Under the Open Sky (Montana Heritage Series) (20 page)

             
“I guess, just visited with a few friends mostly. How’s the engine coming, Cade?” Trent seated himself in one of the recliners.

             
“I think I’ve got it. I’m going to finish putting everything back together tomorrow and try it out.”

             
“Anything exciting happen tonight?” Trent asked of his sister.

             
“Nope, boring night,” Amanda shook her head and congratulated herself on not even glancing in Cade’s direction.

             
“I think I’m headed on up to bed,” Trent announced.

             
“Good idea,” Amanda agreed. She was ready to shut herself away and mull over the night she’d had.

             
“Guess I will too,” Cade stood.

             
Leaving only a hall lamp on for her Dad and Naomi, Amanda turned off the TV and followed her brother. At the top of the stairs Trent turned toward the bathroom; then paused to turn to his sister.

             
“Night, Mandy.”

             
“Good night, Trent.” Amanda turned to bid Cade goodnight to find him standing arms crossed and leaning against the stair rail.

             
“What’s wrong with you?” Amanda demanded.

             
“I think my ego may take some time to recover,” he informed her.

             
“Oh?” Amanda frowned at him.

             
“Boring?”

             
Amanda smiled, “I can always tell him,” she shrugged. “Hey, Trent,” she called.

             
Cade grabbed her and slapped his hand over her mouth.

             
“You want to attend my funeral?” he whispered furiously.

             
“Yeah?” Trent called.

             
Amanda was giggling as she managed to free herself. “I love you!” she finally called to her brother.

             
“I love you too,” he returned, his tone somewhat quizzical.

             
Amanda was still laughing as she crossed the hall to her room. She paused at her door to turn back to Cade. Smiling and shaking his head, he was leaning against her brother’s door. Trent stepped from the bathroom and looked between them quizzically, his gaze saying he was almost afraid to ask.

             
“Night, Trent, Night, Cade,” she offered before closing her door and leaning against it; her smile returned. She finally pushed off the door and changed into her pajamas. She sank into the chair of her dressing table and slowly pulled her brush through her hair as she thought over the events of the night.

             
She could still feel Cade’s lips on hers when she closed her eyes. She had never expected a kiss to have the ability to so thoroughly rattle her. For the first time she understood what her brother was always trying to warn her of. That heady rush and sheer surge of pleasure that came from sharing contact and kisses with someone you already liked. She somehow doubted that just anyone would be able to make her feel that way, though; at least she certainly hoped not! Amanda shook her head and resumed brushing her hair, only just becoming aware that her hand had dropped to her lap.

             
So she and Cade were friends. Amanda grimaced. Friends. She met her own gaze in the mirror and shook her head. More than friends, only they couldn’t be; not really. So that left them friends. She snorted. Right. Amanda laid her brush down and pressed her hands to her cheeks. Good grief, there was something tangible between them; she had only just accepted that tonight. It was what Jenny had been saying she realized and grimaced. Not good. If Jenny saw it…what was she stressing over? Cade would return to college in a few weeks and she would return to high school and maybe by summer whatever
it
was would have passed. She certainly hoped so. Didn’t she?

              _____________________________________________

             
Amanda dressed for the party the next evening; she changed several times before settling on a slim line jean skirt that fell just below mid-thigh and a red baby doll top with long fitted sleeves and bust before flaring to just below her hips. She added her boots, straightened her hair, applied make up, and opened her door to go downstairs. Her brother’s door stood open as though he was watching for her and Amanda moved to poke her head in the door.

             
“Hey what are you up to?” she asked the two seated inside.

             
“Being bored,” her brother surveyed her with a frown. “Your legs are gonna freeze off,” he predicted.

             
“I’m not planning on hanging around outside,” she informed him. She glanced in Cade’s direction to find him surveying her appearance appreciatively.

             
“What are you two doing tonight?” Amanda queried as she entered the room and seated herself at the desk.

             
“Don’t know. Be careful tonight, Mandy.”

             
“I will,” she promised her brother.

             
“Good.”

             
Amanda glanced at her watch and stood. “I guess I should be getting downstairs; they’ll be here soon. You two have a good night,” she offered them a smile and started downstairs. She turned to survey them curiously when they followed her.

             
“Just thought I’d see you off,” her brother offered. Amanda, a smile pulling at her mouth, turned. Her brother was funny; irritating but funny.

             
“Hey Pumpkin, you look nice,” her father noted as she entered the room.

             
“Thanks, Daddy,” she grinned.

             
“Very nice, Mandy. I wouldn’t have chosen boots but you look very feminine,” Naomi noted. Amanda had come to realize that feminine was somehow her aunt’s standard.

             
“I think that’s them,” Amanda announced at the sound of a car in the drive.

             
“You let him come to the door; a young man should always come to the door and greet a young lady’s family,” her father instructed as he stood.  Amanda grinned and moved to kiss her dad’s cheek. Her daddy was the best. A knock on the door prompted Sterling into the hallway; Amanda followed. Dropping her bag by the hall table, Jenny was the first through the door; she would be staying the night with Amanda after the party.

             
Glancing around nervously, Chris entered. He looked nice in a pair of fitted jeans, a blue western button up, and his boots. He looked every inch a tall handsome cowboy; which was exactly what Amanda liked.

             
“Good evening, Mr. Jennings,” Chris greeted her father; then had to clear his throat.

             
“Good evening, Chris,” Sterling returned. “You are to have them home no later than eleven- thirty, is that clear?”

             
“Yes, Sir,” Chris nodded. “Hey, Mandy,” he finally greeted her; his gaze swept over her once.

             
“Hi, Chris,” she returned nervously.

             
She was glad that her first date was a double; this was nerve wracking! She watched Chris’s glance bounce off something behind her and turned to find her brother standing, arms crossed, as he surveyed the young man critically. Beside Trent, Cade stood hands part way in pocket, his own gaze intense on the young man. Amanda sighed, both amused and annoyed at the pair. When Cade caught her looking at him, he winked and Amanda had to bite her upper lip to keep from smiling. She turned back to the door to find Jenny watching her with a taunting smile.

             
“See you later, Daddy,” Amanda kissed his cheek.

             
“Have fun and be safe,” her father instructed.

             
“We will,” Amanda offered as she pulled her coat on and stepped out the door.

             
“You look nice, Mandy,” Chris finally complimented her.

             
“Thanks, Chris,” she smiled up at him. Jenny let Amanda and Chris climb into the back seat before seating herself up front. David had a small car rather than a truck as Chris did and had offered to do the driving.

             
“I hope Chloe’s cousin is cool and fun or this evening may be a dive,” Jenny offered.

             
“Guess we’ll see,” Amanda offered. It didn’t take long to reach the large house on a small amount of acreage on the opposite side of town. The house was blazing with lights, cars parked up and down the length of the driveway.

             
“Come in and welcome. I’m Lilly; Chloe’s cousin. Just lay your coats on the bed in the first room on the right down the hall,” Lilly pointed them in the right direction. Amanda and Jenny took the lead and laid their coats on the already crowded bed. The mountain of coats looked ready to topple but stayed put under the weight of four more.

             
The main living space was open, a large wall of windows overlooking the mountains in the distance; a hand full of teens lingered in the open kitchen and dining room around an assortment of snacks. Music pounded from a doorway across the room, a stairway leading down to the basement.

             
“Jenny; Mandy, the Dynamic Duo!” Chloe spotted them as she left the pantry. Someone, Amanda still wasn’t sure, had taken to calling Jenny and Amanda the Dynamic Duo and it had stuck.

             
“Hi, did you put your coats away yet? That’s the only bedroom Lilly didn’t lock. She’s taking her promise to keep us from drinking or stealing away to the bedrooms serious. She’s being totally cool over all though,” Chloe rambled without ever giving them a chance to answer.

             
“Come on, most everyone is downstairs. They haven’t gotten the basement completely finished or furnished yet; that’s partly why Lilly was so willing to let me throw a party. That and Steve is out of town so it wasn’t like we’d be getting on his nerves.” Chloe kept the chatter up all the way down the stairs.

             
They emerged into the basement, the room painted but floors still cement, to find chairs and a couple of worn couches pushed against the wall. Teens packed the space, a few dancing in the center of the room but most lingering around the edges in groups. At the other end of the room, a patio was lit just past two French doors.

             
“Where’s Dede?” Jenny finally got to ask.

             
“Last time I saw her she was hanging on every word Troy said. Did you know she has developed a crush on him?” Chloe’s eyes were bright as she shared this information.

             
“I kinda thought so after last weekend,” Jenny referred to the way Dede had laughed at nearly everything Troy had to say.

             
Amanda lingered and talked with different friends and danced a couple of slow tunes with Chris as the night wore on. Chris, as a date, wasn’t the most interesting person she had ever met. Not like she really had any dating experience, she mused, but she had spent more time talking to others than she had her date. He mostly had stood around watching her; Amanda was beginning to wonder if she had some mysterious new growth on her head. Every so often Amanda caught a glance of Lilly moving through the crowd setting out more food or drinks but over all she tended to forget she was there.

             
When Chris grabbed her hand and pulled her out the doors onto the patio, Amanda, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the cold, followed.

             
“It’s crowded in there,” Chris commented as he moved to the corner of the patio against the house. Amanda followed, dusted snow from the retaining wall and then seated herself on it.

             
“It is,” she agreed. The patio was empty; everyone else had the sense to stay inside, Amanda mused, but didn’t complain.              

             
“Having fun?” Chris asked her.

             
“Mm huh,” Amanda nodded.

             
“Good.” Chris seemed at a momentary loss.               “You’re not like most the girls I date, Mandy.”

             
“How so?” she asked.

             
“Most of them would come out here with the expectation that I wanted to kiss them. You’ve made yourself comfortable and don’t seem to give a damn.”

             
“I’m sorry,” she smiled, “you want to kiss me make your move; I’m not a mind reader,” she informed him.

             
Chris smiled. “Like I said, you’re not like most the girls I date. Come here,” he tugged at her hand. Amanda hopped off the wall and let him pull her close. His moth closed over hers. His kiss was nice, his lips soft and plying but she was relieved to find that it didn’t send her senses reeling. When Chris pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, Amanda broke it gently and stepped back to smile up at him.