A Spy Among the Girls by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Author:Phyllis Reynolds Naylor [Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-54742-2
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2000-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

Eleven

Gift

Beth had baked two chocolate hearts, one for Josh and one for her father. Coach Malloy had eaten his, but Beth was going to wait until after dark, when no one would see her, then leave Josh's heart on his front porch and ring the bell.

“This is boring!” Caroline complained to her sisters as the girls sprawled on Eddie's bed, resting their chins on their hands. “If we can't have anything to do with the Hatfords again, we might as well go back to Ohio. I mean, what have we ever found to do in Buckman that's as exciting as hanging out with the boys?”

“That's the problem with us,” Eddie told them as they looked out the window toward the Hatfords’ house. “There's lots to do in Buckman—we just haven't gotten involved.”

“I've been involved! I had a part in the community play!” Caroline said, failing to mention that she was sick the night of the performance. “But I still think doing stuff with the Hatfords—doing things to the Hatfords—has been the most fun of all.”

“So do I,” said Beth in a soft voice, a dreamy voice— and, Caroline noticed, a decidedly sad voice. “But there's got to be more than just leaving a chocolate heart on Josh's porch. I'm going to find a way to be with him if I have to run away to do it.”

Both Caroline and Eddie turned and stared at Beth.

“You wouldn't!” said Eddie. “Run away from home over a boy? Over a Hatford ?”

“Over Josh, I would,” Beth said determinedly.

“But where would you go?” asked Caroline. Oh, this was wonderful! Beth was actually talking about forsaking her family and home for the boy she loved! How Caroline wished it were she who was thinking of running away—she who would do something really romantic! She just had to make Wally Hatford fall in love with her, if even for five minutes. “Where would you live?” she questioned.

Now it was Beth's turn to stare. “Live? Why, right here, of course! I didn't mean I would run away to somewhere. I just meant run off for the day to be with Josh for a while.”

“Hey!” said Eddie. “Do you see what I see?”

Beth and Caroline looked toward the window again.

“Somebody's coming across the swinging bridge,” said Beth. “It looks like…like…”

“Peter!” said Caroline. “No one in Buckman takes as long to cross that bridge as Peter Hatford.”

“Or finds so many excuses to stop.” Eddie laughed.

They studied the young boy standing at the cable handrail, watching the water flow under the bridge.

“What's he got under his arm?” mused Beth.

“Looks like a book. A dictionary?” Caroline guessed.

“It's not a dictionary, it's a box,” said Eddie, craning her neck and staring hard out the window.

Down below, Peter started forward again. Yes, it was a box, Caroline decided. A yellow box. Peter was holding it in both hands now and studying it as he crossed the halfway point on the bridge and kept coming. Now she saw him hold the box up to his ear and shake it.

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