High Stakes Read online

  “The what?” Scott asked, wrinkling his forehead in confusion. “Who’s Carl?”

  Stevie winced, realizing too late that Scott had no idea what she was talking about. “It’s not a who, it’s a what,” she explained reluctantly. As soon as Scott found out about the fund-raiser, he would probably decide to go as a way to spend more time with her. Stevie stepped over to Phil, resting one hand on the back of his neck just to reinforce the fact that they were a couple. “CARL stands for ‘County Animal Rescue League’—it’s the shelter in town. They’re having a fund-raising party on Friday night.”

  “Really?” Scott looked interested. “Sounds like a good cause. Who all is going?”

  “Oh, um, just a few people,” Stevie replied. “Phil and I are going together, of course. And Lisa and Carole will be there.”

  “I can’t believe Stevie didn’t tell you about it before this,” Phil commented, swatting Stevie’s hand away from his neck. “Quit it, that tickles.” He straightened up and stretched. “Anyway, you two should definitely come. The tickets are a little steep, but like you said, it’s a good cause. And it should be fun. This is the first year Stevie and I are going, but there’s supposed to be a good band for dancing, and a bunch of restaurants donate food, and there will be door prizes and stuff.”

  Stevie held her breath, waiting for Scott to suggest that they all go together. Instead he nodded thoughtfully. “Sounds interesting.”

  Stevie was relieved. Maybe he’s starting to catch on, she thought. No matter how much he wants me, he must realize there’s no way. Right?

  Not wanting to take any chances, she grabbed Phil’s hand. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go before Max comes along and makes us do stable chores.”

  Soon the two of them were stepping through the large front doors of the stable into the clear December evening. The sun had just set and there was a serious chill in the air, but Stevie could hear riders still practicing in the main schooling ring nearby. When she glanced over, she saw a couple of students trotting side by side across the ring. Squinting in the fading light, she saw that one of the horses was Starlight. Rachel Hart, a seventh-grader, was in the saddle.

  “Okay,” Phil said bluntly. “What was that all about?”

  “What was what all about?” Stevie asked innocently, keeping her gaze on the horses in the ring. Rachel was pulling ahead of the other rider, a girl named Juliet who was aboard her quarter horse gelding, Pinky. Stevie couldn’t help admiring Rachel’s form as she posted cleanly.

  She rides almost as well as Carole did at that age, she thought. Pretty impressive. No wonder Carole asked her to help her take care of Starlight while she’s grounded.

  Phil squeezed her hand, which he was still holding as they walked. “Yo,” he said. “You know what I’m talking about. You were acting like a total freak back there with Scott and Callie. What’s up?”

  Stevie finally met his eye. “Oh,” she said meekly. “Um, yeah. I guess I had a few things on my mind.”

  “Such as?” Phil asked expectantly.

  Stevie hesitated as they wandered toward the parking lot on the far side of the stable yard. So far she hadn’t told anyone except Carole and Lisa about her suspicions about Scott. Should I tell Phil? she wondered uncertainly. I don’t want to mess up his friendship with Scott or anything.

  Still, she knew she couldn’t keep her thoughts from him much longer. The two of them had always been honest with each other, and she didn’t want to start keeping secrets now. She would just have to trust her boyfriend to be mature enough to handle the news without going ballistic.

  “Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath and pulling him forward until they were standing beside his father’s car, a black sedan. Stevie turned to face him, taking his other hand in hers and looking him square in the face. “Here it is. But you have to promise not to get mad.”

  “What is it?” Phil looked worried. “Spill it, Stevie.”

  Stevie took another deep breath. “It’s about Scott. I think he likes me.”

  Confusion shadowed Phil’s expression. “Huh?” he said. “Of course he does. I thought you guys dealt with this ages ago. Why? Has he been talking about the accident again?”

  “No, no!” Stevie dropped his hands and waved her own, realizing he’d totally misunderstood what she was trying to say. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I mean I think he likes me. As in, wants me, needs me, totally digs me.”

  Phil blinked. “Huh?”

  “I know,” Stevie said. “I was pretty shocked, too. I mean, he knows perfectly well that you and I are—What?” she interrupted herself, noticing that Phil was smiling. “I’m not kidding. He keeps talking to me at school all the time, and he’s been hanging around the stable …”

  “Oh, really?” Phil said, his grin breaking into a chuckle. A moment later he started to laugh. “Talking to you at school, huh?” he chortled. Then he laughed so hard that he bent over, resting both hands on his knees as his whole body shook uncontrollably. “S-Stevie and S-S-Scott, sittin’ in a tree!” he gasped out after a moment, leaning back against his car for support.

  “Hey! What’s so funny?” Stevie said irritably, poking him hard in the shoulder. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? Another guy likes me. A good-looking guy. Smart, too. So what’s the big joke?”

  “Sorry,” Phil gasped, wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands. “Um, it’s just that, well, don’t take this the wrong way. But are you really sure about this? Because I have to tell you, I just don’t see it.”

  Stevie was annoyed. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at him. “Why not?” she demanded. “Is it so hard to believe that a cool guy like Scott would be interested in me?”

  “Of course not,” Phil said apologetically, though the effect was spoiled by the snicker that escaped. He reached for her and pulled her to him. “Any guy in the world would be crazy not to want you.”

  Stevie kept herself stiff for a couple of seconds before relaxing into his embrace. “Okay,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “So then what’s the big joke?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Phil rubbed her back. “I guess it was just what you said about him talking to you at school. I mean, have you ever met a person Scott didn’t want to talk to?”

  “Okay, okay,” Stevie replied, pulling away and looking Phil in the eye again. “But I really think there’s more to this than just, you know, plain old friendliness. It’s just a vibe I get when he’s around. Like he’s fishing for something.”

  “Hmmm.” Phil was still smiling. “That’s interesting. Tell me, do you get the same vibe from anyone else? Because, you know, I caught Max looking at you the other day after you dropped that bucket full of water on the floor. Maybe that means he secretly wants you, too.”

  Stevie frowned. “Very funny,” she mumbled, kicking at the gravel of the parking lot.

  “And then there’s good old Starlight.” Phil was gazing across the stable yard in the direction of the schooling ring, an expression of mock concern on his face. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way he’s always nosing at you when you walk by his stall.”

  Stevie rolled her eyes. Oh well, she thought resignedly. I suppose I should be glad that Phil isn’t the jealous type. Still, it would be nice if he were at least a tiny bit upset at the idea that there might be some competition out there.

  She couldn’t really get too worked up about that idea, though. She’d seen what jealousy and suspicion had done to Lisa and Alex’s relationship, and it wasn’t pretty. “Okay, whatever,” she told Phil, forcing a smile. “It’s just a theory. It’s not like I’m planning to say anything to him. I’m sure he’ll get over it if I just ignore it, right?”

  “Definitely,” Phil agreed. “I don’t know about Starlight, though. I think he’s had this crush on you for years.”

  Stevie couldn’t help laughing. “Yeah, well, you’d better watch yourself,” she teased in return. “I’ve always thought Starlight was pretty handsome. If you
don’t behave …” She waggled one finger in front of his face.

  Phil grabbed it with a grin and pulled her a little closer. “Is that a threat?” he murmured, his breath warm on her face.

  “No. But this is.” Stevie snuggled into his arms. “If you breathe a word of this to anyone—the Scott stuff, I mean—I’ll kill you. And then Starlight will have me all to himself.”

  Lisa lowered her book with a sigh and sat up straighter on her bed, rubbing her eyes. She’d just read the same paragraph about six times and still had no idea what it said. Her mind kept drifting. She couldn’t help wondering what Alex was doing at that moment. Was he at home, missing her like she was missing him? Or was he out somewhere having fun, not thinking about her at all? She wasn’t sure which scenario made her heart ache more.

  So this is what it’s like being single again, she thought, tossing the book onto her nightstand and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. This is what it’s like to be a social loser, spending Saturday night with no plans at all. This is what it’s like to be without Alex in my life.

  She knew she was being melodramatic, but she didn’t care. It was only a little after eight o’clock, and it already felt as if the evening had dragged on forever. Deciding that she couldn’t go one more minute without human company, Lisa stood up and headed for the door.

  Her mother was sitting in her usual spot on the living-room couch, watching some old black-and-white movie on TV. She had spent a lot of time doing that lately, ever since her first postdivorce boyfriend had dumped her the weekend after Thanksgiving. “Hello, dear.” Mrs. Atwood glanced up as Lisa entered the room, giving her a smile that looked so forced it was almost painful to see. “Heading out with your friends?”

  Lisa grimaced, glancing down at her plaid flannel pajama top, frayed sweatpants, and fuzzy blue slippers. “Dressed like this?” she said. “No, I don’t think so. Besides, my friends all have other plans tonight.”

  “Of course,” Mrs. Atwood said with a frown. “That’s the trouble with friends. They always desert you when you need them the most.”

  Even in her current melancholy mood, Lisa wasn’t about to agree with that. “No, it’s not like that, Mom,” she said, sinking down onto the arm of an upholstered chair. “If I really needed them they’d be here in a second.”

  Mrs. Atwood shrugged, her gaze straying back to the television. “If you say so,” she said, sounding doubtful. “But the longer I live, the more I come to realize that people usually find a way to let you down in the end. No matter how much you think you can count on them.”

  Lisa opened her mouth to argue, then shut it again. Sure, her mother was being pretty negative. And Lisa really believed that her mother’s bad attitude had more to do with her miserable life than the divorce or anything else. But was Lisa all that much better off herself when you got right down to it?

  I’m sitting here on Saturday night, dressed like a slob, talking to my mother, she thought. My friends are all out having a good time. I’ve got no boyfriend. My parents both think I screwed up my life by picking the college of my choice without their help. She did her best to banish that last thought. In her current state of mind, she didn’t want to start brooding over that whole situation. She had responded to her acceptance to Northern Virginia University without telling anyone, and her parents couldn’t seem to let it go, even though Lisa was still convinced that NVU was the best school for her. It’s all a mess. Even my favorite horse is dead. What’s left for me?

  But the question had hardly even formed in her mind before Lisa knew the answer. Her friends. No matter what, she still had her friends.

  I guess that’s the big difference between Mom and me, she thought, feeling a sudden pang of pity for her mother, sharp and deep. I know there are plenty of people who care about me and want me to be happy—Stevie and Carole and their families, Max and the others at Pine Hollow. But who does Mom have? She doesn’t really have any close friends around here. Just about the only person she talks to besides me is Aunt Marianne. And I know she doesn’t even talk to her as often as she wants to because she lives in New Jersey.

  Mrs. Atwood was staring at the TV with a slight frown on her lined face. “Yes, most people let you down in the end,” she muttered, reaching for the glass of white wine on the coffee table. She seemed to be talking more to herself than to Lisa. “It just makes you realize how completely empty your life really is.”

  “Um, I’d better go back up and do some homework,” Lisa mumbled, knowing that if she hung around her mother much longer she was liable to end up in tears. And that was just about the only thing that would make her feel like even more of a loser than she already did.

  Fleeing back to her room, Lisa flopped onto her bed and hugged her pillow to her chest, glancing at the clock. Eight-thirteen. Yes, maybe she was in better shape than her mother. But just at the moment, that wasn’t a whole lot of comfort.

  “Bye,” Stevie said, leaning over to give Phil one last kiss as she reached for the door handle. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Hold it.” Phil switched off the ignition. “Is that any way to say good night to the guy who bought you a pineapple-and-pistachio sundae—and then had to sit there and watch you eat it?” He grinned and looped his arm around her, pulling her close. “It’s payback time, baby.”

  Stevie giggled. “Well, okay. I guess you earned it,” she joked. Doing her best to wrap her arms around him without getting them tangled in his seat belt, she tilted her face up to receive his kiss. For a moment she forgot about everything and everyone else. Then an image of her parents floated into her mind, and reluctantly she pulled away. “I’d better go in,” she said. “It’s getting close to curfew, and even though I’m technically on the property already, I don’t want to take any chances arguing that with a couple of lawyers like Mom and Dad.”

  Phil chuckled. “Okay.” He planted one last kiss on the tip of her nose. “See ya.”

  As she walked toward the front door, humming cheerfully under her breath, Stevie glanced toward the garage. Both her parents’ cars were parked inside, but there was no sign in the driveway of the rattletrap blue two-door she and Alex shared.

  Stevie stopped humming and frowned. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was almost midnight, their weekend curfew. “Where is he?” she muttered with a flash of worry. Alex had to be awfully upset, even if he wasn’t showing it much—after all, this was his first weekend apart from Lisa. Stevie hated to think that he might do something stupid because of that, like miss curfew and get himself grounded.

  Before she could figure out what to do, she heard the sound of a motor heading down the street. Hurrying a little farther down the driveway, she squinted against the brightness of the headlights, trying to see the car behind the lights. A second later she jumped back onto the lawn as the car spun around the corner and coasted to a stop.

  Whew, Stevie thought with relief. In just under the wire.

  She waited until Alex had climbed out and was turning to close the car door before clearing her throat loudly. Alex jumped about a foot in the air and spun around. “Stevie!” he gasped, grabbing his chest. “You almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing standing around out here in the middle of the night?”

  “Never mind that,” Stevie snapped, her hands on her hips. “Where were you? I was about to call out the National Guard.”

  For a moment Alex didn’t answer. He swung the car door shut, giving it an extra nudge with his foot to make sure the sometimes sticky latch was fast. Then he turned and smiled at Stevie. “Don’t worry, Mom,” he teased. “I made curfew, didn’t I?”

  Stevie scowled at him. “Very funny. So where were you all this time? By the way, don’t think I didn’t notice that you took off with the car without bothering to let me know.”

  “Sorry about that.” Alex didn’t sound particularly apologetic. “But I needed it. I, um, had a date.”

  Stevie’s jaw dropped. “A date?” she repeated. “What are yo
u talking about?”

  Alex shrugged, not quite meeting her eye. “Hey, that was the deal, remember?” he said. “Lisa wanted us to see other people. So I asked someone out.”

  “Who?” Stevie asked, still trying to take in what her brother was saying. Alex had gone out on a date already—just two days after he and Lisa had agreed to take a break from their relationship? It was too bizarre.

  “None of your business.” Alex was starting to look annoyed.

  “Who?” Stevie said again, more firmly this time. “You might as well tell me now, because you know I’ll get it out of you sooner or later.”

  Alex rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he muttered. “It was Nicole, okay?”

  “Nicole Adams?” Stevie really couldn’t believe her ears now. “You’re kidding! You didn’t really ask out a loser bimbo like her, did you?”

  “Shut up, Stevie.” Alex frowned and brushed past her, heading for the house. “I can see whoever I want, and I don’t care what you think about it.”

  Stevie just stood there and watched him go, her mind struggling to catch up with this new information. Nicole Adams? she thought in disbelief. Is he serious?

  Nicole was a junior at Fenton Hall, and Stevie had known her for years. She was part of a group of shallow, silly, snobby girls at school led by Veronica diAngelo, one of Stevie’s least favorite people. Until a couple of months ago Stevie would have said that she and Nicole had absolutely nothing in common. But that had changed—sort of. Nicole had suddenly turned up at Pine Hollow one day, announcing that she was going to start taking riding lessons.

  But it actually began before that, Stevie reminded herself reluctantly. At that party we threw, Alex and Nicole were drooling all over each other on the dance floor.…

  She shuddered at the image. At the time, she had excused her brother’s behavior by reminding herself that he was drunk. But since then, she’d noticed Alex and Nicole hanging out together more than once, at the stable as well as at school.