Stone Cold by C. J. Box

not wanting April to return in mid-conversation.
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    D INNER HAD BEEN FROSTY. April sat fuming and pushing bits of food around on her plate after returning to the house. Joe had noted that it took her ten minutes to say good-bye to Dallas Cates, but he didn’t remark on it.
    Marybeth tried to elevate the mood by saying things like “Isn’t this nice to all be around to eat dinner together?” but her words seemed to clunk against the walls. Joe noticed that Lucy warily looked from her mom to April to Joe, waiting for the fireworks to begin.
    Finally, Lucy asked if she could go to the movies on Friday night.
    â€œWith who?” Marybeth asked.
    â€œNoah.”
    Joe grimaced. Noah After Buffalo was a Northern Arapaho from the reservation school. He was bright, polite, and handsome. Lucy had met him at a debate tournament where they competed against each other in dramatic interpretation. He seemed like a smart, well-adjusted boy. Still . . .
    Marybeth asked, “Is he picking you up?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Lucy said. “We haven’t figured that out yet.”
    â€œIs he buying your ticket?”
    Lucy shrugged.
    Marybeth said, “When you get this all figured out, we can talk.”
    Lucy sighed a heavy, put-upon sigh.
    â€œHave you heard from Sheridan?” Joe asked Marybeth.
    â€œA couple of texts,” she said. “She needs me to send her winter coat. I don’t know how she forgot it. And she needs some money for books.”
    Joe waited for more, but that was it.
    â€œShe called me this afternoon and didn’t leave a message,” he said. “I was wondering if you knew why.”
    Marybeth looked up, concerned. “No.”
    â€œI’ll try her again later,” Joe said. “She never answers her phone.”
    â€œTry texting.”
    â€œI hate texting,” Joe grumbled.
    After a beat of silence, April slammed down her fork and glared at Joe.
    â€œTell me why I can’t go to the NFR.” She leaned forward and bared her teeth.
“Tell me why.”
    â€œYou’ll miss school,” Joe said.
    â€œI’m getting all A’s and B’s,” April said. “I can take a few days off. I’m a senior, you know. I’m going to graduate.”
    Joe looked at Marybeth for support.
    Marybeth said, “April, how would you even get to Las Vegas? Where would you stay? How could you afford it?”
    â€œDon’t worry about that,” April said. “I’ve got it covered. It won’t cost you a dime.”
    â€œThat’s not it,” Joe said, trying not to let his anger show in his voice. He knew she had a point.
    â€œNo, it isn’t, is it?” April said. “This is about Dallas.”
    Joe said, “Yup.”
    Marybeth said, “April, you need to give us some details. You need to have a plan before we can even consider it. So far, I haven’t heard anything.”
    Joe noted the crack in their united front.
    â€œYou and your
plans
,” April said, rolling her eyes. Then: “Look, I can take care of myself. I’ve got a job and a car. You people forget I’m friggin’
eighteen
.”
    â€œAnd he’s twenty-four,” Joe said.
    April turned on him and shouted, “
Aha!
I knew that was the reason.”
    â€œIt’s a big one.”
    April sat back in her chair and shook her head as if she couldn’t believe the incredible ignorance she was hearing. She said, “This is Dallas Cates, PRCA champion bull rider. He could have asked any girl on the planet to go to the NFR and watch him ride, and he asked me.
Me!
And you two act like I’m too stupid and immature to know what I’m doing.”
    Joe said, “Well . . .”
    â€œThe hell with both of you,” April cried out, and pushed away from the table. She rose and did an aggressive shoulder roll before stomping down