Part 5 (1/2)

”How does this look?” Katie stepped out on the deck wearing an oversized white T-s.h.i.+rt and shorts.

”Oh my!” Marti said, looking concerned. ”Is that the best you can do?”

”Well, this was originally an invitation to go houseboating, not to the prom,” Katie said sarcastically. ”I would have brought my black sequined evening gown with matching gloves and mink stole if you had told me.”

Christy glanced down at her own jean shorts and the rolled-up long-sleeved denim s.h.i.+rt with a torn pocket. I wonder why Aunt Marti didn't criticize my outfit? Does she think a person only has to look good when she's trying to get a boyfriend?

”Let's do this.” Marti fussed with the long ends of Katie's T-s.h.i.+rt and tied them into a knot at her right hip. ”Much more flattering. Shows off your flat stomach.”

Katie laughed, startling Marti. ”Thanks for the tip, but I'm not much of a knot-on-the-hip type of person.” Katie untied it and let the now-wrinkled s.h.i.+rt hang naturally. ”I did put on some makeup. Did anyone notice?”

In the dimming light of the evening sky, Christy hadn't. She and Marti both moved in closer to examine the makeup. It was hard to tell, but in a subtle way Katie's green eyes looked larger and more sparkling.

”There's always your personality.” Marti stepped back and gave Katie another up-and-down scan. ”You have a wonderful personality. Use it to your advantage, dear.”

Then excusing herself to find the boys, Marti waltzed past Christy and Katie and into the bright lights of the houseboat kitchen.

”Use your personality, dear,'” Katie mimicked. ”I think I just got slammed big time. What do you think?”

”I think we should both relax a little and enjoy my aunt's game of Enchanted Evening. What do you think?”

”I think...” Katie hesitated. ”Never mind what I think. You're right. This could be a lot of fun. Just the four of us. No unexpected angels' dropping by. I hope.”

”I don't think so. Natalie's houseboat pulled out while you were in the shower.”

”So we just stand here and act casual until the guys show up?”

Just then the motor to the houseboat started, and Bob began to maneuver their way out of the cove and into the main part of the lake.

”What's going on?” Katie asked.

”My uncle wanted to be closer to the marina so we can check in earlier in the morning. Aunt Marti is going to serve our dinners while Bob floats our restaurant under the stars. Pretty fun, don't you think?”

Katie started to brighten up a little. ”Yeah, I guess this could be kind of fun. It'd be even more fun if I didn't feel like such a fas.h.i.+on degenerate.”

Christy laughed. ”You look fine. Look at me though. I'm the slob of the year!”

”Hardly. You always look cute. Even in grubbies you look cute. How do you do that?”

”Do what? I don't do anything.”

”That's what I mean,” Katie said. ”You're one of those people who looks good in anything.”

Before Christy had a chance to return a compliment to her insecure friend, the guys entered the kitchen, filling the compact area with their presence. They immediately evoked Marti's laughter.

”What's so funny in there?” Katie asked, trying to peer through the mesh in the screen door.

The guys turned toward them and headed for the back deck. Apparently they had taken Marti's grooming threats to heart. Both guys had parted their hair in the middle and watered it down so that it stuck to their heads. They both had on T-s.h.i.+rts and shorts, but they had constructed bow ties out of paper towels and had somehow fastened them to their T-s.h.i.+rts at the neckline.

”Come meet your dates.” Marti said with hints of laughter still tickling her voice. ”Right this way, gentlemen.”

Marti ushered them out to the deck, where Katie and Christy stood waiting. The guys smiled, and Christy noticed something dark on Doug's upper lip.

”Good evening,” Doug greeted them, twitching his face a little and drawing attention to his painted-on mustache. ”I'd like to thank whichever one of you left your mascara in the bathroom. I found it very useful.”

They all laughed. Todd pulled out his chair and sat down. Doug followed his example. Under Marti's firm glare, Katie and Christy remained standing, waiting for the guys to pull out their chairs.

”Oh, I beg your pardon, miss.” Doug caught on before Todd and rose to pull out Katie's chair. ”May I?”

Katie graciously lowered herself into the folding chair and played right along. ”Oh, thank you ever so much, kind sir. There's nothing like a man with a mustache to add that festive touch to any occasion.”

”That's me.” Doug pretending to twirl his mustache. ”The man with the festive touch.”

Todd pulled out Christy's chair, and Marti said, ”Please make yourselves comfortable. Your salads are before you, and I shall return momentarily with a basket of bread sticks.”

The houseboat slowly motored across the lake as the sun slid behind the hills. A gentle evening breeze rose from off the water.

”Look over there.” Todd pointed to the hills to the left. As they watched, the moon rose like a prize-winning harvest pumpkin and lit their table the way a paper lantern lights up a garden party.

”Awesome,” Doug said.

”Isn't it beautiful?” Katie asked. ”What a perfect night. A *bella notte,' as they say. All we need is spaghetti and meatb.a.l.l.s and a couple of Italian waiters to sing to us.”

”Why?” Doug asked.

”Because it feels like the night in that movie when the dogs are eating spaghetti, and the boy dog uses his nose to push the last meatball over to the girl dog.”

”Why didn't you say so?” Doug playfully used his nose to nudge the cherry tomato from his salad off his plate and toward Katie. The tomato made it about halfway to Katie's plate before it toppled over the side of the card table and hit the deck with a splat.

”Now we know why they used a meatball in the movie.” Doug said dryly.

They all laughed, and Christy felt happy. Very happy. She wondered if Todd was enjoying all this as much as she was. He looked downright silly with his slicked-back hair and paper towel bow tie. She would expect this kind of goofing off from Doug. It was a nice surprise to see Todd acting a little crazy.

Just one more reason to like him so much, Christy thought. I wonder if Todd enjoys being around me as much as I enjoy being with him? The way Doug is teasing Katie, I wonder if he's starting to get more interested in her?

Todd prayed for their food, and they dug in, chatting and dining under the moon. Marti appeared right on cue with two dinner plates steaming with the main course of rice, broccoli, and chicken with some kind of lemon-b.u.t.ter sauce and sprinkled with slivered almonds. Marti served Christy and Katie first and then returned with two plates for the guys.

”Is everything to your liking?” Marti asked.

”Great,” Todd said.

Christy thought it looked great except for the nuts. She hated nuts. She'd tried some in the past and had thought they were okay. But now she was back to disliking them. Maybe no one would notice if she discretely sc.r.a.ped off the almonds and pushed them to the side of her plate.

”Do you happen to have any meatb.a.l.l.s?” Doug asked. Christy could tell Marti was a little perturbed that they were being so silly and not acting mature and romantic as she had planned.

”I'm going to put some music on these outside speakers,” Marti announced. ”Some soothing dinner music to help set the mood for you young people.”

A few moments later, the strains of sweet violins surrounded them.

Katie burst out laughing. It's the Italian music we ordered!”