Austin’s returns to Hope Hull became the highlight of some students’ high school careers. Hailey wasn’t sure how long it was possible to stay enrolled in junior college, and she had never attended an Austin Harper party, but she had heard about them, so when Misty and her friends started chattering about the barn party that Austin was throwing the following week, she began to wonder if what Misty said was true. Was attending one party at the Harper farm a requirement before graduation? “It’s our senior year!” Misty insisted exuberantly. “We will never have this chance again! It’s not like we are going to come home from college and go party with Austin and his entourage from Memphis! And, after that, we’ll be too old! This is it, Hails! This is our one chance to find out what everyone keeps talking about!”
“So he still just hangs around here throwing high school parties?” Grant clarified as he and Hailey walked into the barn behind Jack’s house.
“Are you really not interested in going?” Hailey asked, having noted Grant’s disinterest in the hushed conversations that Paul and the rest of the team had been having all week.
Grant shrugged. “Currently there is no interest, yet I am becoming more intrigued to discover what the interest is.”
“Is that a yes?” Hailey asked.
Grant smiled “It can be a yes, if you want it to be a yes.”
“I kinda want it to be a yes,” Hailey nodded.
“If you want me to go with you; I will gladly go,” Grant replied. “I mean, the way you town folk talk about it, these secret parties sound like the stuff of legend to me. I have to go …who else will protect you from the headless horseman? Let’s do it.”
“I don’t know,” Hailey sighed.
“What?” Grant exclaimed. “You have spent days trying to talk me into going to this lame party. You successfully engage me in a shamelessly flirtatious diatribe and get me to surrender, and now you’re not really sure if you want to go? Did I miss something?”
“I don’t know,” Hailey shook her head.
“You said that already,” Grant nodded.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Hailey said, blushing. She could feel her cheeks turning red, and she prayed Grant would not notice.
“Are you okay?” Grant blurted.
“I’m fine,” Hailey exhaled. She reached for a broom propped up against the barn wall and began sweeping, trying her best to ignore Grant.
“Did I not act eager enough to go to this party for no other reason than to enjoy the pleasure of your company?” Grant scoffed. “Is that the problem? Are you going all girly on me?”
“Shut-up,” Hailey rolled her eyes. “I’m just not sure I want to go to the party. I mean, I have never been to a real party; I don’t even know what people do at parties…I mean, it’s not a birthday or an anniversary or a holiday, so there won’t be presents or cake…”
Grant laughed and forced the broom from Hailey’s hands.
“Are you laughing at me?” Hailey put her hands on her hips as she watched Grant toss the broom aside.
“Laughing with you, but you missed your cue,” Grant winked.
“How do you do this to me?” Hailey groaned. “How do you make me tell you things, I don’t want to tell you? I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but the reason I don’t want to go to the party with you is that apparently there will be dancing…and I can’t dance, a fact that I didn’t want to share with you.”
“I don’t know how to dance,” Grant shrugged. “I mean not really! I’m not going to bust out into a cha-cha-cha or anything; I just sorta move to the music.”
“I don’t!” Hailey snapped. “I don’t move to the music!”
Grant stared back at Hailey, stifling a laugh.
“Don’t laugh at me,” Hailey slapped his chest.
Outside, Grant heard Jessica begin her warm-up exercises, preparing her voice to serenade Herbert and his friends. Tongue rolls, lip buzzes, and a string of what could only be described as animal mating calls followed. Up the scale, down the scale, up again!
“Perfect timing,” Grant shrugged as he took Hailey into his arms and held her close.
“What are you doing?” Hailey exclaimed, knowing the answer and sounding terrified.
“I’m going to teach you how to dance, Ma’am,” Grant winked.
Hailey giggled until her giggles turned into laughter, and, soon, she had pushed Grant away and was bent over double, so tickled she could not look Grant in the face.
“What is your problem?” Grant stared.
“I’m sorry,” Hailey giggled. She straightened and waved her hands dismissively. “It’s nothing…it’s just that my dad…well, he…when Jess and I were little…he’d…oh, nevermind; I can’t tell you this!”
“Well, you’ve got to tell me now,” Grant poked her. “After that little moment you just had,” he wagged his finger in the air, reliving the total loss of control Hailey had just demonstrated.
Hailey rolled her eyes. “Well, you know…when we were younger…my dad…well obviously Mom wasn’t around… so Dad got stuck doing a lot of things that moms usually take care of…”
Grant held up his hands in surrender. “If this is some story about you getting your period…”
“My gosh, no!” Hailey rolled her eyes. “Geez, is there anything you won’t say?”
“Okay, go on,” Grant urged.
“It’s about the other conversation,” Hailey raised her eyebrow. “It’s about,” she lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper, “the sex talk.”
“I’m sorry; I didn’t hear you,” Grant grinned. “What kind of talk?”
“You heard me!” Hailey pointed.
