Dream Date by Ivan Kendrick Page A

control.”
    “ I just had to hear it from you. We were about to give you a phone call, but your brother is on the computer and he saw you were online on Skype.”
    Amanda smiled, picturing Ryan in her mind. He was still in high school, a junior, and thankfully still single (as Florence said).
    “ Is he there?” Amanda asked.
    “ Yeah. You want to talk to him?”
    “ Sure.”
    Florence stood up from her seat. Seconds later, a young man took her place. He was blond with blue eyes, like Amanda, and just as good-looking. His hair, of course, was shorter. It was styled in a wavy tousled do.
    “ Sister! Great to see you,” Ryan told her.
    “ It’s great to see you too.”
    “ We’re glad that you’re all right. When mom heard about what happened, she went mad.”
    “ Yeah, I can imagine.”
    Ryan laughed.
    “ How’s father?”
    “ Here,” said a deeper male voice. Amanda saw her dad, William, peer around the corner of the screen. Only part of his head was visible. She laughed.
    “ Hi, Dad!”
    “ I’m glad to see you’re fine, princess,” he said, moving to stand behind Ryan.
    “ Thank you.”
    “ We can’t wait to see you again.”
    “ I want to see each of you too, dad. I’ll see if I can fly to spend Thanksgiving over there.”
    “ We’d love to have you here,” Florence said, moving back to be visible on the screen.
    “ How’s school going?” Amanda asked her brother.
    “ Good. I’m getting lots of A’s.”
    “ And dating lots of girls.”
    “ What?” Florence asked as Ryan laughed out loud.
    “ I’m just joking.”
    “ Don’t get any ideas from your sister. I want to see you with a college degree before you get cozy with a girl.”
    “ Calm down, mom!” Amanda said, laughing. “He’s 17, cut him some slack.”
    “ Don’t worry, sister. I get along with women just fine.”
    “ Did you just hear what this Don Juan said?” Florence asked William, who shrugged.
    “ Let’s change the subject, will ya? You all are making me uncomfortable here,” said Ryan, looking at his father and then at his mother. His cheeks were turning red. Amanda shook her head.
    “ How are you doing over there?” William asked.
    “ It’s great. A little cold, but nothing I can’t handle. I like it here. The university’s wonderful.”
    “ Are you getting lots of A’s?” asked Florence.
    “ Of course, mom. I’m studying hard.”
    “ Attagirl.”
    Amanda smiled, feeling glad that her mom was proud.
    “By the way, you don’t find it boring over there in that small town?”
    “Mom, I grew up in a small town.”
    “Joliet’s not that small, but point taken.”
    Amanda shrugged.
    “It’s not that I like it here. I just enjoy being free from the paparazzi.”
    William whistled.
    “It’s amazing that you’re already that famous.”
    “I’m not that famous, dad. I just have a loyal fan base. They love me.”
    “I see. Have any guys there caught your interest?”
    The question made Amanda blush.
    Well, I guess I had that coming.
    “ No, dad. I’m new here.”
    “ I was just curious.”
    “ Ha,” Ryan said. Amanda narrowed her eyes at him, feigning irritation.
    “ All right, we’ll go now,” Florence said. “You’ve got to study, right?”
    “ Yeah,” said Amanda, grabbing a book and waving it in front of her laptop.
    “ Take care, princess,” William told her. “And call us every now and then.”
    “ I will, dad.”
    “ Okay. Be safe, dear,” Florence said.
    “ Goodbye, sister.”
    “ Take care,” Amanda told Ryan. She then clicked on the End Call button and closed the Skype window. She looked in the direction she thought Hughes was. Amanda was a little annoyed with him, but he’d done the right thing. She hadn’t gotten in touch with her family since arriving in Ithaca. It had been good to talk to them.
     
    Before reporting for work the next day, Nathan decided to exercise a bit. He’d be a little tired, but the workout would be good. Nathan took it easy and worked