669小说网

第21部分（第3页）

Luckily；　Granddad　beat　me　to　it。　He　greeted　them　all　like　they　were　long…lost　family　and　even

seemed　to　know　which　one　was　Matt　and　which　one

was　Mike。　One　was　wearing　a　purple　shirt　and　the　other　was　wearing　a　green　one；　so　it

shouldnt　have　been　that　hard　to　remember　which　was

which；　but　they　came　in　and　pinched　my　cheeks　and　said；　“Hey；　baby　brother！　Hows　it

goin？”　and　I　got　so　mad　I　mixed　them　up　again。

My　mother　zoomed　in　from　the　kitchen；　saying；　“e　in；　e　in。　Its　so　nice　you　all　could

make　it。”　She　called；　“Lyn…et…ta！　Rick！　Weve　got　pa…

ny！”　but　then　stopped　short　when　she　saw　Juli　and　Mrs。　Baker。　“Well；　whats　this？”　she　asked。

“Homemade　pies？”

Mrs。　Baker　said；　“Blackberry　cheesecake　and　pecan。”

“They　look　wonderful！　Absolutely　wonderful！”　My　mother　was　acting　so　hyper　I　couldnt

believe　it。　She　took　Julis　pie；　then　whooshed　a　path　to　the

kitchen　with　Mrs。　Baker。

Lyta　appeared　from　around　the　corner；　which　made　Matt　and　Mike　grin　and　say；　“Hey；

Lyn。　Lookin　good。”

Black　skirt；　black　nails；　black　eyes　—　for　a　nocturnal　rodent；　yeah；　I　suppose　she　was　looking

good。

They　disappeared　down　to　Lytas　room；　and　when　I　turned　around；　my　granddad　was

taking　Mr。　Baker　into　the　front　room；　which　left　me　in　the

entry　hall　with　Juli。　Alone。

She　wasnt　looking　at　me。　She　seemed　to　be　looking　at　everything　but　me。　And　I　felt　like　an

idiot；　standing　there　in　my　geeky　button…down　shirt

with　pinched　cheeks　and　nothing　to　say。　And　I　got　so　nervous　about　having　nothing　to　say

that　my　heart　started　going　wacko　on　me；　hammering　like

it　does　right　before　a　race　or　a　game　or　something。

On　top　of　that；　she　looked　more　like　that　stupid　picture　in　the　paper　than　the　picture　did；　if

that　makes　any　sense。　Not　because　she　was　all

dressed　up　—　she　wasnt。　She　was　wearing　some　normal…looking　dress　and　normal…looking

shoes；　and　her　hair　was　the　way　it　always　is　except

maybe　a　little　more　brushed　out。　It　was　the　way　she　was　looking　at　everything　but　me；　with

her　shoulders　back　and　her　chin　out　and　her　eyes

flashing。

We　probably　only　stood　there　for　five　seconds；　but　it　felt　like　a　year。　Finally　I　said；　“Hi；　Juli。”

Her　eyes　flashed　at　me；　and　thats　when　it　sank　in—　she　was　mad。　She　whispered；　“I　heard