The Last King of Texas

by Rick Riordan

Page 50

 

  "Im wondering," Ines said. She had her legs crossed at the ankles, the tips of her loafers tapping the air with the music. "Should I thank you, or apologize for inflicting myself on you?"

  "No apologies," I assured her.

  "My problems almost got you killed, Tres. "

  "Technically speaking. "

  "And now I feel like Ive been adopted. You and Erainya, George and Kelly, your other friends. "

  "Its an odd family," I admitted. "But our weirdness makes us strong. Youll fit right in. "

  She slapped my knee. "How can I thank you?"

  "Feed Robert Johnson every day?"

  "Guess again. "

  I smiled. Jem and Michael trotted over to us and plopped down on the grass, still counting their winnings. Jem appropriated my peppermint lemon and told me he was going to like this school.

  The junior high bands waltz kept going. A daddy in a three-piece suit was now dancing with his little girl on his toes.

  It looked like fun. "How about this dance?"

  Ines smiled radiantly. "Thats what you want as a thank-you?"

  "Its one of the things on my wish list, yeah. "

  Michael let out a giggle, then caught himself. His mother looked at him, amazed. His ears turned bright red. She looked back at me and her eyes grew suspicious.

  "Whats the joke?" she demanded.

  "You want to dance or not?"

  "A dance. To this music. "

  I nodded. "Have to start somewhere. "

  She pointed her peppermint at me, daggerlike. "Someday, Tres Navarre, youll regret saying that. "

  The hell of it was, I believed her immediately.

  But when she stood and offered me her hand, I took it anyway.