Authors: Jen Calonita
“Why?” we both asked at the same time, our arms crossed defiantly.
Alexis didn’t say anything. Instead she just pointed in the direction of the Pines offices, a few feet away from the end of the great lawn. The lights were on in the windows and you could see the outline of two people standing with their arms around each other in a tight embrace. I already knew who the mystery couple was.
“Our dad’s and your mom’s little flirtation appears to be sort of serious,” Alexis told us, trying not to laugh too hard. “I overheard them talking a few minutes ago, and they were definitely planning on some more get-togethers that just might include the two of you. I’ll be at college so I’m spared.”
“SHUT UP!” Ashley looked like she might pass out. “You’re joking, right?”
“I’m not joking. Sam’s mom came up early to go on a date with Dad,” Alexis explained cheerfully. “She’s so sweet, Sam. This is the first time I’ve met her, but she seems great for Dad. I’m rooting for them to make a go of things. And, of course, I can’t wait to watch you two squirm during family dinners when I’m home on break.”
“You’re lying,” Ashley said over and over again. Alexis kept shaking her head. I felt a little dizzy. I knew there was a chance this could happen, but I had been pushing it out of my head. On the one hand, I did not want to spend weekends with Ashley. On the other, if Mom was driving up here, we were only half an hour away from Cole.
“I’m going up there,” Ashley declared and stomped off. I quickly followed. The two of us had to sidestep dozens of sleeping bags to get to the office. Several people said hi to Ashley along the way, but she ignored them. Her face was determined and her jaw was locked in concentration.
“Hi, sweetie,” Hitch said, when he looked down and saw Ashley standing by the deck with her arms crossed. “Hi, Sam.” He nudged my mom, who lifted her head and looked at me guiltily.
“Hi, Ashley. It’s nice to meet you. Hi, honey!” she said to me cheerfully. Her hair was a little longer than I remembered it, and she was wearing makeup and perfume. She hadn’t done that in a while. “Just pretend I’m not here. I don’t want to ruin your sleepover party. I wasn’t going to bother you till tomorrow. I came up early to see, um, well, Alan.”
“You don’t say,” Ashley muttered under her breath, but thankfully Mom didn’t hear. Daughter or no daughter, Mom would have had something to say about Ashley’s attitude, even if Hitch did put up with it.
“We were going to tell you both tomorrow,” Hitch said worriedly. “We’re both so new to this dating thing we’re not sure how it will work with the distance, but we’re hoping to take some weekend trips — you guys coming up to us, us coming down — to see how things go.”
Cheering erupted behind us and I saw on the big screen that Robert Downey Jr. had slipped into his Iron Man costume.
“You both should get back to your friends,” Mom insisted as Hitch put his arm around her waist again. “We have plenty of time to catch up — and get to know each other — tomorrow.”
“Your house better have a guest room and more than basic cable,” was the only thing Ashley said to me as we walked back across the lawn.
“Ditto,” I told her and was thankful when Ashley veered right to sit down next to Gabby, Gavin, Patrick, and a bunch of girls from 8A.
“What took you so long?” Court wanted to know when I finally, FINALLY dragged my sleeping bag over to the girls and collapsed on top of it. I mumbled my response to my pillow. I was afraid to turn around and see Hitch and my mom kissing.
“We thought you got eaten by wolves,” Grace told me. This made me sit up.
“You guys saw wolves?” I freaked. “And you let me walk down here alone?”
The three of them laughed. “I can’t believe you still fall for that one,” Grace marveled. She was in her sleeping bag and all I could see was her head. She had the bag rolled up to her neck. Em and Court were on either side of her.
“There you are,” Cole said, as he, Dylan, Tim, and some of their bunkmates made their way over to our little patch of grass. They placed their sleeping bags in a row behind us — Hitch kind of made it clear that guys should not be sleeping directly next to girls — and took a seat. Em scrambled out of her bed and shyly sat next to Dylan. I noticed that for the first time she didn’t have a book with her to read before bed. Tim crouched down next to Grace and the two of them started whispering. I looked over at Court and she rolled her eyes.
“I guess I’ll go get some final flirting in,” she said, and slid out of her sleeping bag. She walked over to Donovan, who was sitting with a few other counselors.
“Hey,” Cole said as he leaned down and kissed me. It was just as good the hundredth time as it was the first — I felt like the Fourth of July fireworks were exploding over our heads. And even though my Mom could technically be watching from a distance, I couldn’t help but enjoy the moment. It was hard not to when you were with Cole. After more than a week of not talking, we’d spent the last few days talking till our jaws locked.
When we came up for air, I said: “My mom is here. She’s on a date with Hitch, and — are you ready for this? — they’re going to try to do the long distance thing.”
Cole looked surprised. “Are you serious?”
I shook my head and laughed. “Ashley and I were just with them and they were talking about mom and me coming up to visit some weekends.”
Cole’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean up here? A half-hour from my house?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
He broke into a wide grin. “That’s not such a bad thing.”
“No?” I questioned. I mean, we were inseparable here, in the Pines bubble, but back in the real world, would Cole like me just as much? As much fun as I’d been having, the nagging thought had entered my mind a million times over the last few days.
He shook his head. “I know you can’t stand Ashley, but if your mom dating Hitch means you get to come upstate more, which means I can see you, then I think it’s a win-win situation.”
“So you’re not sick of me?” I joked.
“Samantha Montgomery, I don’t think I could ever get sick of you,” Cole said seriously.
And you know what? When he said it like that, all brooding and sexy like he was Nate on
Gossip Girl,
I believed him.
“I don’t think I could ever get sick of you either,” I said shyly.
“Good,” Cole said with a grin and put his arm around me, right where I knew it belonged.
Sleepaway Girls
couldn’t have been written without my fabulous editors, Cindy Eagan and Kate Sullivan. This story changed so much—for the better!—from the initial proposal to the final edit and became something I grew to love more and more with every edit. Thanks so much for all your suggestions and camp knowledge (“Is it sleepaway or sleepover camp?”) and for your pep talks along the way.
The same goes for my wonderful agent, Laura Dail, who patiently reminded me there was a whole book to write, and not just the first nine chapters, which I crazily rewrote four (yes, four) times and then later wound up rewriting a fifth. Thank you for always helping me keep my head on straight.
To the amazing team at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers—Ames O’Neill, Melanie Chang, Andrew Smith, Lisa Laginestra, Melanie Sanders, and Tracy Shaw (who amazes me time and again with her great cover designs)—I’m so lucky to work with all of you.
To the always knowledgeable Mara Reinstein—this time the questions were more of a camp than a Hollywood variety, but still! You always had the answer I needed. The same goes for my camp and non-camp-going friends who put up with my teen romance questions, camp q’s and everything in between—Lisa, AnnMarie, Joyce, Joanie, Elena, Miana, and Erin. A special thanks to Christi, my high school best friend and fellow camp counselor—who was nothing like the Mal in this book!
To my mom, Lynn Calonita, who helps out more than a grandmother ever should just so I make all my book deadlines. It’s because of you that I always get everything in on time! Love also to my dad, Nick Calonita; my grandfather, Nick Calonita; Nicole and John Neary; and Gail and Brian Smith for their endless support.
Finally, to my wonderful family—my husband, Mike; my sons Tyler and Dylan; and our super-pampered Chihuahua, Jack—thank you for all your love, laughter, and large supply of kisses.