Picture Perfect #5 Read Free Page A

“But here’s the thing! The girl Kat is switching with has a job that makes her work on weekends, and they won’t let her take time off. So Kat has to work all weekend for the next two weeks.”
    â€œOooo-kay,” Gracie said, confused. How did this story end up being the best thing in the history of things?
    â€œDon’t be so spacey, Gracie,” Mari teased her. “Think about it. Next weekend? The long weekend. The weekend when my family goes skiing every year?”
    â€œOh, right!” Gracie said. The O’Hagans always went to Vermont over Presidents’ Day weekend, when they had three days off from school. “So do you mean you’re taking this other girl with you? Kat’s life-swap partner?”
    â€œNope. They thought it would be too weird, so she’s going to stay at college and write Kat’s economics paper. So Kat is pretty happy about that. Which means . . .” Mari paused dramatically. “We have an extra bed in our ski cabin!”
    â€œWow. Okay,” Gracie said. She wasn’t really sure what was so great about that. Mari loved her big sister. Wouldn’t it be better to have her along?
    â€œGracie! Don’t you get it? You can come with us!” Mari cried. “My mom said I could invite you.”
    â€œNo way!” Gracie said. “That’s amazing!”
    â€œI told you!” Mari agreed. “We’ve got about a million pairs of skis in different sizes from everyone growing out of them, so you won’t have to bring a thing. There’s room in the car and an extra bed and everything. It will be even more epic than the epic two-night sleepover.”
    Gracie’s heart sank at the thought of the epic sleepover, otherwise known as the sleepover thatwould never happen. Just like this would end up being known as the ski trip that never happened. “Mari, my mother will never let me go on a ski trip with you. First of all, she’ll worry that I’m going to wipe out and break my leg or something.”
    â€œNo, she won’t. You’ve been skiing since you were two,” Mari said.
    â€œThat doesn’t stop my mother from worrying,” Gracie grumbled. “And besides, it’s more than two nights, and she wouldn’t even say yes to that.”
    â€œI know, but it’s no problem,” Mari said.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause this is the best thing that has ever happened, and we’re not going to let your parents keep us from doing it,” Mari replied. “We just need to come up with a plan.”
    Gracie groaned. “Mar, your plans never work. Remember when you tried to get my parents to adopt one of Fluffmeister’s kittens by leaving her in a box on our doorstep? My mom knew who had done it in about two seconds and sent him right back.”
    â€œYeah, but that was because I was nine and I didn’t think to disguise my handwriting in the ‘adopt me’ note,” Mari said. “This will be different.”
    â€œI doubt it,” Gracie said. “What kind of a plan wouldchange my mom’s mind about sticking to the schedule?”
    â€œWell, it’s already different than usual, because it’s an extralong weekend,” Mari said thoughtfully. “So your mom can’t worry about the usual rules.”
    â€œWrong. The weekend rules are still the same. We have to go see my grandparents on Saturday, and then we volunteer. And then on Sunday it’s shopping and—”
    â€œâ€”your family hike. I know,” Mari said. “But it’s a holiday weekend.”
    â€œWe still keep the same schedule,” Gracie said. “My parents think consistency gives me a solid ground to stand on and will help me feel secure.”
    â€œWhat?” Mari laughed.
    â€œI know. They read it in a parenting magazine when I was two years old and they’ve been consistent ever since.” Gracie