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would be like inviting Marty as well. And a little discomfort at having a guest would surely be overridden by my duty to my parents in coercing Marty to come and visit them.
    Or maybe I just liked to stir the pot.
    "Oh...uh, sorry, but I can't," she said, not sounding sorry at all. "I'm going to the movies in Paulbrook tonight. But I've heard Mr. Decker asks a lot of questions about Appomattox Court House."
    I had no idea what the Appomattox Court House was and made a mental note to find out.
    Abby ran me through the checkout line and I paid with the bill Mom had given me. Then Mrs. Bates, by the cleaning 43
    The Stillburrow Crush
    by Linda Kage
    supplies, called for help. As Abby glided off to assist the sheriff's wife, I turned to Marty and watched him double bag the ice cream.
    "Got a letter for you," I said. He stopped bagging and glanced up. "From Mom," I added and slid the envelope down the conveyer belt to him. His shoulders deflated a little but he grabbed it up and pulled out the letter as well as a twenty-dollar bill. He jammed the money into his pocket with one hand and unfolded the note with his other.
    His eyebrows instantly rose. "Walking in the park with Luke Carter, huh?"
    I clenched my teeth and folded my arms over my chest, refusing to show any embarrassment or shock. Mom hadn't said anything to me last night. She hadn't even let on that she'd known at all.
    Dad must've told her.
    I tried to ignore the heat rising to my face and shrugged with one lazy shoulder. "I wrote an article about Homecoming for the paper, featuring the coach and quarterback." Then I got angry with myself, wondering why I was trying to explain it to Marty.
    "Uh-huh. I read it." He snorted the name Lucas under his breath and went back to reading Mom's note. "And helping out the old man in the shop too? You've been a busy girl, brat."
    "I wouldn't have to help him if you'd come home," I said between my teeth, since I couldn't seem to get them unclenched.
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    The Stillburrow Crush
    by Linda Kage
    He glanced up once with a quick scowl, then back down and finished the letter. "And tell Mom I can't make it for supper." He shot a quick glance toward Abby. When he looked back at me, he was stuffing the letter into his back pocket. He wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm going to the movies tonight."
    My arms unfolded and my hands ground into my hips.
    "Just what do you think you're doing?" He frowned and I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "She's only eighteen."
    "Only?" He laughed and tugged on my hair. "That's over a year older than you."
    "And five years too young for you!"
    He pulled back. "So what? Dad's seven years older than Mom."
    My mouth fell open. "It's that serious, then? You're thinking marriage?"
    "No!" He backed away from the counter and ripped the lollypop out of his mouth. "It's just a date. Nothing serious."
    "Then why're you fooling around with her in the first place?" I said, lowering my voice even more. "She's leaving in a year to get a real life. What do you have to offer her, Marty? A stock boy's salary? It looks pretty worthless to me. I mean, the whole relationship is going nowhere right from the beginning."
    He scoffed and pointed the lollypop at my head. "Well, aren't you the pot calling the kettle black? Or have you already forgotten about your little stroll with Luke Carter?"
    My jaw felt tight. I took a second to gather my thoughts.
    OK, I was just trying to cool my temper because I wanted to hit him—bad. If he hadn't mentioned Luke, I might've been 45
    The Stillburrow Crush
    by Linda Kage
    able to sniff and walk off. But since I was still sore about Mr.
    Carter, I had to strike back. When I felt clear I spoke, my voice cool.
    "Excuse me," I said, "but I am not, nor will I ever, go to the movies with Luke Carter. I'm not stupid like you. The only reason he came to see me yesterday was to yell at me for putting his full name in the paper."
    Marty wasn't buying it, though. "He had to hold your hand for that?" he