forced-labor camp, then,” Max said drily.
“What’s he talking about?” Christine asked suspiciously.
“Oh, well, we’ve got a few things going on now around here,” Stevie explained vaguely.
“I’m getting a funny feeling about this,” Kate told Christine.
“Me, too. But, if I remember correctly, funny feelings around Stevie are pretty common and usually turn out okay—hey, didn’t you just miss the airport exit? Where are we going?”
“International Arrivals,” Stevie said.
F ORTY MINUTES LATER , the three girls and Max were looking over a railing onto the customs area, trying to spot the Italian equestrian team.
“Andre, Enrico, Gian, Marco,” Stevie mumbled, scanning the crowd.
“What are you saying?” Christine asked.
“Their names,” Stevie told her. “Don’t they sound wonderfully romantic—Andre, Enrico, Gian, and Marco?”
“Are these guys tall, dark, and handsome?” Christine asked.
“Yes,” Stevie said.
“Are they probably carrying bulky bags with things like riding boots and saddles in them?” Christine wanted to know.
“Yes,” Stevie said again.
“Well, then, I think those four handsome guys over there with all the bulky luggage are our guys,” Kate said. “Come on!”
Kate led Christine, Stevie, and Max to the lower level where the four boys would emerge as soon as they’d cleared customs. There was a crowd of people at the door and a crowd of people coming through the door. Stevie stood on her toes and strained her eyes, eager for the moment when Andre, Enrico, Gian, and Marco would appear.
And then, there they were. For three weeks, Stevie had been trying to imagine what it would be like to actually meet these boys. She’d been gazing at their pictures and practicing useful Italian phrases. Now, meeting them, she realized that every second of that time had been wasted. Stevie couldn’t even mutter a weak
buon giorno
, or hello. Instead, she reached out her hand and said, “
Arrivederci
,” which was Italian for goodbye!
“So soon?” the first boy said, a grin crossing his face.He shook Stevie’s hand. “We haven’t even been introduced yet, you know.”
Stevie almost gaped. “You speak English?” she asked.
“Sure, I do. So do we all. And from the sound of it, our English is better than your Italian, but maybe not as charming. My name is Marco, by the way.”
“I’m Stevie,” she said, once again offering him the hand he’d just shaken. This time he kissed it. Stevie blushed.
The next few minutes were a massive confusion of introductions and luggage hauling. Stevie tried to shake everybody’s hand and help with all of their luggage, but by the time she’d picked up three suitcases, she couldn’t take anybody’s hand. She also found herself in the middle of introducing Christine, Kate, and Max, and got so confused trying to remember which was Enrico and which was Andre, to say nothing of Gian and Marco, that she almost forgot Max’s name.
Finally, when everybody had grasped all the bags they could carry and all the names they could remember, Max led the way to the van. Stevie eyed the luggage and wondered if four saddles, four boot bags, four suitcases, and four good-looking Italian boys would fit in the van. She decided that somehow they’d find a way!
Stevie had spent a fair amount of time—more than she ever would have confessed to Veronica—worrying about what she was going to say to the Italian boys, how she would treat them, and how they all would get along.She saw with relief that all of that time had been wasted. The four boys chattered easily with Stevie, Christine, and Kate. They were thrilled to learn that they were actually riding with
the
Kate Devine, former riding champion. And they’d never thought they would actually meet a real Native American.
“But where is your war paint?” Enrico teased.
“Back home with my bows and arrows and my scalp collection. And how have you packed your pizzas?” Christine
“What’s he talking about?” Christine asked suspiciously.
“Oh, well, we’ve got a few things going on now around here,” Stevie explained vaguely.
“I’m getting a funny feeling about this,” Kate told Christine.
“Me, too. But, if I remember correctly, funny feelings around Stevie are pretty common and usually turn out okay—hey, didn’t you just miss the airport exit? Where are we going?”
“International Arrivals,” Stevie said.
F ORTY MINUTES LATER , the three girls and Max were looking over a railing onto the customs area, trying to spot the Italian equestrian team.
“Andre, Enrico, Gian, Marco,” Stevie mumbled, scanning the crowd.
“What are you saying?” Christine asked.
“Their names,” Stevie told her. “Don’t they sound wonderfully romantic—Andre, Enrico, Gian, and Marco?”
“Are these guys tall, dark, and handsome?” Christine asked.
“Yes,” Stevie said.
“Are they probably carrying bulky bags with things like riding boots and saddles in them?” Christine wanted to know.
“Yes,” Stevie said again.
“Well, then, I think those four handsome guys over there with all the bulky luggage are our guys,” Kate said. “Come on!”
Kate led Christine, Stevie, and Max to the lower level where the four boys would emerge as soon as they’d cleared customs. There was a crowd of people at the door and a crowd of people coming through the door. Stevie stood on her toes and strained her eyes, eager for the moment when Andre, Enrico, Gian, and Marco would appear.
And then, there they were. For three weeks, Stevie had been trying to imagine what it would be like to actually meet these boys. She’d been gazing at their pictures and practicing useful Italian phrases. Now, meeting them, she realized that every second of that time had been wasted. Stevie couldn’t even mutter a weak
buon giorno
, or hello. Instead, she reached out her hand and said, “
Arrivederci
,” which was Italian for goodbye!
“So soon?” the first boy said, a grin crossing his face.He shook Stevie’s hand. “We haven’t even been introduced yet, you know.”
Stevie almost gaped. “You speak English?” she asked.
“Sure, I do. So do we all. And from the sound of it, our English is better than your Italian, but maybe not as charming. My name is Marco, by the way.”
“I’m Stevie,” she said, once again offering him the hand he’d just shaken. This time he kissed it. Stevie blushed.
The next few minutes were a massive confusion of introductions and luggage hauling. Stevie tried to shake everybody’s hand and help with all of their luggage, but by the time she’d picked up three suitcases, she couldn’t take anybody’s hand. She also found herself in the middle of introducing Christine, Kate, and Max, and got so confused trying to remember which was Enrico and which was Andre, to say nothing of Gian and Marco, that she almost forgot Max’s name.
Finally, when everybody had grasped all the bags they could carry and all the names they could remember, Max led the way to the van. Stevie eyed the luggage and wondered if four saddles, four boot bags, four suitcases, and four good-looking Italian boys would fit in the van. She decided that somehow they’d find a way!
Stevie had spent a fair amount of time—more than she ever would have confessed to Veronica—worrying about what she was going to say to the Italian boys, how she would treat them, and how they all would get along.She saw with relief that all of that time had been wasted. The four boys chattered easily with Stevie, Christine, and Kate. They were thrilled to learn that they were actually riding with
the
Kate Devine, former riding champion. And they’d never thought they would actually meet a real Native American.
“But where is your war paint?” Enrico teased.
“Back home with my bows and arrows and my scalp collection. And how have you packed your pizzas?” Christine
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