Chapter 21

TORI AND BRANDON stopped in Des Moines for a burger and a movie on the way home, extending their date as much as possible. They’d held hands all afternoon and had a few really nice kisses in the theater. When they pulled into Tori’s drive, she had him park by the barn. Then the making out got serious. Tori was afraid things might be going too fast and pushed away a bit.

“Marines?” she asked, remembering Brandon’s earlier comment.

“I think so. I mean, look around. From what I can tell, Bartley is a really nice town and all, but it’s not exactly brimming with opportunity for guys who aren’t farmers and aren’t headed to college. I can’t see settling down to a minimum wage job and trying to get married and raise kids with no more support than that,” he said. “How about you?”

“Believe it or not, I’ve been thinking about the same thing. I’m not opposed to having babies, but I’d like to see some of the world first. I talked to a recruiter over Christmas break. Um ... Don’t tell anyone, okay?” she said.

“No problem. I understand small town gossip can be killer.”

“Where’d you live before this?”

“Cedar Rapids. Washington Warriors. Yay-rah.”

“That was the most unenthusiastic cheer I’ve ever heard,” Tori laughed.

“It’s a 4A school and has four boys’ basketball teams—freshmen, sophomores, junior varsity, and varsity. The chances that I’d ever get to play in a real game were slim,” he chuckled. “Coming to Bartley really gave me an opportunity to play.”

“But you’re good! Why wouldn’t you get to play at Washington?”

“I’m only five-eleven. Twelve of the fifteen varsity players are over six foot and the three shorter ones are prodigies. Probably like Dennis. I don’t know why he doesn’t play,” Brandon said.

“You didn’t know Dennis our freshman and sophomore years in school. For that matter, all through grade school and junior high. I was in class with him and never even looked at him until we were in track season as sophomores. He was short and wore thick glasses. During the summer a year ago, he had eye surgery and grew eight inches. And he’s a workout demon, so all of a sudden, we had an Apollo in our class. Last year, there were even kids who introduced themselves to him who had no idea who he was,” Tori said.

“Yeah, well he could play now, right? He’s certainly got a lot of hot girls as girlfriends.”

“Don’t even think about the other hot girls. This is the only one that counts, mister. Besides, all the girlfriends were on board before his surgery and growth spurt. There was just something irresistible about him when he started leading conditioning. And ... um ... his peripheral vision isn’t good. He has to wear goggles if he gets on the court to play so his eyes don’t get hurt. Still, don’t ever challenge him to one-on-one. Ask Bryce what happens.”

“Well, just watching him in conditioning, I wouldn’t want to compete with him. Um ... I’m not competing with him now, am I?”

“No, baby. Right now, I’m all yours.”

They went back to kissing and Brandon was invited to get personal with two of the world’s most perfect tits. Finally, Tori gasped and pushed him back.

“I don’t want to be a tease, but this is just our second date. We shouldn’t go any further than this. I think I’d better go in.”

“Yeah, you’re right, and I’m not really prepared for anything more, you know?”

“Yeah. Rule number two, never without protection,” Tori said, automatically. “And ... um ... Never before the third date.”

“I’d like to have a third date, Tori. Do I have a chance at that?”

“I’m available all day tomorrow.”

“What do you think, Dennis? Is Brandon for real or should we have an intervention with Tori?” Natalie asked when the five had gathered at Amy’s house.

“Honest? I don’t see a single red flag, except he’s dating a girl I still kinda love. And I suspect that’s why you’re asking the question,” Dennis said.

“Yeah. I mean, we knew she’d find someone when she broke up with us, and I really wish the best for her, but I still feel protective,” Amy said.

“Our best bet is to not interfere at all and let things play out as they will. Broken hearts are part of life. I don’t wish that for Tori, but I don’t want us to mess anything up for her, either,” Brenda said.

“Easy for you,” Amy sighed. “You live way down in Salter with the woman we all want to be closer to.”

“It’ll come, sweetie. We just can’t rush it. There’s too much at stake.”

“Rosie, we’re going to rest that ankle again tonight,” Dennis said on Tuesday as the team prepared to travel to the Hounds.

“It feels okay.”

“I’m glad it does, hon, but I don’t want to risk not having you for the regionals. I shouldn’t have tapped you to play Friday, but we were kind of desperate with so many girls sick. I needed you to come in off the bench and you did just great.”

“It was hard to stay out of the scrum under the basket. I’m not used to playing guard,” she said.

“You did exactly what we needed. That’s being a team player. Remember, Diane didn’t score until that last second slam. I really want you ready and fit for the tournament, so keep working it, but let’s not get you in a situation where you could be injured again.”

“Okay, Coach.”

Rosie headed for the locker room to help others before the hour-long bus-ride to the Hounds.

“You really care about all of them, don’t you,” Josie said.

“Yeah. I’d never forgive myself if I put Rosie in when it wasn’t necessary and she got injured. She’ll anchor the team next year,” Dennis said.

“Look at me,” Josie commanded. Dennis snapped around to face his assistant. “I mean you care about each girl, not just about the team. Even the freshmen who don’t ever play on the varsity team worship you. And it’s all because of the way you care about them. It will be hard not having the leadership of Natalie, Diane, and Tori next year, but whoever gets tapped to be coach is going to have a lot to live up to.”

“Um ... Thanks, Josie. How are things going with you and the family? I hardly ever see Lyle these days.”

“State tournament is this week and we’ve got some boys—and a girl—who stand a chance to place. He’s been buried in the prep. It sure is nice to have Fru Elsa helping out there. She does a lot more than I do here for the girls,” Josie said.

“She’s got you calling her ‘Fru Elsa,’ too?” Dennis laughed.

“The whole team. She’s like their den mother. Even Lyle calls her that.”

“She’s really great. So, um ... with both you and Lyle here at school, is Lydia holding up okay? Maybe we should organize a cleaning brigade as a thank you. After the season is over, I’ll come out to check the fields and equipment. Randy’s still managing the farm and he’s told me he wants me to plant wheat as soon as we can get into the field.”

“He’s a great landlord.”

“He manages the rental, too?”

“Oh. Maybe you aren’t supposed to know. But I opened my mouth anyway. Randy and Elsa own the property. We rent from them.”

“Gosh! I had no idea. No wonder he wants me to work the farm this summer. I’m not sure how long I’ll be here this summer, though. It depends on how fast I manage to move,” Dennis said.

“You’re going to Salter?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Well, keep up appearances. At the moment, the heat has shifted from you to us,” Josie said.

“What’s happening?”

“Some busybody is raising questions about Lyle’s unorthodox family and suitability as a coach for high school students. It’s not the first time we’ve faced that. It will be okay.”

“Somebody always has to make trouble. Good luck. If there is anything we can do, please let us know,” Dennis said.

“We’d better head for the bus.”

It was a vastly different game Tuesday night than it had been on Friday. The Angelines were still a little embarrassed about their early-season defeat of the Hounds 75-4. They didn’t want to humiliate their opponents, but it was hard when a team played as badly as the Hounds did.

The Angelines couldn’t have given the Hounds more opportunities if they had shot for them. At the end of the first quarter, they led 25-5.

“At least they’ve scored more in this quarter than they did in the whole game last time,” Amy sighed. She’d hit two baskets when the Hounds left her all by herself on the right side of the key.

The big surprise of the game was Tori. She played the point guard, and whenever the shot clock was winding down, she threw the ball at the basket. And sank them. By the end of the third quarter, she’d made seven of nine three-pointers. She added two from inside the circle and a free throw to end the game with a personal best of 26 points. Dennis played three of the freshmen he’d brought along for most of the fourth quarter with the thirty-five-point continuous clock running. The Hounds finally found someone they could compete with and outscored the Angelines 16-4 in that quarter. That was far from being able to overcome the huge deficit and the Angelines took home their twentieth victory of the season 77-32.

The boys did not fare as well in this meeting. They’d defeated the Hounds 65-50 early in the season, but the Hounds came back in this game to claim a 55-59 victory over the Wolverines. They would face even stiffer competition Thursday night against the Terriers.

The Tuesday night game should have been their last game of the season, but the game against the Terriers had been postponed from earlier in the season when both teams had been struck by the flu and couldn’t field a team. That meant Thursday would be the last game of the season and would be played at home.

“You guys were awesome last night,” Brandon said when he came to the table at lunch. “Especially you, hotshot!”

“I just kept putting them up and they kept dropping in,” Tori laughed. “You didn’t do bad yourself with eighteen.”

“Wasn’t enough to pull it out. Now the guys think I was bad luck.”

“They should be thinking about the Hounds’ star player who wasn’t in the game the first time they played,” Dennis said. “That game’s past. How are you going to stack up against the Terriers tomorrow?”