Fabulous Five 012 - Katie's Dating Tips by Betsy Haynes Read Free Book Online

mention the Ramses the Great exhibit in the teachers' lounge at
noon?"
    Willie looked startled, and two rosy spots appeared on her
cheeks. "Um . . . well . . . actually no," she fumbled. "I . . .
um . . . didn't eat lunch in the teachers' lounge today. I ate in the
cafeteria."
    Katie feigned surprise. "Really? It's a shame I didn't
go to the cafeteria today. I could have stopped by your table and said hello."
She was dying to ask her mother whom she ate with, but she couldn't. It would
spoil what she planned to do next.
    "You know, I promised to help you with dating,"
she said, and Willie nodded. "Well, lots of women ask the guy instead of
waiting around for him to call. So let me give you an important piece of
advice. If you want to go to the Ramses the Great exhibit, you're going to have
to ask for the date yourself."
    Color was creeping up Willie's face. "I don't know,
Katie. I mean, I call men all the time when I'm working on stories, but I
wouldn't know how to ask one for a date. What would I say?"
    "There's nothing to it," said Katie. "It's
the easiest thing in the world. You would just bring up the Ramses the Great
exhibit and say all those things you said when you tried to get me to go with
you. You remember, that Ramses was the most powerful person on earth and people
actually thought he was a god, and that this show is supposed to be incredible.
Stuff like that."
    Willie shook her head. "I don't know," she said
with a frown. "I mean, I read a lot about this sort of thing in the women's
magazines, but to actually do it is another thing entirely. Especially since I'd
have to ask someone I don't know very well. I'm not sure I could."
    "Sure, you could," said Katie. "If you got on
the phone right now, I'd stay with you and coach you."
    Willie gave her a horrified look.
    "Okay. So I wouldn't stay with you. I'd go into
the other room where I couldn't hear a word you were saying if that's what you
wanted."
    Willie peered into the brown depths of her coffee. Then she
picked up her spoon and stirred it busily.
    Katie knew her mother was stalling. "What do you say,
Mom? Are you going to call?"
    "Not right now, sweetie. I have to clear the table and clean
up the kitchen. Then I have some work to do for school tomorrow. Besides, I
want to think about it for a while."
    Katie had to fight down the smile that was trying to push up
the corners of her mouth. She had known her mother would say these things. In
fact, she had counted on it. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
It was time for her big move.
    Sliding out of her chair at the kitchen table, she went
quickly to the wall phone over the counter. Then she began punching in the
telephone number she had memorized when she got home from Bumpers, telling
herself that she was doing this for her mother's own good.
    At the same instant that the phone began to ring on the
other end of the line, Willie glanced up. A look of suspicion crossed her face.
"Katie," she said with a frown. "Whom are you calling?"
    Just then the ringing stopped, and a man's voice said hello.
    Katie couldn't hold back her smile any longer. "Hello,
Mr. Newkirk. This is Katie Shannon. Would you hold on a minute, please? My
mother wants to speak to you." Placing the receiver on the counter, Katie
ducked out of the room.

CHAPTER 10
    Katie danced up and down on her tiptoes, crossing and
uncrossing her fingers as she tried to hear her mother's side of the
conversation through the living room wall. She knew she was in trouble, but it
would be worth it if Willie and Mr. Newkirk actually made a date. Besides, her
mother would thank her later, Katie thought, nodding with satisfaction.
    "Katie Shannon, will you come in here, please."
    Her mother's voice sounded a little bit angry but not
furious, she thought as she uncrossed her fingers and headed for the kitchen.
The receiver was back on the hook, and Willie was pouring herself another cup
of coffee. She looked up when Katie came in the room and then gave