sure John wasn’t following her, she ducked into the barn to collect herself. The familiar smells and sounds inside were comforting, and she wiped her eyes and looked around. She felt as though she had to sort out what had just happened before facing anyone—especially her friends, who would notice right away that something was wrong.
She walked through the barn, stopping briefly to give Moon Glow and Felix a pat. Then she found an empty box stall nearby. She entered, closing the half door behind her, and sat down in the fresh clean straw, her arms around her knees. Leaning against the scratchy wood wall and taking several deep breaths, she began to think about what had just happened.
Lisa was pretty sure John had had two motives for inviting her out for a walk. One was to talk to her about Stevie and Stewball and ask her to intervene. He had more or lessadmitted that. His other motive had probably been just what she’d thought it was all along, namely, to be alone with her. If it hadn’t, he wouldn’t have said all those nice things, put his arm around her, or kissed her. She sighed, remembering that kiss. It had been so wonderful—she only wished she could just go back and tell her friends about that part and forget about the rest!
Still, she reminded herself, John had asked her to meet him only
after
he learned about Stevie’s plans. That made her think that his concern about Stewball was the more important motive behind their “date,” which made her feel terribly hurt and angry.
But how could he have had Stewball on his mind during that kiss? It didn’t seem possible that he had been thinking about anything but her at that moment. Even if he
had
started out with another motive, did that have to make their kiss any less special? Was she being silly to think of it that way?
She sighed again and rested her head on her arms. She had a feeling this one might take some time to figure out.
“I CAN ’ T BELIEVE the camp-out is tomorrow,” Carole exclaimed as she opened the door to the bunkhouse. Kate followed her inside. “Whoever said ‘Time flies when you’re having fun’ was definitely right.”
“You’re not kidding,” Kate said. “My biggest question right now is how we’re going to have everything ready in time for the auction. I can’t believe it’s only three days away. My mom has been like a madwoman in the kitchen.”
“Well, if that apple pie we had for dessert tonight was any indication, I’d say it will be worth it,” Carole said. She flopped down on her bunk. “I ate so much I’ll be full for three days.”
“You’d better not be. Otherwise you won’t be able to eat s’mores at the campfire tomorrow night,” Kate teased.
“It’s a good thing Stevie isn’t here to hear me say this, buteven the thought of s’mores doesn’t tempt me right now,” Carole said. Stevie had remained behind at the main house to telephone her parents and work out the details for shipping Stewball to Pine Hollow.
“Speaking of Stevie, I’ve been wanting to talk to you and Lisa alone,” Kate began.
Carole rolled over onto her stomach and looked at Kate. Kate looked serious. “Well, since Lisa’s not here, you’ll have to settle for just me,” she said. “Talk.”
Kate took a deep breath. “I don’t think Stevie should buy Stewball.”
“What?” Carole sat up and stared at her friend. “Why not?”
“I just don’t think they’re a good match,” Kate replied.
“Not a good match!” Carole sputtered. “What are you talking about? They’re the perfect match. That’s why she always rides him when we come out here, remember? Anyway, your father obviously disagrees with you, since he’s the one who agreed to sell him to Stevie. Don’t you think he knows what he’s doing?”
At that moment Lisa entered the bunkhouse. “What’s going on?” she asked when she saw the agitated look on Carole’s face.
“Kate doesn’t think Stevie and Stewball are a good match,” Carole
She walked through the barn, stopping briefly to give Moon Glow and Felix a pat. Then she found an empty box stall nearby. She entered, closing the half door behind her, and sat down in the fresh clean straw, her arms around her knees. Leaning against the scratchy wood wall and taking several deep breaths, she began to think about what had just happened.
Lisa was pretty sure John had had two motives for inviting her out for a walk. One was to talk to her about Stevie and Stewball and ask her to intervene. He had more or lessadmitted that. His other motive had probably been just what she’d thought it was all along, namely, to be alone with her. If it hadn’t, he wouldn’t have said all those nice things, put his arm around her, or kissed her. She sighed, remembering that kiss. It had been so wonderful—she only wished she could just go back and tell her friends about that part and forget about the rest!
Still, she reminded herself, John had asked her to meet him only
after
he learned about Stevie’s plans. That made her think that his concern about Stewball was the more important motive behind their “date,” which made her feel terribly hurt and angry.
But how could he have had Stewball on his mind during that kiss? It didn’t seem possible that he had been thinking about anything but her at that moment. Even if he
had
started out with another motive, did that have to make their kiss any less special? Was she being silly to think of it that way?
She sighed again and rested her head on her arms. She had a feeling this one might take some time to figure out.
“I CAN ’ T BELIEVE the camp-out is tomorrow,” Carole exclaimed as she opened the door to the bunkhouse. Kate followed her inside. “Whoever said ‘Time flies when you’re having fun’ was definitely right.”
“You’re not kidding,” Kate said. “My biggest question right now is how we’re going to have everything ready in time for the auction. I can’t believe it’s only three days away. My mom has been like a madwoman in the kitchen.”
“Well, if that apple pie we had for dessert tonight was any indication, I’d say it will be worth it,” Carole said. She flopped down on her bunk. “I ate so much I’ll be full for three days.”
“You’d better not be. Otherwise you won’t be able to eat s’mores at the campfire tomorrow night,” Kate teased.
“It’s a good thing Stevie isn’t here to hear me say this, buteven the thought of s’mores doesn’t tempt me right now,” Carole said. Stevie had remained behind at the main house to telephone her parents and work out the details for shipping Stewball to Pine Hollow.
“Speaking of Stevie, I’ve been wanting to talk to you and Lisa alone,” Kate began.
Carole rolled over onto her stomach and looked at Kate. Kate looked serious. “Well, since Lisa’s not here, you’ll have to settle for just me,” she said. “Talk.”
Kate took a deep breath. “I don’t think Stevie should buy Stewball.”
“What?” Carole sat up and stared at her friend. “Why not?”
“I just don’t think they’re a good match,” Kate replied.
“Not a good match!” Carole sputtered. “What are you talking about? They’re the perfect match. That’s why she always rides him when we come out here, remember? Anyway, your father obviously disagrees with you, since he’s the one who agreed to sell him to Stevie. Don’t you think he knows what he’s doing?”
At that moment Lisa entered the bunkhouse. “What’s going on?” she asked when she saw the agitated look on Carole’s face.
“Kate doesn’t think Stevie and Stewball are a good match,” Carole
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