan. The husband and wife who cooked and oversaw the place greeted us as if we really were members of their family. Almost before we sat down, a basket of fresh homemade Italian garlic rolls was brought to the table. Ethan introduced me, and they talked about their grandson, who was attending Yale. They said they had heard of my family’s department stores. They asked me about Kentucky and how I liked New York. I told them what I really felt. Kentucky was just in my blood. I couldn’t imagine anyplace else ever being home. Then they described their specials for the evening, and Ethan ordered for us both.
    “I can see they really like you,” I said.
    “They’re good businesspeople. They know how to stroke their customers.”
    “I didn’t feel anything phony about them,” I said.
    “Oh, no. I don’t mean that. I just mean they know how to run a business. Restaurants are the most difficult, I think. So many fail. My father is an accountant and handles many big restaurants where we live,” Ethan explained. “It’s through him that I became interested in business. By