Holly's Heart Collection One (66 page)

“Yes?” I answered sleepily.

“I fixed breakfast for you,” Tyler announced through the door. “May I come in?”

Sitting up, I reached for one of the many pillows piled up on my enormous bed. I pulled the covers up to my chest and called, “Okay.”

Slowly, Tyler emerged, straining to balance a breakfast tray of scrambled eggs and jelly toast, a tiny glass of orange juice, and a tall glass of milk.

“You did all this?”

He looked embarrassed, but only for a second. “I’m way good at making breakfast.”

“Thanks, Tyler,” I said, spreading out the white linen napkin. “Does your mom know you used her cloth napkin?”

“Oh yes,” he said, his golden-brown eyes smiling. “She insisted on it.”

I poked a piece of scrambled egg and remembered I’d forgotten to pray. I put my fork down.

“It’s safe to eat. Honest,” he exclaimed.

“I believe you,” I replied. “But I always pray before I eat.”

“Always?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

I nodded. “Wanna join me?”

“I don’t know how,” he said.

“It’s not hard,” I explained. “It’s like talking to your best friend.”

“I heard a man pray on the radio once. He had lots of thees and thous in his prayer.”

“God doesn’t care if our words are perfect or not. He wants our hearts,” I said, delighted to share my faith with Tyler again.

“Will you pray out loud so I can listen?” he asked sheepishly.

I nodded. “Dear Lord,” I began, “this breakfast looks fabulous. Thanks for blessing it and thanks for Tyler, who put it all together as a special surprise for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

“Wow, that’s way easy,” Tyler said.

I smiled. “Wanna try tonight at supper?”

“Nah,” he said, stepping back. “My mom would freak.”

“How come?”

“She’s not much into God and stuff like that,” he said, turning to leave.

“Where are you going now?” I asked.

“Carrie’s next,” he said, grinning at me over his shoulder. I picked up my fork and sampled the eggs. Suddenly Tyler was back. “Here, I forgot to give you this,” he said, handing me a note.

It was from Daddy. The note said he had an unexpected appointment, and Saundra was out doing last-minute Christmas shopping.
Do you mind watching Tyler and Carrie for a few hours while we’re gone?
It was signed,
Love, Daddy.

Tyler stood in the doorway. “Enjoy your breakfast while I plan our day.” A sudden mischievous look spread across his freckled face. “The house is empty, and it’s almost Christmas!”

The gleam in his eyes gave away his secret. The little sneak!

“Carrie! Wake up!” he called to her. “I’m serving you breakfast in bed.” His voice trailed off, but I heard something about raiding the closets and looking under the beds for presents.

Yikes! I had my work cut out for me baby-sitting these two. I gobbled down the rest of my breakfast and found my robe. Before I made the bed, I pulled my diary out of hiding, making sure it was still locked. No one needed to know about my troubles back in Dressel Hills.

I opened the drapes and gazed out at the ocean. Sea gulls drifted lazily in the warmth of the sun. Soaking up the breathtaking view, I talked to God. It was Sunday morning in Daddy’s house. Back home, we’d all be in church by now. I felt a twinge of sadness for the free and easy lifestyle Daddy was accustomed to. And Tyler…How could a kid make it growing up without God in his life? I blamed Saundra for her disinterest in spiritual things. I poured out my thoughts and feelings. Before long, I was soothed as I watched the waves crash in with the tide.

My gaze found a boy running along the beach, a black Labrador at his side. Every so often, the boy would stop, rub the Lab’s back, and talk to her. There was no question about their relationship—they were good pals.

I leaned on the arm of the overstuffed chair for a longer look. Printed on the boy’s blue sweat shirt was the number 34. Tan with sun-bleached blond hair, he was about Stan’s age, I guessed. I watched till he was a speck in the distance.

Reluctantly, I turned away from the window to make my bed and then hurried off to check on Tyler and Carrie. But my thoughts curiously centered on Number 34.

CALIFORNIA CRAZY

Chapter 11

“Disappear!” Carrie shouted as I entered her bedroom. “This is
my
room!”

“Give me a break,” I said, bending down to pick up pajamas, underwear, you-name-it.

“Sure, I’ll give you a break,” she snapped. “Tyler and I are going outside to the hot tub, how’s that?” With a flick of her long hair, my sister flounced off to the bathroom, swimsuit in hand.

“Fine,” I muttered, sitting on the edge of her unmade bed.

When she finally emerged, Carrie’s hair flopped around in a ponytail high on her head, and a towel hung over her bare shoulders.

“Nice suit,” I said.

“Saundra bought it for me.” She pushed a pile of rumpled clothes off the chair. Then she dug into a department store bag and pulled out a hot-pink two-piece bathing suit and threw it at me.

“Where’d you get this?” I asked, holding it up.

“It’s for you, from your wicked stepmother!”

Our eyes caught for a second, then Carrie glanced away, her face filled with guilt.

“Why, you little…” I grabbed her arm, ready to accuse her of reading my diary. But wait…it was locked this morning when I checked—and I was wearing the key! I glared at her. “How’d you do it?”

Carrie knew exactly what I meant. “Easy,” she taunted, pulling away from me.

Tyler stood in the doorway, wearing his swimming trunks. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Carrie shouted, “This is what happens when you’re not the only child. Be thankful.”

I wanted to shake her. “Stop avoiding the subject and stay away from my diary.”

Carrie faced Tyler, still ignoring me. I reached out to grab her, but she spun away and ran upstairs as I followed her into the hallway.

Tyler shrugged his shoulders. “You two fight like this at home?” he asked. Then he turned and ran upstairs, yelling for Carrie. I stormed off to my room and sat near the window, creating a plan to catch my sister red-handed. Tonight!

After a long morning of swimming and supervising Tyler and Carrie, I should’ve been wiped out by the end of this day. But I wasn’t the least bit tired at ten-thirty when I turned off the light.

Pulling up the sheet, I waited. I was almost sure what Carrie was doing. While I slept, she would unlock my diary with the key around my neck. I didn’t know exactly how, without waking me, but I was known to be a heavy sleeper. So…even if it meant staying up all night, I was determined to catch her!

After what seemed like hours, I glanced at the clock on my lamp table. Only eleven. Surely Carrie would come sneaking in any minute.

In the darkness, I crept to the window and watched moonbeams promenade across the ocean. And then I saw something moving along the beach. Inching closer to the window, I spied a large animal running on the beach beside a jogger. I strained to see. Then I remembered the telescope.

Hurrying to Carrie’s room, I tiptoed to the long, black tube poised on a tripod. Glancing across the room, I checked out my sleeping sister. Then, positioning the lens, I brought it into focus.

Number 34! His sleek black Labrador ran at his side. I sharpened the focus, pulling the tall, blond boy into closer range. I could see him quite clearly now in his sweats and his bare feet.

Carrie stirred in her sleep. I squatted down, holding my breath. When I was certain she was asleep again, I left quickly.

Instead of counting sheep after I slipped between the sheets, I counted the days Jared and I had been together before the Christmas party. I could still hear his voice whispering my nickname.
Holly-Heart
…

Tears trickled over my cheeks and landed in my ears as I stared up at the ceiling. A stream of words tumbled back into my consciousness
. You’re too good to be true, Holly-Heart.

I turned over and pressed my face into the pillow, closing my eyes and squeezing the tears out. The old days and my new Jared were gone, thanks to Paula Miller.

The next morning I woke with a start. Yikes—I’d fallen asleep! I slid my hand under the pillow next to me and felt for my diary and the lock. Both were secure. So was the key on the chain around my neck.

Glancing at the clock, I discovered it was only six forty-five. But I was too wide awake to go back to sleep. I wandered over to the windows and sat on the chair in the corner. Sea gulls screeched as they did their morning exercises over the ocean waves.

Exercise. Just what I needed. I pulled on some shorts and a T-shirt and headed outside for a walk on the beach.

The salty sea breeze energized me. I ran hard, barefooted on the wet sand, as the breakers came in with the tide. Eventually I slowed to a walk, closing my eyes, facing the first rays of the sun. Here it was, five days till Christmas, and it felt like summer. But something was missing, and it wasn’t just the snow. It was much more than that. Mom was back home, and I missed her. Andie wasn’t around for me to cry on her shoulder. And Jared…What would happen to our friendship? Thinking that thought made me teary eyed again. I was truly homesick.

I decided to take things into my own hands. There would be Christmas cheer right here on this beach, even if I had to make a snowman out of sand. I stooped down and began pushing damp sand into a large ball. Soon I had a jolly, round base, and I stepped back for a quick look.

A while later, someone called to me. “Holly!”

I turned to see Carrie and Tyler running toward my sand creation at full speed. Anger churned inside me when I saw Carrie, her long golden locks flying in the ocean’s breeze. It still bugged me, not being able to keep a nosy little sister out of my very private diary.

“Wow, that’s huge!” Tyler exclaimed when he saw the round sand ball. “What’re you making?”

“
I
know!” Carrie shrieked with delight. “It’s gonna be a sandy snowman.”

“Way cool,” Tyler said. “Can we help?”

“Run to the house and get something to carry water in,” I told him, and off he went.

Now that Carrie and I were alone, I was dying to continue the tongue-lashing she rightfully deserved. Eyeing me nervously she said, “You won’t tell Mommy, will you?”

“Of course I’ll tell, and that’s not the only thing I’ll do,” I said, thinking about how fabulous it would be to see the look on her face tonight when I reached out from under the covers and scared the living daylights out of her.

“Tell me!” she demanded.

“No way.” I brushed the sand off my knees. Glancing up, I saw Tyler racing toward us, waving something.

“This just came,” he said, shoving a white envelope marked
Express Mail
into my sandy hand.

“Thanks.” I searched for a spot of dry sand to sit on.

“We’re having brunch in ten minutes,” Tyler said. “My mother said so.” He made a face, laughing.

“I’m not hungry,” I said, opening the letter.

“I am!” Carrie pulled off her sandals and ran, splashing into the ocean with Tyler. “Tell us when ten minutes are up,” she called back to me.

“Whatever,” I muttered, anxious to read my best friend’s letter.

Hey, Heartless:

Do you know how expensive express mail is? Anyway, I just had to write because something weird’s happening. My best friend (that’s you, in case you forgot) leaves for her fancy-tancy Christmas in California without saying goodbye! Where’s your heart, Holly? I mean, it’s bad enough having to suffer through the holidays without someone to CONFIDE in, if you know what I mean?

And for starters, Stan likes me. Can you believe it, your cousin likes ME? He told me so at the party. If only you were here, I could tell you everything….

Now for the big, bad stuff. You are in deep water with Jared. He couldn’t believe you left without telling him goodbye. Anyway, neither of us knew what happened to you. He was totally shocked that you would leave like that. I looked for you after the devotional, and poof, you were gone! That’s NOT the way to treat your best friend, not to mention a guy like Jared—especially when you wrote those poems for him. (Yep, he let me read one of them.) And, hey, you’re good. Jared thinks so, too. He misses you, Holly—a lot!