Katie handed Christy a huge piece of cake with a mound of chocolate chip ice cream smashed into the pink rose on top. "Did we surprise you?"
"Slightly! When did you plan all this?"
""Your aunt called me last week, and we put our heads together. That"s why I acted so casual when you invited me to come here for the weekend. I kept the secret pretty well, don"t you think?"
"No kidding! I had no idea. Thanks, Katie. I was definitely surprised."
"That"s for later," Katie said, pointing up.
Christy looked up at the pink pig pifiata strung from the slatted wood covering over the patio. She noticed that the whole patio was laced in crepe paper streamers and dozens of bright-colored balloons. It kind of looked like a five-year-old was having a party, but she liked it. She knew her aunt had thrown herself into making the party a success.
All of Christy"s beach friends were there: Heather, Tracy, Brian, Leslie, Doug, Todd, and a few others. But Christy glanced around and noticed Rick wasn"t anywhere in sight.
"Everyone," Marti called out, waving her hands above her head to get their attention. Being pet.i.te was not an advantage to her at this moment. Her best advantage was that she had managed to keep a youthful flair about herself.
"As soon as you"re finished with your cake and ice cream, there"s a trash can over in the corner. The ice chests in both corners are filled with cold drinks anytime you want one this afternoon. Bob and Todd are going to set up the volleyball net, aren"t you, boys?"
Bob gave Marti a playful salute. "One volleyball net coming up."
"We"ll open gifts after the barbecue tonight," Marti continued. "And this sliding door will be open all afternoon if you need to come in to change or anything. Now all of you have fun on the beach, and remember to use your sunscreen."
"I"ll get our stuff out of the car," Katie told Christy. "Are you still surprised?"
"I think I"ll be in shock for the rest of the day!"
Katie smiled, "Good." As she turned to go, her copper-colored hair swished like an oriental fan whispering open.
Christy couldn"t finish her humongous piece of cake and asked Todd if he wanted the rest of it. He held up his hand and shook his head.
"Try Doug," he suggested. "He has a higher tolerance for pink sugar roses than I do."
"Todd!" Bob called out from the sand a few yards away. "Are you going to help me with this?"
"Sure!" Todd called back. Then giving Christy a squeeze on the elbow, he said, "See you on the beach."
It took Christy and Katie only ten minutes to change into their bathing suits and cover-ups in the guest room and scamper down the stairs to join the group.
As they stepped out onto the sand, Christy said, "I noticed Rick isn"t here."
"Is that a problem?" Katie said.
"I don"t know, is it?"
Katie stopped, her feet burrowing down in search of cooler sand. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Did you not invite Rick because of how things turned out between you two? I mean, he"s close friends with Doug and Todd. He"s going to hear about the party."
"I asked Doug to call him," Katie explained. "I didn"t want to talk to him. He told Doug he might show up later in the day. We planned this to be a daylong party, in case you hadn"t figured that out. Your aunt is the ultimate party woman. She bought steaks for everyone for the barbecue and stuff for s"mores around the camp fire. She rented a stack of movies in case anyone wants to stay up for a marathon movie night. I"m not going to hold my breath, but Rick might show up later. If he does, I promise to be civil to him."
"Okay, that makes me feel better. As long as you invited him, that"s the main thing. What he does with the invitation is his choice. I just don"t want him to feel shut out."
"Don"t worry. I may not cherish the thought that I once was somewhat interested in Ricka""
Christy interrupted with a roll of her eyes at Katie"s understatement.
"But I have a good teacher showing me how to be friends with a guy after the crush is over."
"Who, me?"
"No, the Little Mermaid," Katie teased. "Of course you."
Christy thought back to what a great teacher Jessica had been to her at camp, "You know, I think once we figure out what real love is, it becomes clear that we can never love a person too much."
Katie looked thoughtful. Then tilting her head, she looked at Christy and said, "Is this what happens when you"re about to turn seventeen? Your mind fills with deep ponderings, and you can suddenly explain the meaning of life to the rest of the world?"
Before Christy could answer, a bright orange volleyball flew through the air, bopping Katie on the top of her head.
"Hey!" Katie called out, spinning around, scooping up the ball and looking to see who threw it.
"Over here!" Todd called. "You"re on our team, Katie. You want to play, Christy?"
She hesitated. Christy had never been good at sports like Katie was. But this was her birthday party. She imagined a person should be able to overcome at least some of her self-consciousness by the time she turned seventeen.
"Sure!" she hollered back at Todd. "Which team am I onr "I need you over here," Uncle Bob said.
For the next hour, an intense game of volleyball ensued. Christy had a lot of fun, even though she didn"t get the ball over the net too many times. Doug, Bob, and two of the other girls on her team made up for Christy"s less-than -stellar performance. In the end, Todd and Katie"s team won.
Todd somehow came up with the idea that the winning team should throw its opponents into the ocean. Before Christy realized what was happening, Todd single-handedly wrestled her down to the sh.o.r.e with a little boy grin plastered all over his face.
Christy screamed and wiggled, but Todd held her arm tight. Just when her feet touched the cool, foamy part of the wave at the sh.o.r.eline, she thought she had a chance to make a break for it. That"s when Doug rushed up behind them.
"Yahoo!" Doug screeched, wrapping his gorilla-length arms around both Todd and Christy and taking them with him on his kamikaze plunge into the wave.
The three friends came up for air, laughing, dripping, and splashing each other. Doug dove under the water and grabbed Christy"s ankle. She pulled away and surprised Doug with a splash of water in his face when he surfaced. Another wave crashed on them, tumbling them all to the sh.o.r.e.
Christy stood in the wet sand, still laughing and wringing the salt.w.a.ter from her oversized T-shirt, which now clung to her.
"Ready for another dip?" Doug asked.
"Maybe after I get the sand out of my ears," Christy said. "But I noticed Katie looking awfully relaxed over there." She pointed to Katie, who was lying stomach-down on her beach towel.
"Say no more," Doug said.
He and Todd charged through the sand, startling Katie from her rest. Within minutes they had pulled their three-point plunge maneuver into the ocean.
Christy retreated to Katie"s now-vacant towel next to Tracy and Heather and tried to dry off.
I guess some things never change, she thought, remembering summers past on this same beach when she and these girls had watched Todd and Doug perfect their "throw the screaming girl into the ocean" routine.
Christy stretched out her long legs on the towel and felt the hot July sun drying up all the salty beads on her legs. Planting the palms of her hands behind her in the sand, Christy gazed out at the shimmering blue ocean. Katie"s red hair popped up from under a wave. Next came Doug with his contagious laugh dancing toward her on the ocean breeze.
Todd, like a playful dolphin, rode the next wave to the sh.o.r.e. Then emerging from the water, he tilted his head back and shook his sun-bleached blond hair so that all the droplets raced down his back. Christy had watched Todd shake his hair that way many times, but this was the first time she noticed what a distinct Todd-thing it was.
I"m glad some things don"t change. I wish I could be this age, on the beach, with these friends, for the next fifty years. I don"t want things to change. Ever.
Christy realized she was wishing almost the opposite of everything she had wished before. For years she had wished things would be different, especially that her relationship with Todd would change and move forward. Now she wanted it all to stop and stand still so she could observe and enjoy every little pinch of her life.
She knew the empty feeling when a camp romance ends. She knew the heady pleasure of dating a guy like Rick. And she knew the exquisite treasure of Todd"s forever friendship.
Christy tilted her head back and felt the sun kissing her face and neck. She remembered Todd"s blessing that she had pa.s.sed on to Jeanine: "May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and give you His peace."
At this moment, Christy knew His forever peace. She felt His face shining upon her. With her eyes closed and a smile tiptoeing onto her lips, Christy silently made seventeen wishes. And all of them started with Todd.
Can"t get enough of ROBIN JONES GUNN!
Book 1: Summer Promise Fourteen-year-old Christy Miller has the dream summer ahead of her in sun-kissed California, staying with her aunt and uncle at their beachfront home. Aunt Marti loves to shop, and those surfers are cutea"especially Todd. Christy promised her parents she wouldn"t do anything she"d regret later, and some of her beach friends are a little wild. But Todd and his "G.o.d-Lover" friends are giving Christy a new image of all things eternal. Can this summer live up to its promise?
Book 2: A Whisper and a Wish Christy"s family has moved to California just in time for her soph.o.m.ore year of high school. But they"re not in Newport Beach, where she spent the summer. Instead they"re an hour and a half away and Christy has to start all over making friends. Despite an embarra.s.sing escapade at a slumber party, things are going pretty wellauntil some midnight fun leads to a trip to the police station. Does G.o.d really hear everv whisper? Does He know our every wish? Then why is it so hard to know who your friends really are?
Book 3: Yours Forever Christy is back at Aunt Marti and Uncle Bob"s house on the beach for the entire week between Christmas and New Year"saand Todd is in town, too! The cute surfer completely captured Christy"s heart last summer, and she"s eager to spend every possible minute with him. But soon Christy and her aunt are barely speaking, and it seems like all her friends are mad at her, tooa"including Todd! Is he hers or isn"t he? And why would G.o.d let things get so tangled?
Available Now ISBN: 978-1-59052-584-5.
www.ChristyMillerAndFriendS.Com Book 4: Surprise Endings With prom just around the corner, Christy gets swept away making plans for her dress and the entire event. But her dreams turn to bitter disappointment when her parents tell her she won"t be allowed to attend, and Christy watches in tears as Todd takes another girl. Can Christy leave a s.p.a.ce in her heart for G.o.d to fill, or will she keep looking to others for her happiness?
Book 5: is/and Dreamer Celebrating her sixteenth birthday in Maui and holding hands in the moonlight with handsome Todd don"t exactly meet Christy"s romantic expectations. The problem? Her best friend Paula. As soon as Paula sees Todd, she never takes her baby-blues off the goal of winning him. Can Christy put aside her jealousy anc fears? And will Todd choose Christy and their longstanding relationship over Paula and her flirty * maneuvers?
Book 6: A Heart Full of Hope Christy"s starting her junior year going steady with a handsome guy who carefully plans each date to show Christy she"s wonderful. And Christy is dazzled by him. But when her parents restrict her activities and insist Christy find a job, her boyfriend is upset by her parents" strict rules. Can he and Christy work out their problems? Or will her parents ruin everything?
Available Now ISBN: 978-1-59052-585-2.
Book 10: A Time to Cherish Juggling the stress of not having enough time with Todd, trying to understand Katie"s relationship with Michael, and making Doug happy forces Christy to evaluate what"s most important to her. Can Christy find a way to keep her friendship with Katie even though they"re not in agreement on much anymore?
Book 11: Sweet Dreams Christy is relieved her senior year is over. She and Katie have made up, and Christy"s dreams of growing closer to Todd are coming true. Suddenly, Christy finds herself having to make what might be the most difficult decision of her lifea"one that could end every sweet dream she ever possessed. Will Christy find the strength to do what she knows is right?
Book 12: A Promise is Forever On a European mission trip with her friends, Christ; can just see herself traveling across different countries and talking to new friends, like Sierra Jensen. But when tensions among the group set in, memories c Todd constantly swim in Christy"s mind. Then she" sent to Spain alone while her friends travel elsewhere. Will Christy face her fears of the future? And can she truly trust that G.o.d has great things planned for her even when all seems lost?
Available Now ISBN: 978-1-59052-587-6.
THE GLENBROOKE SERIES.
by Robin Jones Gunn COME TO GLENBROOKEa
A QUIET PLACE WHERE SOULS ARE REFRESHED.
SECRETS Glenbrooke Series #1 Beginning her new life in a small Oregon town, high school English teacher Jessica Morgan tries desperately to hide the details of her past.
978-1-59052-240-0.
WHISPERS Glenbrooke Series #2 Teri went to Maui hoping to start a relationship with one special man. But romance becomes much more complicated when she finds herself pursued by three.
978-1-59052-192-2.
ECHOES Glenbrooke Series #3 Lauren Phillips "connects" on the Internet with a man known only as "K.C." Is she willing to risk every thinga including another broken heart?
978-1-59052-193-9.
SUNSETS Glenbrooke Series #4 Alissa loves her new job as a Pasadena travel agent. Wrll an abrupt meeting with a stranger in an espresso shop leave her feeling that all men are like the one she"s been hurt by recently?
978-1-59052-238-7.
CLOUDS Glenbrooke Series #5 After Sh.e.l.ly Graham and her old boyfriend cross paths in Germany, both must face the truth about their feelings.
978-1-59052-230-1.
WATERFALLS Glenbrooke Series #6 Meri thinks she"s finally met the man of her dreamsauntil she finds out he"s movie star Jacob Wilde, promptly puts her foot in her mouth, and ruins everything.
978-1-59052-231-8.
WOODLANDS Glenbrooke Series #7 Leah Hudson has the gift of giving, but questions her own motives, and G.o.ds purposes, when she meets a man she prays will love her just for herself.
978-1-59052-237-0.
WILDFLOWERS Glenbrooke Series #8 Gena Ahrens has invested lots of time and money in renovating the Wallflower Restaurant. Now her heart needs the same attention.
978-1-59052-239-4.
About the Author.
Just like Christy, Robin Jones Gunn was born in Wisconsin and lived on a dairy farm. Her father was a school teacher and moved his family to southern California when Robin was five years old. She grew up in Orange County with one older sister and one younger brother. The three Jones kids graduated from Santa Ana High School and spent their summers on the beach with a bunch of wonderful "G.o.d-lover" friends. Robin didn"t meet her "Todd" until after she"d gone to Biola University for two years and had an unforgettable season in Europe, which included transporting Bibles to underground churches in the former Soviet Union and attending Capernwray Bible School in Austria.
As her pa.s.sion for ministering to teenagers grew, Robin a.s.sisted more with the youth group at her church. It was on a bike ride for middle schoolers that Robin met Ross. After they married, they spent the next two decades working together in youth ministry. G.o.d blessed them with a son and then a daughter. When her children were young, Robin would rise at 3 a.m. when the house was quiet, make a pot of tea, and write pages and pages about Christy and Todd. She then read those pages to the girls in the youth group, and they gave her advice on what needed to be changed. It took two years and ten rejections before Summer Promise was accepted for publication. Since its release in 1988, Summer Promise along with the rest of the Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen series have sold over 2-3 million copies and can be found in a dozen translations all over the world.