Risky Business (10 page)

That’s it
. Molly whipped her head around. “Dad! Seriously? Let me ask you this…. When you train people at work, do you train them all the exact same way or do you figure out how to reach everyone differently and how each individual is best motivated according to what will achieve the most results?” Molly waited confidently.

“You know the answer to that, because I’ve explained it to you before, Moll.” His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he looked up at the roof of the car and collected his thoughts. “You know what? You’re one smart cookie.”

Molly wiggled her eyebrows and grinned with victory. She offered a concession by throwing him one of his beloved clichés. “Chip off the old block.”

Monday morning magic awaited Molly, Sara, and Jess when they entered the school. Festive posters lined the hallways, and the doors were brightly wrapped like Christmas packages with shiny paper and bows. Glittery stars and sparkly icicles hung from the drop ceilings in classrooms. Teachers had their bulletin boards and windows decorated with die-cut Christmas trees and ornaments. Holiday music softly played on the PA system.

“I think they’re trying to get us in the holiday spirit, wouldn’t you say?” Sara gestured down the hallway strung with blinking colored lights.

“I don’t remember them getting this decked out before. Do you guys?” Molly turned in a full circle as she gazed at the decorations.

Before they could answer, the music stopped and the system squawked and squealed as someone got ready to speak into the microphone. “I think we’re about to find out what’s going on.” Jess pointed up at the speaker on the wall.

Students collectively froze in place and looked up at the ceiling.

“Good morning, students,” the principal’s voice chirped. “On behalf of the faculty of Ford High School, we want to welcome you to Winter Wonderland! Enjoy the holiday decorations, and let them put you in the mood for our Winter Wonderland Dance Festival that’s only two weeks away. I hope you’re making your plans, getting your tickets, and shining up your shoes. It’s going to be the best party this school has seen—ever! And I have the distinct privilege of announcing to you that there will be a live band. Does anyone know of a band called HiJinx?”

Cheers erupted throughout the school, and the principal had to wait a full minute before he could resume his speech.

“I’m so glad you’re excited. We all are! I can’t wait to see you there. It’s going to be something to remember. Merry Christmas, everyone.” The microphone squealed again as it switched back to the Christmas track.

“So, you guys going to the dance?” Molly asked Jess and Sara as they started toward their classes again.

“I’m going to go.” Sara blushed.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re going.” Jess laughed. “You and Brad have been joined at the hip for weeks now.”

“How about you, Jess? You going?” Sara asked.

“I … well … I … I’m not sure,” Jess said evasively.

“Whoa! Are you holding out on us? What’s the story?” Molly pulled Jess to a stop right in the middle of the hallway.

“It’s just that I might—I said
might
—be going with Todd Stotter. We’ve … um … well … we’ve been talking a little.” Jess blushed beet red.

“Really? Wow. I can’t believe you didn’t tell us about that.” Molly was shocked, and Sara just stared. Jess with a guy?
I didn’t see that coming
. She just seemed too independent and self-assured. Who’d have guessed?

Molly decided to be up front with her friends, too. “I’m going to ask someone to take me. Is that too weird?”

“Who? Who?” Sara jiggled impatiently from one foot to the other.

“No, it’s not weird at all. Good for you.” Jess looked impressed. “Who is it?”

“His name is Matt. He’s the brother of one of the girls I work with. He goes to St. Augustine. Christa said he doesn’t have a girlfriend right now. He’s a junior, though. He may not be interested, but he’s super cute. So, I’m going to give it a shot.” She shrugged.

“Wow. You’ve really changed.” Sara looked impressed. “The old Molly would never have had the nerve to do that.”

The bell rang to signal the start of first period, and the girls turned to go their separate ways. “When are you going to do it?” Jess called down the hallway.

“After school today.” Molly yelled back. “Wish me luck.”

Jess and Sara both gave her a thumbs-up. “We’re coming over!” Jess shouted.

Molly just laughed and shook her head.
How did I know she would say that?

After school they giggled their way into the Jacobs house. It seemed like Jess and Sara were as panicked about the phone call as Molly. “What are you two so uptight about? You don’t have to talk to him!”

“We’re just nervous for you,” Sara said with grave sympathy. “I couldn’t imagine doing what you’re about to do.”

“Well quit it! You’re making it worse.” Molly flopped back on her bed and covered her eyes with her hands.

“Is your mom home?” Jess asked wisely. She would have a problem with Molly calling a boy and asking him to take her to a dance.

“No, she’s out at a book club meeting or something.”

“Okay, so quit stalling. Let’s get this thing over with.” Jess held out the phone.

“Okay, okay.” Looking at a scrap of paper she had wadded up in the front pocket of her jeans, Molly sat on the side of her bed with the cordless phone in her hand. She read the number a few times and wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. Her lips moved rapidly as she rehearsed what she wanted to say.

It’s now or never
. Molly punched in the numbers in as fast as she could and then held the receiver to her ear. She took several deep breaths while it rang. “Hello. May I speak to Matt, please?” She nervously shook her hand and crossed her fingers while she waited.

“Hi, Matt. This is Molly. I work with

Christa at Magna. We’ve met a few—”

“Hi, Molly. How’s it going?”

“Oh, you remember me? Great.” She gave Jess and Sara a thumbs-up and then winced.
Why did I tell him I didn’t expect to be remembered?

They grinned and nodded.

“Well, the reason I’m calling is that my school has a big Christmas dance in a couple of weeks. HiJinx is the band that will be playing—can you believe that?”

“Yeah, I heard that at school today. Word travels fast.” He laughed.

“It’s going to be great….” She hesitated, afraid to ask the big question. Jess nudged her thigh and gave her a nod of encouragement.

“Well, I was wondering if you’d like to go to that dance with me.” There. It was over. She’d done her part. Now she just mentally begged him to say yes.

“That sounds like fun, Molly. I’d love to.”

“Really? Awesome! I’m sure we’ll have a fun time. Okay, I’ll be in touch as soon as I have more details. It’s the third Saturday this month—the nineteenth.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it. Oh, hey, let me know what color your dress will be, too. Okay?”

“Okay, Matt. Thanks. I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up the phone, collapsed on the bed, and heaved an exhausted sigh. Then she started to giggle. “I … can’t … believe … I … did … that!” she sputtered out through her nervous laughter.

“I’m totally impressed.” Jess smiled at Sara and nodded.

When Molly recovered, Sara said, “Now that we all have dates, we have to figure out what we’re going to wear.”

“Ugh, I know! Matt told me to let him know what color dress I chose—probably so he could get me a matching flower.”

“Oh, that’s really sweet!” Sara made a fist over her heart and swooned.

“Yeah, but I have no idea what I’m going to wear. I have a little money saved, but I’ve been spending so much on casual clothes for work that I don’t have much. I could ask my mom and dad, but they’ll put up a fight about spending a lot of money on a dress that I’ll only wear once. It would be different if it were prom or something.”

Jess shook her head. “Well, I can guarantee that my parents can’t help me buy a dress, so I won’t even bring it up to them. I’ll have to borrow one from someone or wear something

I’ve got.” She looked thoughtful. “Unless I can figure out a way to earn some money.”

Molly’s eyes brightened. “I have these two dresses from my cousins’ weddings you could see if either of you can wear them. They don’t, um, fit me on top anymore. And there’s no room to let them out.”

“Your dresses will be way too short on me, Moll.” Jess walked to the mirror, held one of the dresses up to her shoulders, and shook her head.

“This one might work.” Molly held up a dusty mint green dress with layers of organza that cascaded into a slight train in the back.

“I’ll try it on … but …” Jess looked skeptical. She pulled it over her head and adjusted it on her tall frame.

Molly and Sara sputtered behind their laughter. It was way too short, and the torso looked all wrong on Jess. The color beautifully set off her sea green eyes, though. “We could have it altered,” Molly offered.

“Thanks, Moll. But with all of these layers of fabric and the delicate beadwork, it would cost a fortune to alter this dress. I might as well buy a new one.”

The second dress was iridescent burgundy with swirls of plum and rich ruby throughout.

It would be perfect for the Christmas dance and would look just right with Sara’s long, wavy dark hair; pale, luminescent skin; and blue eyes.

“Oh, wow! That one is gorgeous. But, yeah, they’re both mermaid-style which will never work over my saddlebags, even if I could get them on.” Sara patted her hips and turned sideways to look in the full-length mirror on the back of Molly’s door. She didn’t even bother trying them on.

Molly went back to her closet and took out a half-gallon glass jar full of coins and dollar bills. She dumped it out on the bed. “Let’s see how much money I have. I’ll share it with you guys if it helps.” They counted it all out across the bed in little piles of ten dollars each: $112.77. “It’s not bad, but I’m going to have to keep out money for the dance tickets. I invited him, after all. That’s twenty-five dollars a couple. I do have shoes I can wear, though.”

“Oh, I do, too. I just remembered,” Sara said. “I have those silver strappy heels that would work with just about any dress.”

“Have an extra pair of size nines lying around anywhere?” Jess lifted her foot in the air.

“Okay, so, eighty-seven dollars needs to buy three dresses and a pair of shoes? Do you think

I’ll have to pay for dinner, too?”

“He’ll probably pay, but you should probably have money just in case. So, you should hang on to another twenty-five dollars.” Jess moved fifty dollars off to the side. “That leaves sixty-two dollars for three dresses and a pair of shoes. It’s not looking good, girls.”

Molly fingered the little ribbon bows on her comforter and then paced the room a few times before sitting at her desk. Maybe they just shouldn’t go.

Sara tapped her fingernails on the nightstand while Jess thumbed through the pages of a fashion magazine on the bed.

Finally Molly got tired of worrying about it. “Let’s go get a snack.”

At that same moment Jess put down her magazine and said, “I have an idea.”

The snack could wait. “What, Jess?”

“Tell us!” Sara immediately stopped her tapping.

“Well,” Jess sat up, dragging her words out. “You know how clothing stores loan out dresses for fashion shows?” She waited for an answer.

Sara just nodded, and Molly said, “Yeah, Magna does that all the time.”

“Okay, now just hear me all the way out, okay?”

Both girls nodded.

“What if we ‘borrow’ “—Jess wiggled her fingers in the air like quotes—”some dresses from Magna, don’t remove the tags or anything, wear them for the dance, and then return them right after it’s over?”

Molly was immediately shaking her head in protest before Jess even finished speaking, Sara looked horrified, but Jess held up her hand. “Hold on, I’m not finished yet.”

They both closed their mouths. Molly crossed her arms and cocked her head to one side.
I’m not liking this one bit
.

Jess continued, seemingly unfazed. “It wouldn’t be stealing because we’d be returning the dresses right away, and you do work there, Molly. I mean, they loan out dresses to people all the time. How much more do you deserve it than perfect strangers to the company?”

“First of all, it most certainly would be stealing, Jess. We can’t be sure that we would be able to return the dresses unharmed. Plus, if we got caught, it would be me who lost my job, not you guys. And, yes, they loan out dresses all the time but by their choice and for marketing reasons, not just so someone can wear a dress for free.”

“Hold on, Moll. You know, it’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” Sara sat up straight on the bed.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re actually considering this?”

Jess got more excited. “Yes, Sara. It’s not a bad idea, is it? And it technically isn’t stealing, is it?”

“No, it’s really not. We’d have to be so careful with the dresses, though.” Sara tapped her chin like she was seriously thinking it through.

I can’t believe this
.

“How would we get them out of the store?” Sara sat forward eagerly.

“We wouldn’t!” Molly punctuated her point by getting to her feet so fast her desk chair almost toppled over. “You guys, this just won’t work!”

“Okay, picture this.” Jess tried another angle. “It’s your shift. It’s the Thursday night before the dance, and it’s really slow in the store. Amy takes her dinner break, so you’re alone in the store. With me so far?”

“I’m with you, but I don’t want to be.” Molly sighed.

“Okay, while Amy’s gone, we come in and grab the dresses that we picked out ahead of time. You’ll have the security tags removed already. We go into a fitting room and put them in a big shopping bag that we carried in with us. We come out of the fitting room and leave the store before Amy comes back.” Jess leaned forward. “Then, after the dance, we come back on Monday night while you’re working and do the same thing—only this time, when we leave, we just leave the dresses hanging there for you to put away before Amy gets back. It can’t fail.”