Time Trials Read Free Page A

okay?” Allison leaned her head toward the window. She mouthed a silent thank you that she hadn’t inherited her mother’s worry genes, and tended to have more of her dad’s self-assurance and leadership traits.
    Allison Jennings had shot up close to five foot ten back in the tenth grade. Living in Corpus, she had become an avid surfer, played softball each year with the local civic club, and generally enjoyed anything that had to do with being outdoors. She grew up being a tomboy, and definitely a daddy’s girl. When his schedule allowed, they’d drive up to Houston to catch a couple of baseball games at the Astrodome. When it didn’t, they’d settle for shooting hoops in the driveway.
    She had two younger sisters, both into girly stuff and much closer to being mama’s girls than she ever had been. Her mother had sewn most of their clothes growing up, and Allison absolutely refused—like rolling-around-on-the-ground refused—to wear anything with ruffles. Unwillingly, her mother acquiesced and made her clothes more tailored, while adding extra flair to the younger sisters’ wardrobes.
    Dating had been so-so for most of high school. Not much to write home about. She’d assumed her height scared a lot of guys off as far as anything serious. However, she had tons of guy friends, mostly involved in sports and surfing. She had girlfriends too, but she wasn’t much into the slumber party scene or wrapping houses, as most females her age seemed to enjoy. She’d just as soon stay home and watch her favorite crime shows, especially Hawaii Five-O…book ‘em, Danno.
    For a while she had actually thought something might be wrong with her. Why didn’t she have dates like her other friends? But one day everything changed. Like a switch had been flipped, just that fast. Even though still every bit a tomboy, some hormonal surge kicked into high gear and altered her perspective on life…and the male species.
    At one of the high school basketball games her senior year, a guy from the opposing team drove the ball down the court. Bam! Something freeze-framed inside of her. Her stomach knotted; her throat felt as parched as swallowing dry popcorn after running out of Coke. For the rest of the game, she followed this guy’s every move, even when he sat on the bench. He wore jersey #25, and the only time she pried her eyes away was to grab her friend’s program. #25–Kevin Leeves.
    She had no idea what was happening. What she did know was that she had to meet him. Like a scene right out of The Godfather , she felt she’d been struck by a thunderbolt. The same one that had zapped Michael Corleone in Sicily when he first laid eyes on Apollonia. The Godfather had been and still remained her favorite novel. Recently brought to the big screen, her reaction to the thunderbolt theory had remained the same…a little far-fetched. Until now. 
    After the game, she did something only a ridiculous groupie would do. She planted herself somewhere between the locker room exit of the basketball stadium and the bus that would take #25 and his team back to Gregory-Portland High School. Allison’s mind had time-traveled forward, weaving a hopefully convincing conversation starter. Unfortunately, none of that materialized into actual words by the time she saw him walking to the bus. In a total un-Allison move, she literally bumped into him, which turned out to be a little more forceful than intended, and stumbled through some stupid question like, “Hey, isn’t your name David? Didn’t we meet at…?”
    He was kind, apologized for bumping into her (yeah, like it was his fault), and introduced himself as Kevin. Anxious to continue the shaky conversation, Allison proceeded with, “Oh really? You look just like this guy named David.” She bit the side of her lip, then remembered she needed to be charming. She tried to smile, hoped she did, but didn’t have a clue what expression she wore. “You know, I’m in Portland all the time.”