The Perfect Guy (Books We Love Young Adult Romance) (11 page)

"Alicia," I said, hoping I came across as indifferent, "it meant nothing more than if he’d kissed Celeste."

Celeste started to say something, but the cheering of the crowd drowned her out. Timmy West, Sandy Cove’s smallest player, had just hit a ground ball to the outfield and stretched what would have been a single into a double with his quick base running. The crowd grew edgy with anticipation. But after the next batter walked, the inning ended on a double play.

The game then turned into a pitcher’s duel.

"I’m worried, Celeste," I said. "Brady Bailey isn’t seeing Josh at his best."

"Josh will come through," Celeste reassured me.

Later, Josh made two spectacular leaping catches to foil a couple of near-runs, giving me something to cheer about besides Sandy Cove’s good pitching.

Finally, in the bottom of the seventh Josh got a hit. The inning ended with him left on base. In the top of the ninth Saybrook scored on a one-run homer. There were three quick outs after that, but the damage had been done.

I chewed my lip as I checked Sandy Cove’s lineup. "There are three batters before Pres and Josh are up," I said to Celeste. I crossed my fingers. "I hope they at least get enough hits so Pres and Josh will get a chance to bat." Otherwise it would be all over for Sandy Cove, and maybe for Josh.

The first batter struck out. The next batter walked. The third batter bunted and was tagged out at first, but the runner safely advanced to second.

"Pres is up at bat," said
Celeste. "I hope he gets on base."

I wanted Pres to walk or get a hit, too. But, disloyal as it seemed, I found myself hoping he didn’t hit a home run, because if he did the game would be over and Josh wouldn’t get another turn at bat. I wanted Josh to be the one to win the game, even though I knew, deep down, that one person alone was never really responsible for a win. I wanted it to come across that way long enough to impress Brady Bailey. A career in baseball meant so much to Josh. Right now it meant just as much to me, even if it would mean not seeing him for a long time. What made him happy was important to me.

Pres swung at the ball. He hit it.

Celeste and I stood and cheered.

The ball sailed over the infield and dropped between the center fielder and the left fielder. The crowd jumped to its feet, cheering and clapping and stamping until I was sure the stands would collapse.

Josh strode up to the plate.

I stood and shouted my encouragement. "Yea, Josh. A hit! Get a hit!"

"You sure are cheering hard for Josh," Celeste said. "I thought Pres was the one you liked so much."

"Josh is the one who wants to play major league baseball," I yelled over the noise of the crowd. I knew I really didn’t have to explain to Celeste, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Alicia Johnson straining to hear every word we said.

Josh let the first pitch pass. The umpire called a strike. The Sandy Cove fans booed.

The next pitch whizzed over the plate and a second strike was called. A worried murmur mingled with boos floated through the stands. The players on the Saybrook bench stood up, looking ready to celebrate.

The next pitch drifted in. This time the umpire called a ball. Josh dug his toes into the dirt, pulled his bat back a little, and on the next pitch smashed the ball over the right field fence.

"Yea, Josh!" I yelled, hugging Celeste.

"They did it!" Celeste shrieked, as she squeezed me back.

The runner on second and Pres made it over home plate to score and win the game. As Josh was trotting between third and home, the stands emptied and everyone engulfed him and the rest of the Sandy Cove team. I saw Pres grab Josh. He and another player carried Josh off the field on their shoulders.

I thrashed my way to the field trying to get to Pres. I managed to worm my way to him. Josh was back on solid ground and Pres was congratulating him over and over.

"Pres, great game." I was able to give him half a hug despite all the other bodies encompassing him.

"Thanks." Pres planted a sweaty kiss on my cheek. It didn’t make me short of breath the way Josh’s had. But then, why should it? Now I was happy, not embarrassed.

There was so much pushing and shoving that I struggled to stay on my feet. A flailing arm sent me flying into Alicia Johnson, who had her arms around Josh and was kissing him awfully enthusiastically for mere congratulations.

On the other side of Josh I saw Brady Bailey trying to get his attention. A strange sensation crackled in me, sort of like anger, but not quite. Whatever it was, it made me grab Alicia’s arm and pull her away from Josh.

"Alicia, this man wants to talk to Josh." I nodded in Mr. Bailey’s direction.

"Thanks." Mr. Bailey smiled at me before turning to Josh. "Young man, I’d like to have a few words with you, if we can work our way out of this crowd."

Mr. Bailey had no trouble plowing a path more than sufficient for himself and Josh to get through.

"You didn’t have to yank me away from Josh like that," Alicia said. "I was only congratulating him."

"Sorry if I was a bit rough." That strange feeling jerked inside me again. "I just wanted to make sure Josh got to talk to that man. He’s a baseball scout."

"Really? I can just picture Josh in a major league uniform." Alicia sighed. "He’d be handsomer than ever."

I was about to say that Josh was more concerned with the game of baseball than how he’d look in a uniform, when someone tugged at my arm. It was Celeste.

"
Great game, wasn’t it?" Celeste croaked. I could hardly hear her.

"
Perfect finish," I said, feeling proud of both Pres and Josh.

"Right," Celeste squeaked.

"Sounds as though you’re losing your voice from all that yelling and cheering," Alicia said with a smile. "Don’t worry. I can fill in for you at rehearsal tomorrow night …."

Don’t worry? My hands sweated at the thought of Alicia rehearsing with Pres. I’d do more than worry. If Celeste’s voice wasn’t better by tomorrow, I had every intention of panicking.

Chapter
Twelve

To look at me I’m sure no one would have guessed I was on the verge of hysteria as I watched Alicia and Pres rehearse a tender moment that would lead to the kissing scene. I gripped the arms of my chair to keep my hands from shaking. If Josh, sitting next to me, could hear my heart pounding like someone trying to break down a door, he gave no indication.

"Alicia’s pretty good," Josh whispered. "I hope Celeste’s laryngitis is only temporary." He sounded as worried as I felt.

I nodded. I didn’t trust my voice. I was surprised at just how good Alicia was. She wasn’t as good as Celeste, of course. There was a spark when Celeste and Pres did the scene that was missing with Alicia. But otherwise she was very good. Now I could see why Bill had made her the understudy.

What if Celeste didn’t have simple laryngitis? What if she’d done extensive damage to her vocal chords? Then Alicia would get the part of Alta and be thrust into the middle of
Pres’s life— right where she wanted to be.

I could see Celeste standing in the wings scrutinizing the scene on stage. I flashed her a weak smile of encouragement. It obviously pained her to watch Alicia doing so well in
her
role.

It was almost as painful for me to watch, especially with the kiss coming up. It was a tender moment that fit beautifully into the play, but now I wished I’d never included it. Offstage the sound effects crew produced the sound of a cannon in the distance. James and Alta embraced to kiss before they would return the cannon fire from the tiny arsenal building that they alone were defending.

"All right." Bill stood up from his seat across the aisle from me. "Let’s hold it a minute."

I could hardly believe my ears. A reprieve. Maybe Bill was going to eliminate the kiss.

"That embrace is a bit stiff," Bill said. "This is an emotional moment for James and Alta. It’s supposed to lead up to a passionate kiss."

A
passionate
kiss? Oh, no. I sunk low into my seat.

"I say passionate," Bill continued, "because there’s a lot going on here. James and Alta are scared, because all the other soldiers defending Sandy Cove are at the river, expecting the British to attack there. Actually the British are approaching the shore near the arsenal where James and Alta went as soon as they saw the British ship in the harbor.

"Also, they reconciled not long ago, when Alta realized she was in favor of the revolution after all, and therefore sided with her husband. They’re charged up over their chance to ward off the attack. So in one embrace and kiss you have to capture their fear, love, bravery, and even their sense of adventure. This is an important scene and I want you to rehearse it until I think it’s right."

I could not suppress a low moan. I wondered how conspicuous I would look if I covered my face with my hands.

"Acting can be such grueling work." Josh chuckled.

If it’d been anyone but Pres up there on stage I probably would’ve laughed, but in this situation I failed to appreciate the humor.

"Nice work if you can get it," Josh said when I didn’t respond.

"Shhh." I elbowed him to be quiet. It would be difficult enough to watch Pres and Alicia without having to listen to Josh joke about it.

Pres’s and Alicia’s first attempts at the scene were stiff and awkward. I was tempted to suggest that I fill in for Alicia and show her how it should be done, but I knew Bill wouldn’t approve of that idea. Suggestions were one thing, but I knew he’d want to leave the acting to the actors. If only Celeste would get her voice back.

Pres and Alicia looked clumsy and uncomfortable even when they attempted to follow Bill’s directions, giving me hope that Bill might give up and postpone rehearsal until Celeste’s voice returned. Celeste looked as though she would scream if she could. It must’ve been killing her to watch Alicia fill in for her.

"Hey," Josh whispered, "do you think Pres is hot for Alicia?"

I was so startled by Josh’s remark that all I could offer in response was a feeble, "Huh?"

"Well," Josh said, "I’ve had the feeling lately that Pres is interested in
someone
. But he’s always so close-mouthed about his love life. I can’t coax anything out of him."

My mind formed a split screen. On one side danced the hope that I was the one Pres was interested in. On the other side stalked the fear that Alicia was impressing him with her kissing skills.

Finally, after what seemed like a thousand years, Bill was satisfied and he halted the rehearsal for the evening. Alicia looked like someone who’d just received secret inside information that she was about to be crowned Miss America. Pres looked weak in the knees.

"Rehearsing that love scene so long must have worn out poor Pres," Josh joked as Pres wobbled across the stage, Alicia right on his heels.

"Alicia seems to have survived the ordeal," I said. I stood up and turned to talk to Celeste, but she was already heading toward the dressing room. I turned back to Josh. "I’ve got to pick up my jacket and purse. See you at the car."

"Okay," Josh
said.

I decided to cut through the stage rather than take the longer route from the side door leading to the staircase. I picked my way through the ropes dangling in back of the curtain and carefully sidestepped the props stored backstage. Then I heard a voice whose words made me freeze.

"
You’re
the perfect Alta." It was Pres. His voice came from under the staircase.

I stepped into the shadows and peered into the darkness. As my eyes adjusted I could see the outline of Pres and a girl embracing under the stairs. They were kissing. My stomach churned. They swayed, and a shaft of moonlight from a high window caught the girl’s long black hair. Alicia. It had to be Alicia.

I put my hand over my mouth. I was afraid to breathe. I pressed up against the wall, hoping I’d disappear. After what seemed like forever, the two of them drew apart and slipped down the stairs together.

I waited until I heard the door leading out to the back parking lot close, then peeled myself off the wall and ran to the dressing room. I hoped Celeste was there so I could unburden myself about what I’d just witnessed. When I got there the dressing room was empty except for my jacket and purse. I sat down for a few minutes, breathing deeply to compose myself. Somehow I’d have to get through the ride home without scratching off Alicia’s face.

Finally, I gathered my things and walked as calmly as possible to the car. I was the last one there. A small note of triumph arose from my heavy heart when I saw that somehow Celeste had managed to once again get in the back seat with Pres and Josh. Even though it meant I would have to sit next to Alicia, at least she couldn’t get her hands on Pres.

The ride home was interminable. No one except Josh said anything. Thank goodness for his enthusiastic chatter about the championship game and his talk with Brady Bailey. It sounded as though Mr. Bailey had been very impressed with Josh. At least someone’s dream was coming true.