(Author's Note: There have been questions about the meaning of the American phrase:

"Don't lose your old key or you won't get any new key." in the story. If you say "new key" fast, it sounds like "nookie".

I'll let you google that. :)

Chapter 23

As Robbie and Tambry walked to the strip mall music store holding hands, they were going to pass the shack along the way. As they approached Tambry saw Dipper with a push broom sweeping the front porch. He was wearing a black tank top and blue jeans and mountain boots as he worked, biceps flexing as he pushed and pulled the broom back and forth. He paused to take off his hat and wipe his forehead, and then Wendy came out with a can of Pitt. Dipper took it and then kissed her. He put his hat back on and Wendy grabbed the brim and swiveled it side to side as if to adjust it and then she turned around to go back inside. Dipper made no attempt to hide his stare as she strutted back inside, with a sway that was never part of the pre-Dipper walk. Even from this distance Tambry could see him smiling and see the admiration in his eyes. I have never seen Robbie look at me that way.

She then turned to look at Robbie. He had been watching her.

"So what are the losers up to?" He faced forward again trying to seem casual.

He is always critical.

"Nothing actually. Except flirting..." She said it with a smile and hoped he got the hint.

"Ugh. They deserve each other. In the worst way." He said it without humor.

"…and kissing."

He looked at her as she said it. She smiled with lowered eyes and turned away from him to look ahead as they kept walking, and even felt like adding a little sway to her walk too, knowing her short maroon skirt would emphasize her walk, and tried stepping with more of a strut to bounce a little milkshake under her plum colored sweater and white tee. But he didn't seem to pick up on her vibe.

"A fourteen year old slobbering all over her? She's lost her mind."

Tambry frowned and threw off his hand. "Tch!"

"What?" The scorn was loud in his voice.

She ignored him and kept walking. Then before they were completely past the shack, she looked back at Dipper one more time. But this time he saw them. He took off his hat and used it to wave. He was smiling with sincerity.

She waved back. He never liked Robbie…so he must be…could it be he is waving at me? We always got along…well, more or less. She smiled too as she kept waving.

I'm glad he doesn't lump me together with Robbie. He takes each person on their own. Wendy is right, he is a nice guy.

She turned around to face forward again but she wasn't really looking. She didn't notice Robbie was watching her again.

And he's kinda cute too. She smiled and suddenly felt good inside, unaware of Robbie trying to broadcast a very unhappy look.

…

At the music store Robbie forgot all about Tambry as he took the first electric guitar off the wall and then began checking the tuning.

"Not again Valentino. When are you gonna buy one?" The store manager shook his head as he said it.

"Hey, I'm a potential customer! You wanna kill a sale?"

The manager walked back to the register. He knew the routine: Robbie will pick up every guitar, tune it, then play a few rifts, then put it back and pick up the next guitar and repeat. Then he would move to the electric bass guitars. Then the drums. Then the amps and microphones. Then leave. Without buying anything.

Tambry knew his routine too, and while she loved music and thought Robbie could play well she was also tired of the routine. She stayed outside when Robbie went in, and walked up to Nate who was on patrol. Well, on patrol meant sitting on the bench looking down at the radio listening to broadcasts, changing channels, looking for action to eavesdrop on.

Nate had been lucky to keep his job as the music store manager only chewed him out for hitting Dipper, when the antique store owner lady had told him what had happened. He said if it happens again he would tell the security company manager.

So Nate changed his scanning of perceived threats to look only for real threats, which were never around, and as result he spent most of his shift sitting out front on the bench and listening to the radio broadcasts from other guards elsewhere who seemed to have more exciting careers.

"Hi Nate, 'sup?"

"Hi Tambers." He looked up at her and then went back to playing with the radio. The little fink, telling everyone in GF her version of what happened.

She smirked at his nickname for her, she hated it but by now tolerated it from Nate. Talking to Nate was still better than repeating guitar tuning for the fifteenth time.

"So Nate, You making some money now huh?"

"Yeah, a little. Gonna get a car." Then he looked at her and tried a jab. "Then I can get a girlfriend. A cute one."

He still isn't over me turning him down. Well, he never made a move until…until I was with Robbie. But now… now I know what a jerk he is to people. Not like Dipper.

She looked back at the music store. Hmmmm Maybe I can make Robbie jealous and start paying attention to me.

"Yeah, well good man. Good for you."

She walked in front of him and faced him, hands on her hips to try and get his attention, but he kept staring at the radio. Then she remembered how Wendy flirted. She reached forward and swiveled his uniform hat, side to side, smile at the ready for when he looked up.

But he didn't, he kept looking down and instead he grabbed her hand and threw it away from his hat and adjusted his hat himself.

She frowned in disbelief, eyes wide. "Huh!" and she stuck out her tongue at him. Boys! Wendy is right, Dipper is a real man. She spun around and walked away. She paused when she stepped off the strip mall porch and onto the parking lot. She looked back as she heard Robbie still tuning guitars and then faced forward and kept walking. All the way back. To the shack. With a sway to her hips.

…

Tambry had reached the fork. She had been trying to decide whether to add another boring guitar tuning trip to her blog or not. The number of hits to her blog had dropped after the third trip to the music store. One visitor even left the comment "You sure know how to have a hot date LOL". Then she checked voicemail and call history. Robbie hadn't even tried to message her or call her to see where she was. He just doesn't give a damn about me does he?

On the blog I'm only telling everyone how pathetic I am, doing the same thing with Robbie every week, practically every day! No change in blog means boring life. Not like Wendy. She has got a little excitement going on now hasn't she? Lucky gal. And with a hunky young man. Yep, she's lucky. That thick hair of his. Thick and wavy. And…those eyebrows. And…that…smile…

"Hi Tambry!"

"GAH! WHAT THE…" She dropped her phone in the dirt road. Dipper was right in front of her and immediately bent over and picked it up, the black tank top failing to hide his arms flexing as he reached.

"Sorry! I didn't meant to scare you!" and he blew the dust off of her phone. Tambry stared as he pursed his lips and blew the front and then blew the back of her phone. Then he handed it to her. She was too overwhelmed to say anything at first, eyes wide and mouth open, but not in fear...

"I know, I know, I'm a scary guy Haha!"

Tambry finally smiled and reached for the offered phone. "Haha! Thank you." And as she grasped her phone she could feel what thick fingers and knuckles he had, as she unintentionally touched them in grasping her phone. Then her brain kicked in.

"Oh, I mean, not thank you for scaring me, I meant thanks for picking me up." She then realized with wide eyes what she said as soon as she said it. She smiled quickly. "I mean, picking it up! It! The phone. Up. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Haha"

"Hey, you're welcome. It was my fault after all."

She smiled back at him and realized her heart was pounding.

"So uh, where ya going Dipper?"

"To town, gotta make a copy of the shack key for Grunkle Stan, he lost one so now we're down to one."

"Oh, well don't lose your old key or you won't get any new key heehee." And she smiled.

Dipper smiled like he didn't get it, which he didn't.

"Uh, OK haha." And he rubbed the back of his neck smiling.

"Heehee. Hmmm..." And she began swiveling her right foot behind her, hands nervously fondling her now blown phone. Her head was lowered, but her eyes were looking up at him through pretty eyelashes.

Dipper felt like he had to say something instead of just staring at her. "Soooo where you going?"

She looked up now, classic Tambry disgust plain in her face as she looked to the side of the road.

"Oh uh, tch! Robbie. He left me alone at the music store. Again. For the fifteenth time. I am soooo done with him."

Dipper stopped smiling.

"Oh, that's too bad. Leaving a pretty girl like you alone? It's his loss you know." And he smiled again.

Oh my gaw, did he just compliment me? I wonder if he thinks I'm in the same league with Wendy?

"Wow Dipper, thanks." And she looked to the side in modesty keeping her eyes on him and brushing back a lock of her purple hair behind her ear. Then she decided to woman up and be brave. She reached over and playfully tugged the brim of his hat.

"Haha. You're such a gentleman. And a handsome one too." The last she said with as close to a purr as she could muster. She wondered if he could read between the lines.

Dipper now noticeably blushed and looked down trying to hide under his hat. Tambry smiled at his reaction. I think he gets me...

"Aw well, gotta go get a new key, see ya. Don't want to lose the old key or…whatever. Bye Tambry." And he quickly trotted off still looking down.

"Kay, bye! Don't be a stranger!" And she watched him for a while and then resumed walking home, looking back now and then until he had disappeared. But now she was smiling and thinking of what to say in her blog. She wanted to say so much but…Wendy…