Taffy Sinclair 004 - Taffy Sinclair and the Romance Machine Disaster Read Free Page B

like to be walking into Mama Mia ' s with a date and how it would feel if that date were Randy Kirwan.
    " Oh, hi, Randy. Why don ' t you sit here? We can squeeze in one more person. "
    Explosions went off in my heart. I ' d know that voice anywhere. It was Taffy Sinclair, and she and Mona Vaughn were sitting at a big table with Mark Peters and Scott Daly, Randy ' s two best friends. Taffy was smiling at Randy and batting her eyelashes. It was her fake smile, the icky sweet one she always used on cute boys, but this time she was overdoing it. Beside her, poor ugly Mona Vaughn was trying to imitate Taffy ' s icky sweet smile. She was even trying to bat her eyelashes like Taffy. Usually I felt sorry for Mona since she worshiped the very ground Taffy walked on and followed her around as if she were Taffy ' s slave. But this time I was furious, even at Mona.
    " Look, Randy. Someone ' s leaving over there, " I said triumphantly. I was talking to him and pointing to a table where three high school boys were getting up, but I was looking at Taffy Sinclair. She was looking back, and if looks could kill, we would both have been goners.
    " Great, " said Randy. " Thanks, Taffy. We ' ll see you later. "
    Over my dead body, I thought. Then I stuck my nose in the air and followed Randy to our table. Everyone had stopped staring at us and started talking again but not before they saw me get the best of Taffy Sinclair.
    When the waitress stopped at our table, Randy ordered us a large deep-dish pepperoni, green pepper, and mushroom pizza and two large Cokes.
    When the food came, I took a bite and strung the cheese out in front of me the way I always did, winding it back around my tongue. Across the table, Randy was doing the very same thing. I thought about Taffy Sinclair, and I was so happy I thought I ' d die.
    " What is your favorite animal? " He asked the question so abruptly that the Coke I was drinking almost snorted out my nose.
    " I love dogs, " I said. " But our landlord won ' t let us have one in the apartment. "
    " Dogs are my favorites, too. I have a dog named Heidi. She loves to play, and I ' ll bet you ' d really like her. "
    My heart skipped a beat. I had seen Heidi once when I rode past his house on my bicycle. She was a keeshond, and she was definitely one of the most beautiful dogs I had ever seen. I couldn ' t believe it. Randy was practically asking me over to play with her.
    The more we talked, the more we found we had in common, and we talked faster and faster, almost interrupting each other sometimes.
    " I absolutely hate onions, " said Randy.
    " Me, too. And brussels sprouts. Do you like brussels sprouts? "
    " Are you kidding? They ' re gross! " Randy made a face that was so funny I doubled over laughing.
    We found out that we both love going to amusement parks and riding the roller coaster and going to the beach and watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. I couldn ' t remember when I ' d had so much fun. I was glowing all over. And best of all, my tongue hadn ' t gone numb once.
    Just then something caught my eye. It was Beth and she was looking at me and waving like crazy. I looked back, and she pointed toward the ladies ' room. I knew that meant that she had to talk to me, so I told Randy that I would be right back and followed her.
    " What do you want? " I asked, but before she could answer, girls were pouring into the ladies ' room.
    " Oh, Jana. It ' s so exciting, " gushed Melanie.
    " Yeah, " said Alexis. " We ' re dying to know what ' s going on. "
    Suddenly questions were coming at me from all directions, and they were coming so fast that I couldn ' t answer any of them.
    " Did you ask him out, or did he ask you? "
    " You can tell he ' s having a good time. What are you talking about? "
    " Did he say if any other boys are going to ask girls out? "
    " I have to get back, " I said. " Randy ' s going to wonder what happened to me. I ' ll tell you all about it later. "
    I started to leave when I felt a hand on my