"Because there's nothing we need to talk about."
"Sorry, but you're wrong." He glanced around before lowering his voice to say, "I've got something you'll want to hear. Just trust me on this, okay?"
"Trust you? You've got to be joking."
"I'm not joking," he insisted. "You'll want to hear this."
I crossed my arms. "Fine. Tell me now."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because there's a process."
"Then forget it."
Now,hewas crossinghisarms. "I'm not leaving 'til you say yes."
I wanted to scream. The way it looked, he actually meant it.What now?My gaze strayed to the nearby garden hose, and I felt myself smile.
I looked back to Derek. "Are you sure about that?"
Derek glanced around. "Why are you smiling?"
"You'll see." I stepped forward and shut the front door behind me. I elbowed my way past Derek and made my way down the front steps.
He said, "You're not leaving, are you?"
I called out over my shoulder. "Nope."
"Then where are you going?"
But I was already there. The faucet for the hose was just a few paces away from my porch. I leaned down and gave the handle a twist. I glanced toward the far end of the hose. I saw no water coming out, but that didn't mean anything.
The hose had a complicated nozzle with ten settings. It wouldn't do anything until I gave the handle a squeeze. I began striding toward the nozzle.
Derek said, "You're watering the flowersnow?"
It was an incredibly stupid thing to say. For one thing, the flowers were long dead. For another,theyweren't standing on my porch refusing to leave. I gave Derek a cheery smile. "Nope."
"Then what are you watering?"
"You."
His mouth fell open. "What?"
I reached down to swoop up the nozzle. I looked to Derek and asked, "Should I go for a fine mist or master-blaster?"
"Master-blaster?" Derek took a small step backward. "That's not a real setting."
He was right. It wasn't. But I really liked the sound of it. I gave the nozzle a quick glance. "Jet spray." I shrugged. "I guess that'll have to do."
I squeezed the handle and sent a stream of water splashing low in his direction, just enough to dampen his shoes.
He stepped back like he'd been scalded. "What the hell?"
I lifted the nozzle higher and squeezed again. This time, it hit the bottom of his pant legs.
