In Over Her Head (16 page)

“What?”
Hmm … was that a compliment or an insult?

“I want to be normal. I want to be regular. I want to stay up late and have sleepovers. I want to stop setting my alarm for quarter to five every morning so that I can get up and train for two boring hours. I want to hang out with friends. I want to play soccer and volleyball. I want to learn to fish, and to knit and bake cookies with my grandma. I don't want to have to watch every morsel of food that goes into my mouth. If I'm hungry, I want to eat! And if I want a Toaster Strudel with icing then I want to have a Toaster Strudel with icing — without guilt! I don't want to be perfect or famous; I need a break!” Exasperated, Piper walks off the stage, leaving us all behind with our mouths hanging open.

The captain walks to the podium.

“Well, it looks like we have a lot to sort out.” He rubs his forehead. “I expect you've heard enough from the Steele family today. So, without further ado, I'll turn the floor over to Hannah, who I'm sure can entertain you with tales of priceless jewels and ferocious sharks.”

With a stern nod of his head the captain is gone, leaving me to lead my very first press conference.

When It Rains, It Pours

T
he
press conference was exciting, amazing, and absolutely exhausting, and as much as I enjoyed it, I'm relieved it's over.

“I'm proud of ya, Han,” Henry says, punching my arm.

“Why?”

“Well, you were so relaxed up there talking to all those important people. It's like you've been doing this your whole life. I was freaking out.”

“Really? You sure didn't look nervous.” I laugh.

“Guess I'm a good faker.”

“Yup, you're a good faker, all right.” I punch his arm back.

“So, Hannah. I had a really good time treasure hunting with you.”

“I had a good time treasure hunting with you, too.”

“Um … I've been thinking and … um … I mean, you're really a sweet girl, and I … and I was wondering if …”

“If what?”

“Um … if I could give you a hug.”

“A hug?”

“Yeah,” he says shyly. “I was just thinking … well … the trip is over and I just want to give you a hug.”

Why didn't he just hug me? Why did he have to make it all awkward by asking? Of course I want him to hug me! He was practically my best friend on that boat, and now he's going back to Australia and I'll probably never see him again.
OMG
, I'll
never
see him again! This is totally awful!

Without thinking, I grab him and hug him so tightly that he lets out a little squeak.

“Oh, sorry.” I laugh, letting go.

“No, that's perfect; I mean perfectly fine. Great, actually.” He chuckles. “Ha! I knew you had a crush on me.”

“Yeah, you wish!” I snort awkwardly. “It's just that I was thinking about you going back to Australia … and I guess it kinda made me sad.”

“Really?” He smiles and raises an eyebrow.

I nod.

He takes a step forward and brushes a lock of hair from my face. “I don't want you to be sad.” He leans in and …
OMG!
What is he doing? He's not going to …
OMG
he is … he totally kisses me! A kiss! A real, honest-to-goodness kiss! My first one! Wait … it was only a peck. Does that count?

He steps back and watches as I brush my finger across my lips. Thank god they're not chapped! That would have been awful!

Henry throws his hands to his head. “I'm sorry … urgh … It's just that you're so pretty and I just like you so much. I'm sorry if I freaked you out.”

It totally counts! It was a REAL KISS!

“No, it was great … I mean … it's fine.” I say trying to sound cool when what I really want to do is squeal with joy!

“Really?” he asks anxiously.

So, this is crazy, right? I mean, who knew I'd be this freaked out? But then again, who knew Henry was going to kiss me, either? All those times when he was goofing around, acting all sweet, I thought he was just being … Australian. I figured they must all be super friendly people. I never thought …

“It doesn't look like you're fine.” Henry covers his face with his hands. “It looks like you're freaked out.”

I
am
freaked out because my friend, who is a sweet, smart, funny, totally gorgeous Australian hottie has a crush on me. Oh my gosh, this is so weird!

“Hannah, say something. Please!” Henry begs.

“It's fine, Henry. Really. I'm not freaked out at all,” I say, crossing my fingers behind my back.

He heaves a big sigh of relief. “Oh, good!”

“Do you have to go back to Australia right away? I mean, it'd be cool if you could stick around for a bit. You could get in a few tennis games with your Uncle Phillip, and we could hang out a little more.” I can feel my cheeks start to burn again.

“Oh yeah, about that. I …”

“Hannah!” A.J. startles me by grabbing my hands. “You were amazing …
as usual
!” he says, spinning me away from Henry.

“Thanks! You, too. Where's Gabby?”

“Saying goodbye to Piper and her dad.”

“How is she?”

“Piper?” A.J. asks.

“Yeah. How are things going with her dad?”

“Hmm … well a few minutes ago, I saw them both chowing down on some big old chocolate éclairs, and she looked like she was in heaven.” A.J. laughs. “I'm pretty sure it was her very first one.”

Little does he know, I just got my
very first
kiss, and I'm floating on air.

“Hannah.” A.J.'s expression turns serious. “I need to talk to you about something,” he says, pulling me out of earshot of the others.

I look back at Henry, who is frowning. This is so awkward!

“So, yeah, about Piper … I'm sorry I didn't see what she was doing to you.”

“Oh well.” I shrug. “She had a lot of people fooled.”

“Gabby told me everything, like how she —”

“A.J., can we talk about this later?”

I don't want to waste time talking about Piper when I should be spending some last moments with Henry.

“Hannah,” A.J. says, clearing his throat. “You know how special you are to me, right?”

“Um … I dunno.” This is getting more uncomfortable by the second.

“Well, you are.” He takes my hands, nervously pressing his thumbs into my knuckles.

“Okay.”

“So, I want to ask you something I should have asked you back in March, on the ski hill.”

Oh my gosh, this
cannot
be happening! He's not going to ask me to be his girlfriend now!

“Hannah,” he leans in whispering.

OMG
, is he going to try and kiss me, too?

“Would you … would you …”

Suddenly, I see Gabby running toward us, giving me the perfect excuse to end this conversation on the spot. I pull my hands from A.J.'s grasp, and cry, “There you are, Gabby. What took you so long?”

“Just having a little heart to heart with Piper before she leaves for Rio.”

“Rio?”

“Yeah, she's going to visit her mom. Did you know she's coaching the Olympic team?”

“Yeah, Massimo told me,” I reply.

“Who's Massimo?” Gabby asks.

“Oh, my gosh, Gabby. Forget about all that now. I need to know! Tell me why you're back!”

A huge grin appears on her face. “How's your French?” she squeals.

“Um … terrible.”

“Well, start brushing up!”

“Why?”

“Because
we're
going to Paris for the rest of the sum-merrr!”

“We're what?”

“All you need to do is say yes!”

“Say yes to what? I have no idea what you're talking about!”

“A reality TV show!”

“What? I just finished one!”

“Well, it's perfect timing, then!” she exclaims with a devilish glint in her eye.

“A reality show about what?”

“They're calling it
The Big Food Fight
! It's like an international teen cooking competition!”

“A what?” I say, shaking my head in disbelief. “Is my boss, Phillip, in on this?”

“Yup … and your director, Patrice. Did you know he's from France?”

“Yeah.”

“And did you know that Patrice just happens to know my Aunt Mimi, who I was working for this summer? Apparently, he comes into her shop all the time when he's home. He loves her macarons!”

“So Phillip, Patrice, and your Aunt Mimi all know one another?”

“Well, they do now! As soon as Patrice told Phillip about the idea, Phillip jumped on a plane to Paris. He met Aunt Mimi, and then the two of them pitched the show to a television network, who went
crazy
over the idea, especially when they found out that the famous Patrice de la Fontaine agreed to direct it! The fact that my Aunt Mimi — owner of the most famous pastry shop in all of Paris — would be involved was the clincher. You know, the icing on the cake.” Gabby laughs.

“Why didn't anyone tell me?”

“Because I begged them not to,” Gabby says. “I wanted to tell you myself.”

“And they agreed, just like that?”

“Hannah, I mean really, how could they resist this face?” She grins and bats her eyelashes.

“Oh.” I laugh. “That would be impossible.”

“Plus, I kind of convinced Phillip that you'd definitely say yes if I asked you.”

“So, Phillip bought your ticket home?”

“Yup!” She giggles. “So, don't make a liar out of me, okay?”

“Gabby, I've never cooked a thing in my life!”

“Oh, Hannah, haven't you learned anything? That means you're perfect! Kids from all over the world are going to be there.”

“When?”

Gabby bites her lip. “Like, in a week!”

“Come on, Hannah.” A.J. grins. “It wouldn't be the same without you.”

“You're going, too?” I exclaim.