Hayride Read Online Free PDF Page A

all my
friends
will.” Rather than officially invite Veronica right then as well, Carole decided she would let her words sink in first. Besides, she was too angry to sound sincere. Veronica would find out soon enough that, as usual, she had misjudged The Saddle Club.
    After thanking Carole and reminding Lisa, once again, that he would see her in first-period math, Simon went to wait for his ride. The distinctive honk of the diAngelo Mercedes a few minutes later saved The Saddle Club from having to deal with Veronica anymore—at least for today. With a final reprimand to Garnet, Veronica flounced off to the waiting car.
    “Saved by the chauffeur!” Stevie cried when she was out of earshot.
    “Could you believe her?” Carole asked. She explained to Stevie and Lisa why she had decided to invite Simon on the spot but wait awhile to ask Veronica.
    “She knows she’s invited anyway,” Stevie said. “I’m sure she heard you mention her name when you were going over the guest list.”
    “Actually, I don’t know if I did mention her,” Carole said, trying to remember. If she
had
, it was a very strange way for Veronica to react. Carole pointed out that they’d better make sure to invite her soon or else risk a full-scale war breaking out.
    Stevie volunteered to mention the party to Veronicaat school the next day, and then Carole could just give her a follow-up call in the evening.
    “And I don’t mind if Simon comes,” Lisa said. “He
is
polite, and it would have been too mean after why Veronica said
not
to invite him.”
    “Besides, Lisa,” Stevie added, a merry glint in her eyes, “it’s always good to have a boy around who likes you, even if you don’t like him.”
    “Why?” Lisa asked.
    “Simple,” Stevie said. “It automatically makes other guys jealous.”
    Lisa thought for a moment. “Gosh, Stephanie,” she said in her best Simon Atherton imitation, “you’re right!”
    They all laughed. It was good to see Lisa kidding around about what could have been an awkward situation. So far, it looked as if the party would be great. They planned a few more details—including meeting at Carole’s on Friday afternoon to decorate.
    “Sounds good to me,” Stevie said. She glanced at her watch. It was nearly three o’clock. Suddenly she had an idea. “Help me take Starlight’s tack back to the tack room, Lisa,” she said.
    “Oh, let me do it,” Carole protested.
    “Absolutely not,” Lisa said. “You shouldn’t even be walking, let alone lugging tack around.”
    Lisa was surprised that Stevie wanted help carrying asaddle and a bridle, but she didn’t want to make a big deal of it and make Carole feel worse than she already did.
    They picked up the tack and left Carole giving Starlight a final once-over.
    Inside the tack room Stevie explained her idea. “We have to figure out what to get Carole for her birthday. My mother has an errand at the mall. If we hurry, we can catch a ride with her.”
    Lisa quickly agreed, and then she and Stevie hastily changed and went to say good-bye to Carole. She was sitting on a hay bale chatting to Starlight, whose ears were pricked up attentively.
    “Shouldn’t you be going home soon?” Lisa asked.
    When Carole hesitated, Stevie exclaimed, “Don’t tell me you’re going to do more stable chores with that ankle!”
    Carole assured them that her father would be there to pick her up in a little while and that she wouldn’t do anything strenuous. “It’s probably just a bruise—not even worth fussing about. You two go ahead—I mean it,” she said, making a waving gesture with her hands to shoo them out.
    With their shopping plan in mind, Lisa and Stevie didn’t need any more urging than that. They made Carole promise to get her father to look at her ankle and then left to meet Stevie’s mother.
    After they’d gone, Carole got hesitatingly to her feet. She was thankful to be alone. She didn’t want Lisa, Stevie, or anyone to know how much pain she was