Page 67 of A Summer Mismatch
Smitty:Me too.
Horace:But that doesn’t mean I want our grandkids anywhere near each other.
Smitty:We’re on the same page about that.
Horace:Good. Winnie made Julia a dress for the Watermelon Gala.
Smitty:It’s supposed to be a romantic night, if I understand correctly.
Horace:Yes. Lights, music, elegant food and decorations.
Smitty:Sounds like a disaster in the making.
Horace:Exactly
Horace:But I have an idea.
Smitty:Should I be concerned?
Horace:Only if you are afraid of a little adventure. Operation break-up Logan and Julia is moving full-speed ahead.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Julia
Juliaracedtodropoff the van keys in the principal’s office after coming back to the school from Reading Buddies. Mr. Meyers was filling out some paperwork when she knocked on his open door.
“How did things go today?” he asked her.
“Great. No tears, which is all I can really ask for.”
Mr. Meyer laughed. “Yeah, that’s a feat.”
She set the keys on the edge of his desk. “Just to remind you, I won’t be able to help out Monday with the afterschool program.”
He frowned. “Did I know about this?”
“Yes. I mentioned it a couple weeks ago. And sent you an email.” She knew it sounded like she was asking him a question, and she hated that. She clearly remembered talking to him about it.
He shook his head. “No, I’m pretty sure this is the first I’ve heard of it, and I need you Monday.”
She let out a short breath of frustration. “I can’t come Monday. I need to take my brother to an important appointment.” Her mom had tried to reschedule it until after their trip, but the cardiologist didn’t have another opening for almost three months, and Mom didn’t want to have to wait that long to get Cameron checked. Julia had assured her she’d take him and report back.
He nodded and started to say something when his phone rang. He looked down at his screen with a furrowed brow. “I’ve got to take this. Have a good weekend.”
“Thanks. You too.”
The humidity hit her the moment she walked out of the cool building. All she wanted was an ice cold soda and a dip in the pool. Except tonight was the Watermelon Gala. Even better. Her stomach flipped.
When she picked Cameron up from her grandparents’ house, Grandma handed her a cream-colored dress bag. Their schedules hadn’t aligned for a fitting, but Grandma had sewed so many dresses for Julia, she knew exactly how to size it.
Cameron went to rest when they got back to her apartment, and she started getting ready right away. Shower, shave her legs, and then she put on her makeup and did her hair. She’d decided to go with a soft palette for her makeup, peaches and pinks. And she had curled her hair in long, loose waves that fell around her shoulders. She pulled half of it back to expose her ears and neck, and then turned to the side to view her profile in the mirror. She loved it.
She paused to peel an orange for Cameron, who had woken up and was playing a game on her tablet, and then went into her bedroom to put on the dress Grandma Winnie made for her.
She unzipped the cream dress bag she’d hung in her closet in one fast motion, already loving the lavender color she spotted at the shoulder. This was going to be gorgeous. Grandma Winnie never disappointed.
She pulled the edges of the bag apart and stared.
