We’ll have pizza with them, but from then on they’re on their own, and so are we— on our own together, if you can stand to have me around. ”
Kenzie could hardly believe her ears. “ But— but I thought—you said … ”
“ I said a lot of really dumb things, ” Steve ad mitted ruefully. “ I was wrong, Kenzie. That’s what I wanted to tell you tonight. I totally misjudged you and your friends. They’re okay, and you’re a lot more than okay. Every time I turn around, you’re doing something nice for somebody—Sarah, Greg, even Nora. Hank told me that you recommended her to your mom. And that Sunshine Club idea of yours really gives our handicapped riders something to look forward to. ” Smiling tenderly at her, he shook his head. “ Kenzie Sullivan, you really are one in a million. And you’re definitely not a prima donna mingling with the common folks just for kicks. ”
Steve’s arms were still around her, and Ken zie felt herself tingling all the way down to her toes. With a shaky laugh, she said, “ Isn’t that what I’ve been trying to tell you ever since we met? ”
“ I guess us reverse snobs have to learn the hard way, ” Steve said. “ By the way, I’m sorry about the way I reacted to your date with Paul. Jeanette told me the whole story today while we were painting. ”
“ I wanted to tell you that we were just friends, ” Kenzie said, “ but you didn’t give me a chance. ”
They sat in silence for a moment, gazing at the darkened sky. Then Steve looked down at her and said, “ There’s one more thing I have to tell you, Kenzie, something really important. ”
“ What? ” she whispered.
“ I’m falling in love with you, ” he murmured into her ear.
“ Oh, Steve. ” Kenzie sighed. “ I’m way past falling. I’m definitely in love with you! ” Snuggling into the warmth of his embrace, she smiled. “ I never thought anything good could come of Dad’s business troubles, but if I hadn’t needed to get a job, we’d never have met . And I’m awfully glad we did!”
Steve’s lips had just touched hers when Ken zie heard the rest of the Lucky R crew cheering and applauding. Embarrassed at having such an enthusiastic audience, she pulled away, but Steve laughed.
“ T h ey’re not paying any attention to us, Kenzie,” he said. “ It’s the fire works—they’ve finally started.”
Looking down into the valley, Kenzie saw cascades of brightly colored sparks as dozens of skyrockets exploded in the night sky above the fairgrounds. “ Do you think maybe we set them off?” she asked with a giggle.
Steve grinned. “ Could be. It’s worth investi gating. Want to give it ano ther try and see what happens?”
Kenzie lifted her face to his. “ I think that’s an excellent idea, ” she said.
As they kiss ed again, a series of Roman can dles burst into showers of golden light. But neither Kenzie nor Steve noticed.
Kenzie could hardly believe her ears. “ But— but I thought—you said … ”
“ I said a lot of really dumb things, ” Steve ad mitted ruefully. “ I was wrong, Kenzie. That’s what I wanted to tell you tonight. I totally misjudged you and your friends. They’re okay, and you’re a lot more than okay. Every time I turn around, you’re doing something nice for somebody—Sarah, Greg, even Nora. Hank told me that you recommended her to your mom. And that Sunshine Club idea of yours really gives our handicapped riders something to look forward to. ” Smiling tenderly at her, he shook his head. “ Kenzie Sullivan, you really are one in a million. And you’re definitely not a prima donna mingling with the common folks just for kicks. ”
Steve’s arms were still around her, and Ken zie felt herself tingling all the way down to her toes. With a shaky laugh, she said, “ Isn’t that what I’ve been trying to tell you ever since we met? ”
“ I guess us reverse snobs have to learn the hard way, ” Steve said. “ By the way, I’m sorry about the way I reacted to your date with Paul. Jeanette told me the whole story today while we were painting. ”
“ I wanted to tell you that we were just friends, ” Kenzie said, “ but you didn’t give me a chance. ”
They sat in silence for a moment, gazing at the darkened sky. Then Steve looked down at her and said, “ There’s one more thing I have to tell you, Kenzie, something really important. ”
“ What? ” she whispered.
“ I’m falling in love with you, ” he murmured into her ear.
“ Oh, Steve. ” Kenzie sighed. “ I’m way past falling. I’m definitely in love with you! ” Snuggling into the warmth of his embrace, she smiled. “ I never thought anything good could come of Dad’s business troubles, but if I hadn’t needed to get a job, we’d never have met . And I’m awfully glad we did!”
Steve’s lips had just touched hers when Ken zie heard the rest of the Lucky R crew cheering and applauding. Embarrassed at having such an enthusiastic audience, she pulled away, but Steve laughed.
“ T h ey’re not paying any attention to us, Kenzie,” he said. “ It’s the fire works—they’ve finally started.”
Looking down into the valley, Kenzie saw cascades of brightly colored sparks as dozens of skyrockets exploded in the night sky above the fairgrounds. “ Do you think maybe we set them off?” she asked with a giggle.
Steve grinned. “ Could be. It’s worth investi gating. Want to give it ano ther try and see what happens?”
Kenzie lifted her face to his. “ I think that’s an excellent idea, ” she said.
As they kiss ed again, a series of Roman can dles burst into showers of golden light. But neither Kenzie nor Steve noticed.
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