Asking for Trouble: 1 (London Confidential) by Sandra Byrd Read Free Book Online Page B

do. That way you’ll have a heads-up but no one else will see me planning with you. Just to keep it fair. All right?”
    “All right,” I said and kept the smile glued to my face. Inside, though, I was a mix of worry and excitement. I understood his caution. But I didn’t want my chance—and my dream—to slip away from me. Like the last one had.

Chapter 19

    I walked home, and as I rounded the corner to Cinnamon Street, I saw that it was what the Brits would call “chockablock” with cars, which was odd. Because normally people parked in their driveways or garages, and anyway it wasn’t time for everyone to be home from work yet.
    “I’m home!” I called out. Growl ran down the stairs and barked at me as if I were Jack the Ripper, back after a hundred-year hiatus.
    Louanne called him from upstairs. “Giggle! Here!” And then, “Hi, Sav.”
    My mom hunched over the kitchen table, music playing in the background. She had her calligraphy pens out, and her Bible was open nearby. I looked at it. Her bookmark was way beyond where she’d been reading last time I’d looked. And she seemed calmer and more peaceful lately. As a journalist, I put those two facts together. As a person, I hadn’t done much Bible reading myself in the past few weeks. But I would! I promised myself and the Lord.
    “Whatcha doing?” I asked, and then I gave her a little kiss on the cheek.
    “Making invitations,” she said. “For the Christmas cookie exchange. What do you think?” She held out one of the linen cards on which she’d inked a perfect gingerbread boy and girl holding hands, the words You’re invited! underneath.
    “They’re beautiful, Mom.” I went through the mail—the post, as the British called it—sitting on the counter. “So what’s with all the cars?”
    “Vivienne is having her book club today,” Mom said. She didn’t look up from her work, just kept a steady hand. Obviously, Mom had not been invited. But she seemed pretty okay.
    I dug through my backpack looking for a stick of gum and came upon my papers from art club. I grinned at the off-kilter face I’d tried to draw. Then I saw the list Penny had written for me.
    “What do you have there?” Mom asked without looking up. How did she do it? Moms see everything. Moms hear everything. At least, based on her question, they don’t know everything. I hoped.
    “This girl I met at the art club made a list of fun things to do in London.”
    At this, Mom looked up, and then she set down her pen. “Really? Can I see it?”
    “Sure.” I handed over the list.
    She read through the suggestions and started smiling. “These look kind of fun, don’t you think?”
    I was so happy to see her happy. “Yes, I do!” I said.
    “Can I keep the list?” She had the “I’m brewing something up” look on her face.
    “Okay,” I said. “For a while.”
    Mom nodded and tucked the list into her pants pocket. She started humming as she finished up the invitation she was working on. It was infectious. I started humming too. And I felt like I could keep humming. At least till Tuesday—when Jack made his announcement.

Chapter 20

    The whole newspaper staff was at the usual table at lunch on Tuesday. “I want to make sure everyone is in the newspaper office straightaway after school,” Jack said. “I want to go over the ideas for improving the paper so we can implement them immediately.”
    He was excited and as hopeful as I’d seen him. The others must have thought so too, because everyone looked more positive than they’d been lately. Hazelle even made a little small talk with me about maths.
    After school I got to the staff office as fast as I could, and nearly everyone was already there. Jack called us all into his cubicle. He’d texted me, like he’d promised he would, to tell me what he was going to do. I felt honored to be trusted with the confidential information—even though I wished he would make a different announcement. But he was the editor,