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“My goodness, Mattie—have you been running? You sound all out of breath!” her mother exclaimed.
“Huh? Uh, no. I mean, yes—trying to get to the Bake-off on time!” Mattie panted.
“Well I hope you’re almost there because I just got a call saying they want all the contestants there a half hour early,” her mother said.
“What?” Mattie looked at the time on her phone. They reallyweregoing to have to run! “I gotta go, Mom!” she exclaimed. “I’ll talk to you later!”
“I’ll see you at the Bake-off judging!” her mom said. “Go win that prize, Mattie!”
“Thanks—I’ll try.” Mattie clicked off and looked at Grath, who was frowning in apparent concern.
“Did we do better with the kissing that time?” he asked.
Mattie shook her head.
“Not really, but we don’t have anymore time to, uh, ‘practice’ now. We have to get over to the Civic Centerimmediately.”
“Too bad we decided to walk instead of taking my ship,” he growled. “But come on—we can still make it.”
“I don’t know…” Mattie looked down at her high-heeled boots in dismay. “I don’t think I can run in these things—especially not in the icy snow!”
“Come up here, then.” Taking her hand, Grath helped her stand on the bench, then he turned and crouched in front of her. “Get on my back, little girl,” he commanded. “And let’s go.”
“What? You want to give me a piggy-back ride all the way to the Civic Center? But it’s almost a mile away!” Mattie protested. “You’ll break your back—I weigh too much.”
“I could lift you with one arm tied behind my back,” Grath growled. “Now get on board so we can go! You have to make your big, tender balls for the judges and beat your tormentor! Today you will have vengeance!”
His battle cry inspired her and Mattie found that she was half-laughing by the end of his little speech.
“All right then—whatever you say,” she said. Taking a deep breath, she leaned forward and put her arms around his neck. Then, with a little hop, she got her legs around his waist. Grath curled his muscular arms under her thighs, supporting her with apparent ease.
“I’ve got spikes at the bottom of my boots, so don’t worry about the ice,” he told her. “Just hold on and give me directions as we go.”
“All right!” Mattie breathed in his ear. “Then let’sgoooo!”
The last word was torn from her throat in a gasp as Grath leaped forward, flying down the path with her on his back as she clung to his broad shoulders for dear life.
They were on their way to the Bake-off and nothing was going to slow them down!
SIXTEEN
MATTIE
The wind rushed through her hair and Mattie found herself laughing with exhilaration as Grath carried her through the streets of Christmasville. She saw shocked glances everywhere they went—some disapproving and some envious—but she didn’t pay any attention. She just kept calling out directions to the big Hybrid as he ran through the streets, dodging pedestrians and traffic alike in their headlong rush to the Civic Center.
“Left at this street!” she shouted as he ran. “Now take a right! There it is—up ahead! That big, two-story building with the Christmas Tree out front!”
Almost before she knew it, Grath was coming to a halt in front of the Christmasville Civic Center, which was decorated within an inch of its life with a giant Christmas tree and a life-size Nativity Set out front.
“Down, little girl,” he ordered, crouching again so that Mattie could slide off his back. He wasn’t even breathing all that hard, though his midnight eyes were bright from exertion.
“Thank you,” Mattie said breathlessly. “Come on—I think we should just about make it.”
Grath pulled open the glass door and she stepped into the familiar front lobby of the center. It was decorated with a small, burbling fountain and a lot of potted plants which had all been strung with Christmas lights. A staircase on one side led to the upstairs classrooms and on the other side of the room was the glass window that led to the center’s front office.
“Hi—we’re here for the Bake-off,” Mattie said to the clerk behind the window.
The clerk nodded.
