let Stevie and her brothers eat sugar cereal—let alone caramel corn, chips, chocolate kisses, and mini candy bars.
“Oh, c’mon—it’s not all junk food. There’s that one plate of carrot sticks and celery,” Phil pointed out.
“Yeah, and my mother brought them!” Stevie cried, grinning.
“Good thing Colonel Hanson’s keeping her busy in the kitchen. She can’t see what we’re eating in here,” Phil said. Some of the parents—including Mrs. Lake—were lingering in the kitchen to talk with each other.Luckily, Colonel Hanson was making sure they didn’t venture out to the living room and disrupt the festivities.
Carole looked around her. Even with her leg up on a footrest, it was a perfect party. She was completely comfortable. Cam was sitting on her left, chatting easily with Lisa. The Sandersons, John O’Brien, and Meg Durham were playing a “Pin-the-Tail-on-Starlight” game that Stevie and Phil had made as a joke. Betsy Cavanaugh was teaching another group of kids how to untie a human knot. Everyone else was talking or stuffing themselves with junk food—or both. Carole counted heads. The only people they were waiting for were Veronica, Simon Atherton, and Bob Harris. Since Veronica had never answered her invitation, and no one cared if Simon showed up or not, the only person they were
really
waiting for was Bob.
Carole stole a glance at Lisa. She was wearing the new blue sweater over corduroys with navy flats. Carole prayed that when and if he arrived, Bob would notice how well the sweater set off her fair complexion. Lisa seemed pleased to be talking with Cam, but Carole noticed that she kept glancing toward the door and looking at her watch. From across the room Stevie noticed, too. Carole gave her a meaningful glance.
“Come on, Lisa, why don’t you help me bring up some more soda,” she suggested.
“Good idea,” Lisa said. She sounded relieved to havesomething to do. The two of them disappeared downstairs.
Cam took the opportunity to give Carole’s hand a squeeze. “It’s a great party, Carole. Everyone’s having a good time—especially me,” he said softly. He pulled her a little closer. “I—” Carole leaned in to catch his next words. “I, um—”
“Cam!” Colonel Hanson’s deep bass boomed across the room. “You look like the man I need!”
“Yes, sir!” Cam said, jumping up.
In spite of herself, Carole burst out laughing. “I guess Dad really has that commanding tone of voice, huh? You jumped up like a private at inspection!”
Cam grinned. “I do aim to please, ma’am,” he said. He gave Carole’s hand another squeeze and went to see what Colonel Hanson wanted in the kitchen. Carole got to her feet, too. She wanted to talk to the rest of the kids for a while since she’d been sitting with Cam for almost half an hour.
The minute she stood up, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” she called, hobbling over to the door. She swung it open eagerly, hoping to see Bob Harris. Instead, Veronica and Simon Atherton stood on the doorstep. Carole was surprised to see the two of them arriving together. Moreover, the look on Veronica’s face was pure gloat, and Carole had no idea why.
“Did you two carpool over?” she asked finally, after welcoming them inside.
Veronica looked offended. “Well, naturally,” she replied. “I mean, since we were coming
together
, I of course had my chauffeur pick Simon up, too. I
suppose
you expected Simon to come
alone.
”
It took Carole a moment to absorb this information. Then she realized that Veronica meant that Simon was her date and vice versa. She could hardly believe her ears. Veronica diAngelo—gloating over bringing the nerdiest, dorkiest guy The Saddle Club knew as her date? Something very strange was going on.
Remembering her duty as a hostess, Carole said, “I’m so glad you could both come.” She wasn’t sure what else to say. Veronica seemed so proud of the fact that she had shown up, one, with Simon,
“Oh, c’mon—it’s not all junk food. There’s that one plate of carrot sticks and celery,” Phil pointed out.
“Yeah, and my mother brought them!” Stevie cried, grinning.
“Good thing Colonel Hanson’s keeping her busy in the kitchen. She can’t see what we’re eating in here,” Phil said. Some of the parents—including Mrs. Lake—were lingering in the kitchen to talk with each other.Luckily, Colonel Hanson was making sure they didn’t venture out to the living room and disrupt the festivities.
Carole looked around her. Even with her leg up on a footrest, it was a perfect party. She was completely comfortable. Cam was sitting on her left, chatting easily with Lisa. The Sandersons, John O’Brien, and Meg Durham were playing a “Pin-the-Tail-on-Starlight” game that Stevie and Phil had made as a joke. Betsy Cavanaugh was teaching another group of kids how to untie a human knot. Everyone else was talking or stuffing themselves with junk food—or both. Carole counted heads. The only people they were waiting for were Veronica, Simon Atherton, and Bob Harris. Since Veronica had never answered her invitation, and no one cared if Simon showed up or not, the only person they were
really
waiting for was Bob.
Carole stole a glance at Lisa. She was wearing the new blue sweater over corduroys with navy flats. Carole prayed that when and if he arrived, Bob would notice how well the sweater set off her fair complexion. Lisa seemed pleased to be talking with Cam, but Carole noticed that she kept glancing toward the door and looking at her watch. From across the room Stevie noticed, too. Carole gave her a meaningful glance.
“Come on, Lisa, why don’t you help me bring up some more soda,” she suggested.
“Good idea,” Lisa said. She sounded relieved to havesomething to do. The two of them disappeared downstairs.
Cam took the opportunity to give Carole’s hand a squeeze. “It’s a great party, Carole. Everyone’s having a good time—especially me,” he said softly. He pulled her a little closer. “I—” Carole leaned in to catch his next words. “I, um—”
“Cam!” Colonel Hanson’s deep bass boomed across the room. “You look like the man I need!”
“Yes, sir!” Cam said, jumping up.
In spite of herself, Carole burst out laughing. “I guess Dad really has that commanding tone of voice, huh? You jumped up like a private at inspection!”
Cam grinned. “I do aim to please, ma’am,” he said. He gave Carole’s hand another squeeze and went to see what Colonel Hanson wanted in the kitchen. Carole got to her feet, too. She wanted to talk to the rest of the kids for a while since she’d been sitting with Cam for almost half an hour.
The minute she stood up, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” she called, hobbling over to the door. She swung it open eagerly, hoping to see Bob Harris. Instead, Veronica and Simon Atherton stood on the doorstep. Carole was surprised to see the two of them arriving together. Moreover, the look on Veronica’s face was pure gloat, and Carole had no idea why.
“Did you two carpool over?” she asked finally, after welcoming them inside.
Veronica looked offended. “Well, naturally,” she replied. “I mean, since we were coming
together
, I of course had my chauffeur pick Simon up, too. I
suppose
you expected Simon to come
alone.
”
It took Carole a moment to absorb this information. Then she realized that Veronica meant that Simon was her date and vice versa. She could hardly believe her ears. Veronica diAngelo—gloating over bringing the nerdiest, dorkiest guy The Saddle Club knew as her date? Something very strange was going on.
Remembering her duty as a hostess, Carole said, “I’m so glad you could both come.” She wasn’t sure what else to say. Veronica seemed so proud of the fact that she had shown up, one, with Simon,
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