Home for Christmas (5 page)

“Don't worry too much, Laur,” Becca said. “I'm sure things with Char will be fine. You guys have really come a long way.”

I thanked my sister with my eyes. Becca knew why I was distracted—and it wasn't about Charlotte. Right
now
, anyway. Late last night, I'd woken up to my phone blinking on my nightstand. In my in-box was an e-mail from Char.

12/17 1:32 a.m.

To: Lauren Towers

From: Charlotte Towers

Subject: Coming home

Hi, Laur,

I'm taking a break from last-minute packing and wanted to e-mail you. Texting would have
taken forever! I guess I just wanted to say that I hope you're looking forward to Xmas as much as I am. It's going to be a little different with your friends there, but I'm glad you have people over—the charity work is especially cool. I should have told you that sooner. I'm really proud of what you're doing. I miss you (and the rest of the fam) and think this will be the first Christmas in a while that everyone—you and I, especially—are going to have fun being around each other. I want this to be a great holiday!

See you very soon!

Xoxo,

Char

I'd read the e-mail three times. Charlotte was really trying. She wanted to put our rocky past behind us, at least for the holidays, and have a good time. As sisters, Char and I rarely got into screaming fights—most of our issues came from the competitive gene that we both shared. When I came home with an A– on a history quiz, Charlotte brought home an A on a math test. I excelled in riding, and Charlotte made sure she was captain of the
cheer squad. Mom always said that it was because Char and I were so alike that we didn't get along. Maybe, just maybe, Charlotte and I would be a little less Grinch-y toward each other this Christmas.

“Girls? Ready to go?” Dad asked, popping his head into the room. I blinked away my thoughts of Charlotte.

“Yes!” I said. I jumped up so fast that I bumped the table and almost knocked over my half-full glass of Tropicana OJ.

Before the girls could say anything, I darted toward the foyer and the coat closet.

Dad had already warmed up the SUV and had 101.7 playing holiday tunes when we got inside.

I didn't know how I was going to make it through this ride! I pulled out my phone and texted Taylor.

Lauren:

W r on r way 2 BC. U?

Taylor:

Dad bailed at the last min from driving us so we've got our driver. Just picked up A & B.

Lauren:

Sorry, T. Glad u have A & B—they'll tell u how 2 get to BC.

Taylor:

A, yes. B . . . ? Not so sure abt her sense of direction. :p

Lauren:

LOL. True. Let me know if u need help.

I locked my phone and shoved it into my stable coat pocket. I looked up and Lexa, sitting next to me, was staring.

“What?” I asked.

“Spill it,” Lexa said.

“There's nothing to spill!” I said.

“Lauren Towers!” Khloe called from the backseat, leaning forward. “I'm going to . . . ask your dad to turn this car around if you don't talk!”

Everyone giggled and Dad laughed.

I couldn't take it a second longer.

“
Oh, mon Dieu!
You guys are so bad! Fine!” I shifted in my seat so I could see everyone. They all looked expectantly at me. “Becca's the only one who knows about this,” I continued. “Cole, Ana, Garret, Zack, Drew, and Brielle don't. And neither does Tay—not that it impacts him really.”

“Lauren!” Clare said.

“Okay, okay! I wanted to wait until we got to Briar Creek, but it really was killing me to wait. I have a little Christmas surprise for you all. Mr. Conner helped me. . . .” I paused for dramatics. Then I saw the look on Khloe's
face. She was about to jump over the seat and strangle it out of me. “All of our horses are at Briar Creek!”

All the girls started talking at once.

“What?” Carina said. Her platinum hair fell over her shoulder. “Rocco is there?”

I smiled. “He is! I know your horse from home isn't here, Carina, so Mr. Conner wanted you to have Rocco, since he's the only Canterwood horse you ride.”

“Omigod! Omigod!” Khloe squealed. “I won't have to wait until next year to see Ever!”

“When did the horses get here?” Clare asked. Her fair cheeks were pink.

“Last night,” I said. “Kim texted me when they were unloaded and checked to make sure everyone had traveled safe. They're all waiting for us at Briar Creek.”

“I knew you were up to something!” Khloe said, shaking her head at me with a smile. “I'm glad it was something like this. You know how much we wanted to see our horses during break, but we didn't need a thank-you for volunteering.”

The other girls nodded.

“I would have missed Fuego like crazy,” Clare said. “But I hope you didn't feel you had to do something for us or get us something for helping out.”

I shook my head. “I didn't. I knew how I felt—I didn't want to spend Christmas away from Whisper, especially our first Christmas. I knew you all probably felt the same. I wanted to do this. I'm excited it worked out.”

“Did Zane come too?” Carina asked. I pictured Brielle's albino gelding, who she'd bought from Kim before coming to Canterwood.

“He did,” I said. “Brielle doesn't even know. Plus, Polo's here for Drew, Nero for Zack, Scout for Garret, and Valentino for Cole.”

“What's Taylor going to do?” Lexa asked. “He doesn't ride.”

“He knows how,” I said. “I taught him enough to trail ride with us when he spent time with me at Briar Creek. Kim will pick out a
très
quiet stable horse for him.”

“Riding at a new place is going to be so much fun . . . ,” Carina said.

I stopped listening and took out my phone again. It was only fair to tell Cole, Garret, Drew, Zack, and Brielle, since everyone else knew.

“I'm just going to tell the others, since you guys pried it out of me,” I said.

They laughed and went right back to talking about riding at Briar Creek.

I opened up BlackBerry Messenger and typed a message to Zack, Garret, Drew, Cole, and Brielle.

Lauren:

This was supposed 2 be a SURPRISE, but the girls got it out of me.
I wanted all of us 2 spend Xmas 2gether. By all, I mean r horses 2. Sooo . . . B, C, G, Z, & D, you have guests waiting @ BC. Zane, Valentino, Scout, Nero, & Polo r there! Now we can ride r horses when we r not volunteering & spend Xmas w them.

I sent the message, watched as it got read, and messages came back almost simultaneously.

Drew:

R u srs?!

Cole:

OMG, LT! U r my Xmas angel!

Garret:

You sneak!

Zack:

Good 1, LT!

Brielle:

NO WAY!!!