Silver Linings by Debbie Macomber Page A

he was.
    “Do you think Ryan will definitely show?” Katie asked.
    Coco was sure of it. “Of course he will. His ego is much too big to miss the adoration.”
    But adoration was the last thing Coco intended to give Ryan Temple.

Katie’s attitude toward algebra and James did change, and his attitude toward her did as well. She applied herself, made an effort to understand what he told her, and followed his detailed instructions. Now that the resentment didn’t shimmer off him like the summer sun on concrete, she felt less nervous. Katie remembered the first time she caught on to the concepts James was trying so hard to teach her. Once she had that breakthrough, everything else seemed to fall into place. For whatever reason, she’d convinced herself that she wasn’t any good at math and would never learn. Thankfully, after a few rough spots, James’s patience and encouragement had helped her see the light, and it was bright and beautiful.
    “I get it, I get it.” She beamed with pleasure and turned to smile at James, so excited that it was difficult to remain in her chair.
    He gave her a high five and seemed as happy and excited as Katie was herself.
    At their next session she proudly showed him her test paper. She’d aced it and she had James to thank. She would never have gotten a passing grade if it hadn’t been for him and the hours and hours of work he’d put into tutoring her.
    James’s smile said it all. “See, I knew you could do it.”
    “Thanks.” She sat beside him at their table in the school cafeteria. The afternoon tutoring sessions with James had become her favorite part of the week and she missed him on the days they didn’t meet. They passed in the halls a couple times each day, heading in opposite directions. They had different times for lunch. The only class she could be assured to see him in was Algebra 2.
    “It doesn’t look like you’re going to need a tutor any longer.”
    Immediately her happiness sank straight through the floor. That meant she wouldn’t be seeing James anymore. Unable to hide her disappointment, she lowered her head. His comment explained his good mood, too. After today he would no longer be saddled with her. The sense of loss was instantaneous. She considered him a friend and was starting to have a bit of a crush on him.
    “I guess this is it, then? Our last meeting,” she said, forcing a bit of enthusiasm in her voice. It was all she could do to pretend she couldn’t care less if she saw him again or not.
    “What do you mean?”
    “We won’t be seeing each other again.”
    “What makes you think that?” he asked, frowning.
    “You said…”
    He looked confused. “You don’t need a tutor, but that doesn’t mean…well, unless you’d rather not spend time together.”
    Katie chanced a look at him. “You want to hang out with me?”
    “Yeah, definitely.” He didn’t sound overly sure. “I enjoy being with you.”
    The bubble of joy that burst through her was enough to make her want to cry, which of course she didn’t. That would have embarrassed them both. “You do?”
    “You tried really hard with this stuff, Katie. I know it wasn’t easy for you, but you didn’t give up. The thing is, I would rather be with you than play basketball.”
    Unable to stop herself, she smiled at him. “I’d rather be with you than anyone.”
    James smiled back and then shifted his gaze away from her. “I was thinking,” he said, and hesitated, looking nervous all of a sudden. “Would you like to go to the dance with me on Friday after the game?”
    The numbness started right in the center of her chest at her very core, right at her heart. This feeling of loss and bitter disappointment was what happened every time she learned that she was being transferred to a different foster home. That tingling pain quickly spread out to her arms and legs. Before she could stop herself, she grabbed her books and raced out of the cafeteria so fast she nearly tripped on the