Free Trail Mates by Bonnie Bryant Page A

I,” she admitted. “We’ve got to get the horses back now, though. See you around.”
    “Sure,” he said, waving as she walked off. Then, before his father had a chance to start the car moving, Scott turned in his seat and hung out of the window of the passenger side of the car. “In fact, how about Saturday? Could I see you then? Want to go out?”
    Scott caught her by surprise. She glanced quickly at her friends, who were unsuccessfully suppressing grins.
    “Uh, w-well …” she stammered. Then she realized that this might be a blessing in disguise. “Hey, there’s a dance at the Officers’ Club I have to go to. Want to go to that?”
    “Do I ever!” he responded.
    What
was
she doing? she asked herself.
    “Okay, then, come to my house about six-thirty, okay?”
    “I’ll be there,” he said, drawing himself back into the car. His father started driving away. Carole watched as the car suddenly screeched to a halt and backed up to where she was still halted on Diablo.
    Scott’s embarrassed face emerged from the window once again. “Uh—where do you live?” he asked.
    She told him, and the Babcocks drove off for the final time.
    “You really know how to shake off a guy, don’t you?” Stevie asked in mock admiration.
    “Well, I’ve got to have a date for this dumb dance, so it might as well be dumb old Scott,” Carole retorted. “Besides, maybe it’ll be easier to kill two birds with one stone, don’t you think?”
    “No,” Lisa and Stevie said at the same time.

C AROLE GAZED AT herself in the mirror of her bedroom on Saturday evening. All week long, it had seemed as if she couldn’t make up her mind whether she wanted Saturday to come or stay away. Now, here it was Saturday and she
still
couldn’t make up her mind. Stevie and Lisa were having a sleepover at Stevie’s house. She wished she were there.
    Then she glanced over at her bed, where her new white dress was laid out. She smiled. It
was
pretty. She really liked the neckline and the simple eyelet lace. She slipped the dress on over her head and zipped it up. She was trying to reach the hook to fasten it when she passed her mirror again. Studying her reflection, she decided she was glad it was Saturday after all.
    Carole heard the Babcocks’ car pull into her driveway.She glanced out the window and watched Scott emerge. He gazed up at the house uncertainly and then approached the front door. Carole heard the doorbell ring. Her father answered it. A few seconds later, Dr. Babcock drove away.
    There was a knock at her door. “Honey, I know you saw the car so you know Scott’s here. I’m pretending you don’t, though, so I have a chance to come see you and see if you need any help. Any hooks that need hooking?”
    Carole smiled to herself. Her father was just about the neatest guy in the world. No wonder Lynne couldn’t leave him alone. “Yes,” she said. “There
is
one.” Her father came into her room and helped her with the hook at the top of her zipper. When it was all done, she wrapped Lynne’s shawl around her shoulders and spun around for effect.
    “Well?” she asked.
    “Well, what?”
    “Well, how do you like it?”
    “I love it—except for the shawl. Where did that come from?”
    Carole giggled. “Lynne loaned it to me. She said it ‘accents the outfit perfectly.’ I think I have to wear it, Dad,” Carole said.
    “Oh.”
    “It’s time now, huh?”
    He nodded, then offered Carole his arm.
    *  *  *
    “A RE THE MARSHMALLOWS melted yet?” Stevie asked Lisa. The girls had shooed everybody out of the kitchen right after supper so they could make a special dessert for themselves.
    “What
are
you making?” Stevie’s twin brother, Alex, asked from outside the kitchen door. “It smells great. Can I have some? Please?”
    Stevie turned to the closed door and put her hands on her hips. “None of your business. No. And no.” She turned back to Lisa. “You are
so
lucky, having only one brother. You don’t