Snow Queen (12 page)

“You know, I gotta say, I’m surprised that you’re participating in this whole pageant thing,” he said suddenly.

Aubrey stood up straight, feeling as if she’d just been slapped. “Why? Because I’m not as perfect as Sophia?”

Grayson stared at her, shocked. Aubrey wished, suddenly, that she could go back in time and say anything but that. Talk about sounding pathetic.

“Um…what?” Grayson asked.

Aubrey skated toward the edge of the pond and dropped down on the cold dirt to unlace her skates. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

“Yeah, like that’s gonna happen,” Grayson said, skating up in front of her. “First of all, Sophia is not perfect.”

Aubrey snorted, staring down at the scratches in the surface of the ice as her cold, shaking fingers slowly worked her laces. “Yeah, right.”

Grayson turned and sat down next to Aubrey, his leg touching hers. He lay his hockey stick aside and pulled his knees up, wrapping his arms around them.

“She is
anything
but perfect,” he said. “But forget about her. The only reason I said what I said was…I think you’re way too cool to be in the Snow Queen Pageant.”

The laces dropped from Aubrey’s useless fingers. She looked over at Grayson and found that his face was mere inches from hers. Her heart skipped an excited beat. “But I thought you liked pageant girls.”

Narrowing his eyes, Grayson pretended to ponder this. “I used to. But I think I’m evolving.”

Aubrey giggled. “Okay, then…what were you and Sophia talking about this morning?” she asked, hoping her nervousness didn’t come through in her voice.

“Oh, that,” Grayson said, his eyes twinkling. “Is that what you’re all upset about?”

“I’m not upset!” Aubrey lied. “Just asking.”

“Okay, well, Sophia told me she thinks our breakup was a mistake and she wants to get back together,” Grayson said matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” Aubrey said, looking out at the ice again.

Her eyes smarted and she told herself it was from the wind, even though the air was still. Grayson reached over and touched her face with his gloved hand, nudging her chin so that she had to look at him again.

“But I told her no,” he said firmly, looking Aubrey in the eye. “I’m over it. Over her. Seeing her again has only confirmed that.”

“Seriously?” Aubrey said.

“Seriously,” Grayson replied. “I mean, what kind of person takes a week off from college to come back home and give away a fake diamond tiara?”

Tell me how you really feel
, Aubrey thought happily. She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing and Grayson blinked, embarrassed.

“No offense,” he added quickly.

“None taken,” she replied. She pulled her own knees up under her chin to mimic his pose and found that she was much warmer this way. “Since you’ve been totally honest with me, I guess I should be totally honest with you.”

“About…?” Grayson asked, raising his eyebrows. He actually looked tense. As if he was afraid she might tell him that she also had an ex who was in the picture. Too sweet.

“The pageant. This stupid, ridiculous pageant,” she said, happy that she was finally able to say it out loud. “The only reason I’m in it is because Christie said she couldn’t do it without
me. And it’s her lifelong dream to be Snow Queen, so…what’s a best friend to do?”

Grayson laughed, a cloud of steam rising from his lips into the night. “Really? That’s why you’re competing?”

“Yep,” Aubrey said. She tilted her head and looked out across the ice. “You pegged it. I
am
way too cool to be a pageant girl,” she joked. “And, you know, now we have added incentive…since she’s planning to give the prize money to Rose and Jim. I have to help Christie win. There’s a lot at stake, you know?”

“I think it’s really amazing that you’d do that for your friend,” Grayson said earnestly. “Endure all that hair spray and eyeliner and those insane high heels—”

“Not to mention the bitchiness and backstabbing and catfights,” Aubrey put in. Not adding, of course, that his sister had been the instigator of most of these things.

“Of course. Let’s not mention those,” Grayson joked. He looked her in the eye. “Seriously, though, Christie is lucky to have you. And so are Rose and Jim.”

Aubrey’s heart skipped crazily. “Thanks.”

“And it’s lucky for me, too,” Grayson told her.

Aubrey looked over at him, resting her chin on her arm. “How so?”

“Well, if she didn’t have you for a best friend, you wouldn’t be here,” Grayson said, shifting slightly so he could face her better. “And I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Why?” Aubrey asked, her heart starting to pitter-patter. She had a feeling she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear him say it.

“Because if you weren’t here, I couldn’t do this,” Grayson said.

Then he leaned in ever so slowly and touched his lips to hers. Aubrey’s eyes fluttered closed as her heart flipped and cartwheeled and bounced around like a rubber ball. Grayson was kissing her. Ten minutes ago she had thought he was getting back together with Sophia, but now he was kissing
her
. It was all so crazy and surprising and incredible she felt like laughing. Then she got a faint taste of his cherry Chapstick and she couldn’t help it. She smiled even with her lips pressed against his. Grayson smiled, too, and they both leaned back to laugh.

“I’ve been wanting to do that ever since that
first morning,” he said.

“I’ve been wanting you to do that ever since that first morning,” she replied giddily.

“Well, we should communicate better,” Grayson said with mock seriousness.

“Definitely,” Aubrey replied, nodding. “But not right now.”

She grabbed Grayson’s jacket, pulled him to her, and this time the kiss went on and on.

“T
his is going to be our most fabulous winter carnival to date!”

Aubrey cheered for Rose’s announcement along with Christie, Jim, Charlie, Jonathan, and a few other workers from the inn, lifting their mugs of coffee in a toast. It was Saturday morning and they had all gathered at the center of the carnival grounds so that Rose and Jim could do their walk-through and check out everything before the carnival began the next day. It was an annual ritual, and Aubrey was happy to be included. And she was impressed that everyone was managing to stay so chipper and positive when they had no idea how the Chamberlains’ lack of participation was going to affect the carnival’s business. She was about to mention this to Christie, when she noticed
her friend watching Jonathan longingly over Aubrey’s shoulder. Aubrey took a deep breath. It was about time to deal with these two already.

“You should go talk to him,” Aubrey whispered to Christie as the group began to walk.

“Right now?” Christie said, hiding her lips behind her coffee cup. “It’s six
A.M
. I look like death.”

Aubrey rolled her eyes. Christie, in fact, looked as perfect as always with her shiny hair falling over the shoulders of her red jacket, her cheeks tinged with pink from the cold.

“You look beautiful. Just go over there and say hi. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“He could laugh in my face,” Christie said.

Right then, as if on cue, Jonathan let out a peel of laughter so loud everyone stopped talking. Christie looked as if she was going to faint.

“Sorry! Charlie was just telling me the story of his latest, greatest snowboarding crash,” Jonathan told the group.

Everyone chuckled and continued to walk. Charlie’s arm was tucked against his body in a new sling to help keep him from straining his freshly sprained wrist. Aubrey wouldn’t have
minded hearing the story herself, but right then she could have wrung both Jonathan’s and Charlie’s necks for their bad timing. Clearly Aubrey was going to have to get Jonathan to take the plunge and ask Christie out. It was never going to happen if Christie had to do it herself.

“So, Aubrey, do you have a favorite carnival ride?” Rose asked, slipping her arm around Aubrey’s shoulders.

“I’ve always been a big fan of the games, actually,” Aubrey said as they passed by the swings. “I like to go home with as many humongous stuffed animals as possible.”

“Got a competitive streak in you, huh? I like that,” Jim said with a nod.

“Oh, she
definitely
does,” Christie chimed in.

Aubrey smiled as she thought back to last night. After kissing Grayson for what seemed like hours, Aubrey had finally told him she had to get to sleep so she would be fresh for today’s rehearsal. Then, once he was gone, she had spent another hour shooting pucks. So what if they had kissed? That didn’t mean she couldn’t smoke him in the hockey shot competition.

“Rose, is it okay if I head back to the inn? I want to get in some twirling practice before rehearsal,” Christie said, tossing the last of the coffee out of her mug.

“Sure, hon. Whatever you need,” Rose said.

Aubrey shot Christie a withering look. “Come on, Christie. Don’t go!”

Christie checked over her shoulder and saw Jonathan and Charlie closing in on them. “I’ll see you later!” Then she jogged off as if a band of scary clowns were approaching, rather than the guy she liked. Aubrey sighed and took another sip of her coffee. How did the girl ever expect to be happy if she didn’t even try?

Lucky for her, she had a friend who was willing to try for her. So what if Christie had begged Aubrey not to say anything to Jonathan? Sometimes a girl had to do what a girl had to do. And if
she
didn’t do something soon, this romance was never going to get off the ground.

“Let’s check out that new ride—the Tilt and Twirl,” Jim suggested. “I want to see it run a few times before any of our guests get on it.”

He walked ahead and Rose clucked her tongue, shaking her head fondly. “That’s my
Jim. Always Mr. Double-Checker.”

She patted Aubrey on the shoulder and followed after her husband. Aubrey took a deep breath and walked over to Charlie and Jonathan, who had paused to make faces in front of a fun house–style mirror. Way mature.

“What are you guys doing?” Aubrey asked.

“Having some fun. What are
you
doing?” Jonathan replied.

Aubrey heaved a sigh and pulled her hat down lower over her brow as the wind started to kick up around her. “Charlie, can I talk to Jonathan alone for a second?”

The two boys exchanged a baffled look.

“Sure,” Charlie said finally. He supported his sling with his good hand as he shrugged. “I’ll catch up with Rose and Jim.”

He jogged off, leaving Aubrey alone with Jonathan on a wide patch of dirt between the merry-go-round and one of dozens of snack bars. Aubrey could hear some hammering in the distance and a power tool was running somewhere nearby, but otherwise, there was nothing but silence. She suddenly realized that she hadn’t actually spoken to Jonathan much since
her arrival and felt the full weight of the awkwardness between them.

“So…what’s up?” Jonathan asked, repeatedly knocking his fists together.

Okay, just get it over with
, Aubrey told herself.

“It’s about Christie,” she said. “Why haven’t you asked her out yet?”

Jonathan instantly turned beet red. “What? What makes you think I want to ask out Christie?” he said, glancing past her shoulder nervously.

Aubrey looked behind her. There was no one there. “It’s totally obvious,” she said. “You like her, she likes you…why don’t you ask her to the winter ball?”

“She likes me? Really? Did she tell you that?” Jonathan asked, suddenly all alert.

Aubrey stared him down. “Just ask her, Jonathan. I’m sure she’ll say yes.”

“I don’t know.” Jonathan took a few paces away from her and kicked at some hay that had been strewn along the edges of the path. “I mean, I work for Rose and Jim. What if they didn’t approve?”

“Is that what’s holding you back? Please! I’m
sure they just want their granddaughter to be happy,” Aubrey said. She walked over to him and slapped him hard on the back with her free hand. “You can do this, Jonathan. I know you can.”

Jonathan glanced at her over his shoulder and tilted his head with a reluctant expression. “I don’t know….”

“Well, I do!” Aubrey replied, growing frustrated. What was wrong with him and Christie? Why couldn’t these people just go after what they clearly wanted?

“We’ll see, okay? Maybe,” he said, backing away from her. “I’ll think about it.”

“I’m not going to drop this, Jonathan! From now on I’m making it my mission to get you two together!” she said.

“Why do you care so much about this?” he asked, lifting his palms as he continued to back away.

Because her friend deserved a nice guy. Because she and Christie had never been to a dance together and she thought it might be fun. Because now that she was happy with Grayson, she wanted to help Christie become just as
happy. Not that she could explain this all to him right now.

“Because I do!” she replied.

“Whatever that means.” Jonathan lifted his hand in a wave, then turned and speed-walked around the corner where Rose, Jim, and Charlie had disappeared. Aubrey took a deep breath and tipped her head back to look at the clear, blue, snowless sky. She could just imagine the four of them walking into the winter ball together—her and Grayson, Christie and Jonathan. Grayson would look so handsome all dressed up, and Aubrey would find herself some killer gown that would make both Layla and Sophia green with envy. It would be the most incredible night ever.

Not that Grayson had asked her yet, but she was sure he would. He didn’t want to be with Sophia or anyone else. He wanted to be with her. After last night, Aubrey was completely sure of that fact.

“Now if only it would snow,” she said to herself, searching in vain for a cloud.

Then everything would be just perfect.

“Well, here we are. End of week one and still no snow,” Aubrey complained as she and Christie walked down the plushly carpeted hallway toward the private rehearsal space behind the amphitheater. Every panoramic window they passed by afforded the same exact view—big blue sky, bright shining sun, bare, brown mountains. “Everyone kept saying there was snow in the forecast for the end of the week, but do you see a flake?”

“No, I don’t see a flake,” Christie replied.

“No flakes!” Aubrey said, throwing her hands up as she continued to walk. “Why do the weather people even bother? I mean, seriously. Of all the pointless professions in the world, that has to be the most—”

Suddenly Aubrey heard loud dance music and she stopped in her tracks. Someone was playing the music that Christie was using for her baton-twirling act.

“Oh my God. Do you hear that?” Aubrey asked, her heart sinking to her toes.

“Yeah,” Christie said, going pale. “Did I leave my iPod in the rehearsal room?”

“Come on,” Aubrey said.

She whirled around and headed for the supposedly soundproof rehearsal room. As she approached she realized that the door was slightly ajar, which was why they could hear the music all the way down the hall. Not wanting to be too obvious, Aubrey tiptoed over to the door and peeked inside, tugging Christie with her. When she saw the girl dancing her heart out in the middle of the rehearsal space, her vision prickled over with angry red dots.

“Layla?” she blurted, throwing the door wide.

“Aubrey! Hey!” Grayson said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her.

She glanced over at him and Fabrizia, both of whom were standing in the far corner. Until that moment she hadn’t realized they were there. Their presence was going to make it a lot harder to wrestle her nemesis to the floor.

“Hi,” Aubrey said, unsure of how to proceed. Then she saw the haughty smirk on Layla’s face and couldn’t hold back. “What are you doing?” she asked. “That’s Christie’s music.”

“What?” Layla said, all wide-eyed and innocent. Her forehead was beaded with sweat as
she walked over and turned off the stereo. “I had no idea.”

“Yes, you did. You totally had the idea,” Aubrey said, attempting to keep her voice steady. “You were here when Christie was rehearsing the other day. You knew it was hers. Right, Christie?”

Everyone looked at Christie, who was standing near the door looking shaken. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Aubrey wanted to kill Layla for upsetting her friend like this. Christie was the sweetest person on the planet. She was just trying to compete in a stupid pageant. Why couldn’t Layla just leave her alone?

Finally, Christie nodded. “She was here,” she said weakly.

“Layla, is this true?” Fabrizia asked, holding one gloved hand over her heart. Like the very idea of Layla cheating might cause a sudden coronary.

“Of course not! Why would I want to use the same music as one of my competitors?” Layla asked, tossing her thick mane of hair over her shoulder.

“You are such a liar,” Aubrey snapped.

“Aubrey,” Grayson said, holding out a hand as if to stop her from doing something she’d regret. Aubrey felt the sting of betrayal, that he would believe Layla over her.

But remember, she
is
his sister. And she does have that innocent-angel act down pat
, Aubrey told herself.

“Well, I guess it’s your word against mine,” Layla said, looking at Aubrey and Christie.

For a long moment, no one said a word. Then, finally, Grayson blew out a sigh. “Layla, I have a hard time believing Christie and Aubrey would make up something like this. Maybe you heard it here with them and then…forgot where you heard it?”

Layla’s jaw dropped slightly and then she laughed. “Fine. I saw her rehearsing to it. But I didn’t know that it was definitely the music she’d be using for the pageant. Besides, I’ve been rehearsing this choreography since last summer. It’s not like I heard the music for the first time that day and said, ‘Oh! I want to use that.’”

Aubrey didn’t believe her. She was sure that Layla had decided to use it that day. And she
was also certain that the girl had left the door to the soundproof room open on purpose, knowing that Christie would arrive for her designated time slot and hear it. Layla knew that Christie had confidence issues and this was her way of throwing her off her game. Which, apparently, was working. Christie looked as if she wanted to flee but was too upset to move.

Aubrey looked at Fabrizia for a decision. As far as she was concerned, it was up to the director to sort this out.

“Well, I suppose you could both use the same music, although I do not recommend it,” Fabrizia said, lifting her fingers to her chin as she pondered the problem. “It is always far better to stand out to the judges.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll stand out,” Layla said with a smirk, looking Christie up and down.

“Oh, that’s really nice,” Aubrey snapped.

“I just mean that I’m sure our interpretations will be different enough,” Layla said, her voice pitching up an octave as she glanced at her brother. Grayson, of course, seemed to accept this explanation. “I don’t have a problem with it
if Christie doesn’t have a problem with it.”

Aubrey narrowed her eyes. All she wanted to do was grab Layla’s iPod and crush it under her foot. But she couldn’t do that. Not with everyone watching her. Not with Grayson watching her. How was it possible that he couldn’t see Layla for what she really was? At that moment she would have given anything to have Grayson squarely on her side. But instead, he was looking at Christie expectantly as if waiting for her to amicably agree to Layla’s benevolent proposal.

“It’s fine,” Christie said, her voice watery. “I’ll be fine.”

Aubrey glanced at her watch. “Christie and I have the rehearsal room in five minutes. We’ll be outside.”

“Thanks, Christie!” Layla sang as Aubrey tugged Christie out the door.

Outside, with the door safely closed, Aubrey let out a frustrated groan and leaned her forehead against the smooth glass of the nearest window. The pane was cool and it felt good against her overheated skin. Calming.