A Winning Gift Read Free Page A

wouldn’t have known Vic and Val at all if Maddie hadn’t introduced them a few times at the barn. Bridget lived less than a quarter of a mile away from Solano Stables, and even though she’d never shown much interest in horses, she sometimes came to hang out with Maddie or watch her ride. Likewise, Maddie tried to attend most of Bridget’s plays and art shows.
    Sometimes Bridget joked that Maddie had tricked her into becoming friends by pretending to be an artsy type instead of the jock she really was. The two of them had met soon after Maddie had moved to the area three summers earlier. Her mother was career Air Force, which meant the family moved around a lot. Maddie was used to making friends fast and had immediately signed up for summer day camp as a way to meet other kids. The soccer and rock-climbing camps had been full already, so she’d ended up in a session sponsored by a local theater group. The campers had put on a production of Alice in Wonderland , and Bridget and Maddie had been cast as Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Ever since, they’d been the best of friends despite their differences.
    â€œSo what’s wrong?” Vic asked Bridget in her straightforward way. “You look kind of upset.”
    â€œThat’s an understatement!” Bridget flopped down dramatically onto a hay bale, earning a surprised snort from Cloudy. “My boyfriend just dumped me.”
    â€œThey’ve been a couple since the summer,” Maddie told the twins.
    Val’s eyes widened. “Wow! That’s a long time.”
    â€œFour months, three weeks, and five days,” Bridget announced. “But who’s counting?” She sighed loudly. “I can’t believe he did this to me! I thought everything was fine.”
    â€œSo what did he say?” Maddie asked. “Maybe you misunderstood him or something.”
    â€œNo way.” Bridget sat up straighter and glared at her. “He said the long-distance thing was just too hard, and so he decided to go to the school dance next weekend with some stupid girl from his math class. Can you believe that?”
    â€œWow,” Vic said. “That’s harsh.”
    â€œI know, right?” Bridget’s big brown eyes welled up. She gazed forlornly at Cloudy, who was still eyeing her curiously. “Maybe I should give up on boys, dedicate my life to my art. Or to saving animals, or something. You know—something worthwhile. That’ll show Tony he made a mistake!”
    Maddie traded an uncertain look with the twins. None of them had much experience with boys yet. Not in the romantic sense, anyway. Maddie had tons of guy friends, but nobody she’d ever even slightly considered might become a boyfriend.
    â€œLook, Bridge,” she said. “You’re amazing, and if Tony didn’t appreciate you, maybe it’s better that he set you free, you know?”
    â€œAre you crazy?” Bridget sniffled and glared at her again. “Tony is am-am-a maz ing!” A single tear leaked out and trailed its way down her face.
    Maddie hurried over and sat down on the hay bale beside Bridget, giving her a hug. “Don’t cry,” she exclaimed. “Seriously, he’s not worth it.”
    â€œNo boy is worth crying over,” Vic added with a decisive nod.
    â€œYeah,” Val added, though she didn’t sound too sure. “Anyway, he lives pretty far away, right?”
    â€œUtah,” Bridget sobbed. “I was already trying to convince my parents to let me go visit him there over winter break. It was going to be totally romantic.”
    â€œLook.” Maddie gave her one more squeeze, then grabbed her hand and yanked her to her feet. “Whenever I’m feeling down, I just come here and hug Cloudy, and that always makes me feel better. Why don’t you give it a try?”
    â€œCloudy?” Bridget eyed the mare dubiously. “What do you mean, hug her? How do you hug a