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“Really?” It was corny and over the top, but it was nice to hear.
“Yes really. Don’t you know that?”
“No.”
“Well you are. I also heard you stood up to your father. That couldn’t have been easy.”
“How did you hear that?”
“I’m the Mayor’s number one guy. I’m well connected in this town. You don’t think I hear things?”
“Well…” she said, starting to listen.
“Yeah. He’s quite the big, scary fella.”
“He’s just my dad.”
“Riggghhhttt…” he nodded. “And you wouldn’t put up with th at Romeo guy two-timing you.”
She didn’t respond to that one. Not verbally anyway. She did shift a bit on her feet though. He’d hit a nerve.
“Sure,” he continued. “I know that wasn’t easy either. And Nikki, you’re nice to her no matter what she does.”
“What’d she do?”
“See? And you’re charitable enough to give me this dance even though I know you really didn’t want to.”
He was right. She really hadn’t wanted to dance with him, or anyone else. In fact, she hadn’t wanted to go to this party at all. She and her dad were both against it. It was her mom that made them.
“I guess it’s not so bad,” she said, looking up for the first time.
“What’s that?”
“Dancing with you.”
He smiled and pulled her just a little bit closer. She surprised herself when she let him.
“You know you deserve to be happy, right?”
It was such a cliché thing to say, even if it was true.
“Are you happy?” she asked, more than a little sarcastically.
“Me? I’m dancing with the prettiest girl at this party and she hasn’t run away screaming yet. So, yeah, I’m pretty happy.”
Huh… She thought. Not huh, as in what the heck is he talking about? But huh, as in well look at that.
Cheesy poof guy tapped Patrick on the shoulder. “Excuse me.”
“Hmmm?”
“The Mayor wants to see you.”
Patrick looked. The Mayor was definitely waving him over. He had to stop every couple of seconds to pop in another poof, but he was definitely gesturing for Patrick to come and talk to him. And it looked like it wasn’t going to be nearly as pleasant as dancing with Ant.
“Hey. I’m sorry. Duty calls,” Patrick said, tipping his chin in the Mayor’s direction. “Can we maybe hang out again a little bit later?”
Ant looked up into his face and didn’t see the winking cheeseball she expected to see. Instead she saw a glimpse of someone who might actually be a nice guy.
