Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally Page B

who could only be Ty’s sister is sitting on the couch reading a magazine and watching television. She must be thirteen or fourteen and must be breaking al the boys’ hearts at her new school. When she sees Ty, she jumps up from the couch and hugs him.
    “How was the game?” asks his sister, a tal girl with sandy blond hair. She’s wearing makeup and a cute top with a skirt. Yup, definitely breaking hearts.
    “Great! Did you watch it on TV?” Ty replies.
    “Uhh…no.”
    Ty laughs, then says to me, “Vanessa hates footbal . Vanessa—this is Jordan Woods, and Woods, this is my sister, Vanessa.”
    We shake hands and his sister beams at me. “Ty’s told me so much about you! I love that dress—can I borrow it sometime?”
    Ty groans. But which statement freaks him out more—the fact that his sister asked if she can borrow this lame dress? Or the fact that I know he’s been talking about me?
    “Vanessa, that’s rude,” Ty says.
    I shrug. “You can have it if you have something else I can wear home. I hate dresses.”
    “Omigod! I’l go find something right now,” she says, darting out of the room.
    Ty rol s his eyes but smiles. He puts a hand under my elbow, leading me out of the living room toward the kitchen, where an older man is sitting at a table with his feet propped up, reading the newspaper.
    “Papa, I’d like you to meet Jordan Woods,” Ty says, glancing from his grandfather’s face to mine.
    The man stands up, extending a hand. “Jim Green.”
    “Nice to meet you,” I reply.
    “It’s such a pleasure, Jordan. I’ve been reading about you in the papers for years.”
    “Real y?” I say, not surprised. My name is constantly in the papers during footbal season, as footbal is the only thing to do around here.
    “Yeah, before he moved here, I even sent Ty some of the articles in the mail,” Mr. Green says, patting Ty’s back. “I told him it would be hard to get on the team at Hundred Oaks, what with you there and al , so I was thril ed the coach let him on the team. Bob Mil er is a good guy.”
    Wait, so Ty knew about me? He knew I was a girl? Then why the hel did he act so surprised when I pul ed off my helmet?
    “Now that you’re back, I’ve gotta get to the factory. Lucky break—I got a Sunday overtime shift,” Mr. Green says to Ty. “Nice to meet you, Jordan.”
    “You too,” I reply as he leaves. I’m total y confused. Ty knew about me? My thoughts are interrupted by Vanessa’s reappearance with a bunch of outfits. Ty starts digging through al the clothes, which include miniskirts, a leather jacket, and a pair of camouflage pants. Smirking, he lays a hot pink miniskirt, a jean jacket, and a tube top out on the table.
    “No. Hel no.”
    Ty laughs, handing me a pair of mesh shorts and a Nike T-shirt. “Just kidding. You can change in the bathroom.” Ty points to a door, and I go in, change into the workout clothes, and walk back to the kitchen barefoot. After handing the dress over to a squealing Vanessa, I notice that Ty’s frowning, so I decide to make an exit. I haven’t asked where his mom is, but I figure if he wants me to meet her, he would introduce us. Can she even talk? Or is she paralyzed to the point where she’s, like, this is horrible of me, a vegetable? I’d never ask.
    “I’d better get going,” I tel Ty. “I need to check on Henry.”
    “Oh?” Ty replies, raising an eyebrow. “How come?”
    Henry’s breakup with Carrie is very public knowledge, like the whole Jennifer Aniston–Brad Pitt–Angelina Jolie thing, so I’m not betraying him by saying, “He’s been sort of a wreck since Carrie Myer dumped him.”
    “Ah. Wel , I’l walk you out.”
    Vanessa throws her arms around me. “It was so great to meet you. And thank you so much for the dress! You have a great fashion sense! Can we go shopping sometime?”
    Ty chuckles. “I don’t get the feeling Jordan likes shopping.”
    Vanessa’s jaw drops. “I don’t believe it. Al girls love