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something about paying her rent with people who lingered but didn’t eat. She seemed to have cooled just a tiny bit toward me, and I wondered if it had anything to do with Rhys. He pulled out his paper and handed it to me.
    I was impressed. “You’ve made a lot of good changes.” I gave him a few more pointers and then handed the paper back.
    “You’re a good teacher.” He sounded genuine. “I worked on it on Sunday, probably while you smart kids were off having fun.”
    I splashed one of my chips with malt vinegar. “I was at church on Sunday,” I said.
    “Ahhh . . . well, then. An American and a Christian. By all rights I should hate you. But I don’t.”
    I’d heard of a backhanded compliment before but didn’t exactly understand what that meant. Now I did. Did he mean to praise or insult me? I decided to think the best. “Thank you,” I said.
    “You might just change my mind about both,” he said. Two girls came into the shop then and waved flirtatiously at Rhys. He lifted a hand politely but didn’t flirt back. Instead he turned to me.
    I took a bite of fish and considered his last comment. “My church is having a kind of . . . talent show,” I said. Something told me not to mention the real name of it: April Fools for Christ. I had the nagging feeling it would provoke a comment that I wouldn’t like.
    “Oh.”
    “Maybe you could come,” I said. And hear the gospel , I thought. I had to admit the tiniest part of me was also hoping he’d come and publicly support me with all those nice things he said about my being smart and pretty and helpful. It would boost my confidence. I wasn’t sure why he had the power to swing my feelings so much, both up and down.
    “Maybe, Savannah. Maybe. I might just do that.” We chatted for a while, and then he spied some of his mates heading to the back of the restaurant, where the dartboard was. “I’d best join the lads,” he said. “I promised.”
    “I’ve got to get home too,” I said. As I closed up my computer, he leaned close to me. Very close.
    “See you soon, Savannah.” I could feel him drawing me in somehow. Like a magnet. Then he smiled, his teeth perfectly white and even, and his clear blue eyes looking unblinkingly at me. This time they didn’t really seem sled doggish. More like a tiny bit wolfish. But maybe a pet wolf.
    On the way home I had a weird song stuck in my head. It was one of Dad’s favorites, one we teased him about whenever he put on his golden oldies rotation on his iPod.

Chapter 16

    The next night I got to church early to discuss plans for the April Fools for Christ night. I took my guitar, my leather WA Times notebook, and my Bible.
    “I’m so glad you’re here,” I said to Supriya. “It’ll be really fun to do this together.”
    Joe wrote up a roster of performers. Even though I’d been planning to say no, I was actually really happy I’d agreed to do this. It was my church. I wanted to get to know people. And I cared about giving to others.
    About half an hour later, everyone else started filtering in. I got myself a mocha and wandered around meeting people with Supriya. I also looked around a little. Kind of casually, you know. Chill. As the worship team went up to the front, Supriya leaned over and whispered, “He’s not normally here on Wednesdays.”
    Startled, I answered, “Who?”
    “Tommy.”
    “Who said I was looking for Tommy?”
    She just smiled, the music started, and we began to sing. I closed my eyes.
    Was I that obvious? Anyway, Savvy, put it all behind you. He likes Chloe. Focus.
    I went home that night and put away all my romance novels. I left the textbooks out where I could see them. And the latest edition of the WA Times .
    In the middle of the night, I got up again and took one of the romance books back out of the box. It was a Christian romance. A girl had to have hope.

Chapter 17

    The next morning I arrived at the Wexburg Academy Times office a little early again. I was glad