She's got a clue that something more happened

"So..uh..how do you know my parents?" Lil asked.

"Ah..well," it was Billy's turn to redden a bit, but he kept his cool. "We met on the cruise ship they were vacationing on. I was performing there."

"Oh?" Lil said. Her own face still felt warm from the surprise encounter with her favorite musician.

"Yeah," Billy said. "Met your mom in the bar the first afternoon. She didn't recognize me and we just kinda got to talking, and I ended up hanging out with your folks in between concerts." He shifted on the front porch. "So, your folks around?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lil said. "Nobody's home right now, but, um, did you want to come in?"

"If that'd be all right," Billy said. Lil opened the door wide. "Nice baseball bat."

"What? Oh!" Lil said. She propped up the bat by the door. "Sorry! I didn't recognize you."

"Quite all right," Billy said. He took off the band that held his ponytail and fluffed out his wavy dark hair. "More like me?"

Lil blinked, nodded, blinked again. "Uh, yeah. Just like that."

Billy laughed. "I was trying not to draw a crowd," he said. "I mean, not that I mind a crowd, but I'm visiting, not working." He tipped his head from side to side and rolled his broad shoulders. "Your mom said I was your favorite for music."

Lil felt her breathing come faster and deeper. There was a faint, high whining in her ears, butterflies in her stomach, and a hint of dizziness. She closed her eyes and took three slow, deep breaths, then nodded. She opened her eyes. It was still Billy Royce. He was still there in her front hallway. "Yes, my favorite. Since Sing Down The Moon."

"I liked digging up those old-time songs and kinda making them mine," Billy said. "Your mom and I talked about that. She knew some of those from when she was a girl."

"You want me to call my mom and dad?" Lil asked.

He tilted his head. "You could let 'em know if you like," Billy said. "But I'm not in a hurry, if you just wanted to chat or something."

"You want a coke? A glass of water? Um, a beer maybe?" Lil asked.

"What are you having?" Billy asked.

"Lemonade," Lil said.

"How 'bout a glass of that," Billy said.

Lil poured two glasses of lemonade. It was a nice mid-fall afternoon on the sub-tropical coast, so Lil led them out to the back patio.

"What'd your folks tell you about the cruise?" Billy asked.

Lil said, "Well, you know, they were going with Jim and Sally Walker. Old friends Dad met through work. I dunno, Mom and Dad have known them all my life, probably, they go out and do stuff together every week, almost. And Jim and Sally took along Peter, you know, their son, Peter Walker, he and Sandy, Peter's girlfriend that is, were heading off for a trip to Europe after that. Peter's friends with my brother Gary too. Oh yeah, and Peggy was there, Sandy's big sister."

"How come you and Gary weren't along?" Billy asked.

"I think it was more like Peter and Sandy, and then Peggy were special guests, kinda," Lil said. She pursed her lips and searched Billy's face. "So you hung out with my folks between concerts?" Billy's face looked a little pink in the cheeks and ears.

"That's right. It was nice to spend some time with just folks, you know?" Billy said.

Lil's lip curled, like she was holding back a grin or a smirk.

"Yeah," Lil said. "And thanks for the shirt. I use it as my pillowcase now." Veevee had brought back a T-shirt Billy Royce had worn and then signed, To Lil from Billy. Shine on! "She did tell me she hung out with you a little. She thought you were a sweet, genuine person."

"I'm touched," Billy said. "And I'm glad you like the shirt."

"Y'know," Lil said, her brow furrowing. "Mom's started wearing one of your concert shirts as a nightshirt now."

"That a fact?" Billy said.

"Yeah," Lil said. "And hers is signed too, but down low in the back. Why'd you sign it on the tail?"

There was a beat of silence.

"'S where she asked me to," Billy said.

Lil shook her head and shrugged. Then she laughed. "Mom. She's proud of her butt," Lil said. She laughed louder. "I'm surprised Mom didn't have you sign her actual butt!"

Billy coughed. Lil looked. Definitely pink in the cheeks. Then she looked at the front of Billy Royce's jean shorts. Not only did Billy Royce seem to have the package that some of his photographs suggested, Lil saw the bulge move, growing and filling more space.

Lil's tongue tip felt glued to the top of her mouth. She wanted to ask a question. To say something. She took a deep breath through her nose, let it out, breathed in again.

Words tumbled out of her mouth.