by Annie Bryant
Nik and Sam paused their vocal warm-up when they noticed Katani and Isabel standing at the door. “Hey, girls! Perfect timing . . . did we tie these scarves right?” Nik pointed to the Kgirl accessory that she’d looped through her jeans.
“You girls look amazing,” Katani said. “You don’t even need our help, but we’re here for you . . . ICFE.”
“ICFE?” Isabel looked puzzled.
“In case of fashion emergency,” Katani explained.
“Izzy, we were hoping you would come up onstage and help us sing ‘Every Little Step’ just like you did at rehearsal,” Sam urged sweetly.
Isabel’s cheeks immediately turned crimson. “Uh, thanks for the offer, but I don’t think I’m cut out for the stage. Rehearsal is one thing, but . . . did you see all those people out there?!”
“Okay, okay! We won’t make you,” Nik said with a grin. “But just remember, we want you up there!”
“Break a leg.” Katani linked her arm through Nik’s, who linked her arm through Isabel’s, who linked her arm through Sam’s.
“Thanks for everything!” the twins cried.
Isabel looked at her watch. “We’d better get to our seats before the show starts. See you after!”
“Can you believe these seats?” Maeve asked Isabel and Katani as they sat down.
“That’s about the two hundredth time Maeve has said that.” Charlotte grinned.
At that moment the lights went down and everyone cheered as Nik and Sam walked onstage. The BSG barely sat down during the entire concert. Mostly they were up on their feet—dancing, singing along, and clapping like crazy.
“We’d like to dedicate this song to our new friends Katani, Isabel, Maeve, Avery, and Charlotte. We love you guys!” Nik and Sam pointed to the front row.
“They say I’m a wild child . . .” the song began.
The BSG cheered for their favorite song.
“‘Old Enough’ rocks!” Avery shouted.
When the twins took their final bows and exited the stage, the BSG finally flopped back in their seats.
“I’m exhausted!” Maeve exclaimed. “But it was TOTALLY worth it.”
Just then an usher handed Mr. Ramsey a note. “Too bad you’re so tired.” Mr. Ramsey folded the note and put it in his pocket. “Because we’ve been invited to a VIP after-party. But if you don’t think you’re up for it . . .”
“Me, tired?!” Maeve asked as she popped to her feet. “I’m wide awake! Take me to the party!”
Mr. Ramsey led the way down the main corridor of Big Sky Resort and into a glitzy room decked out in fancy tablecloths, yellow roses, and twinkling lights.
“Look! There are so many famous people here!” Maeve cried.
“Over there! Is that . . . ? I love her!” Isabel pointed.
“This is the best day of my life,” Maeve declared. “I can’t believe all the celebrities I’ve seen now!”
Nik and Sam’s mom rushed over to welcome the girls. “I’m glad you could make it. Katani, the girls’ outfits are inspired! You do great work. I bet you’ll be a top designer.”
“Thank you. That’s my goal.” Katani nodded.
“Is that Megan Elizabeth and Liza May from the Rocking Cowgirls?” Maeve knew it was rude, but she couldn’t help pointing.
“Yes. Nik and Sam were so excited they showed up! Some of the country stars were touring in the area and they stopped to check out the concert,” Nik and Sam’s mom told them. “Now, please don’t be shy . . . go have something to eat.”
“Thanks!” Avery called. She was already halfway to the buffet.
Love Conquers All
It had been a long day, and Charlotte’s mind was still whirling even when she was getting ready for bed. She remembered that the twins had asked her to give them information about JT and the wolf pups. Nik, Sam, and the crew were leaving early the next day to continue their tour. Charlotte wasn’t sure she would see them in the morning, so she quickly jotted down the information and slipped out the door to tiptoe to the twins’ suite. Charlotte looked at her watch . . . 10:21 p.m. She thought it might be too late to knock, so she just slid the note under their door.
“Charlotte! What are you doing?” The booming voice in the empty hallway startled her.
“Dad! You scared me. I was just leaving the twins a note about the wolf pups,” she explained. “You’re not mad that I snuck out for a few minutes, are you?”
“No. I heard the door open, and I just wanted to make sure you were all right,” he said.
“I’m fine.”
“Look, honey, I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday,” Mr. Ramsey began.
Charlotte wanted to tell him that apologizing wasn’t necessary; she was fine. But the truth was, having her father and Lissie laugh at her worries had hurt—even if it was silly. The words gathered in her throat, but all she could do was swallow hard.
Charlotte’s dad enfolded her into a warm, comforting hug that immediately calmed her down.
“You shouldn’t have to apologize,” Charlotte told her dad, surprised at how casual she sounded. “I know you probably want a girlfriend someday. That’s totally normal.”
Mr. Ramsey held Charlotte at arm’s length and studied her face. Slowly, a bright smile spread across his face.
“Maybe someday,” he said as he ruffled her hair.
The two turned and slowly walked back toward the suite where the rest of the girls were waiting.
“Dad, what’s going to happen to the wolf pups?” Charlotte asked.
“Well, as you know,” Mr. Ramsey started slowly, “Lissie is going to be working here at Big Sky Resort for a while.”
Charlotte nodded.
“Lissie and JT contacted a wildlife rescue group right after the helicopters landed. The rescue team will pick up the wolf pups tomorrow,” Mr. Ramsey informed her.
Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, good! I’ve been thinking about those poor little guys. And what about JT?”
“He’s going to stay in one of the staff bunkhouses here on the ranch for a few months. Lissie talked to her boss and arranged it so that JT can help out on the ranch in exchange for his room and board,” Mr. Ramsey explained. “It’ll give him time to decide what he wants to do in the long run.”
“Lissie’s grandmother, Amaryllis, and JT have talked by phone a few times, haven’t they?” Charlotte asked.
Mr. Ramsey nodded. “I think they’re both a little taken aback by the turn of events. But also very happy.”
Charlotte couldn’t help but smile. What a reunion it must have been! “Do you happen to know what they said to each other? Maeve was begging for me to find out EVERY detail,” Charlotte told her dad.
Mr. Ramsey put his arm around Charlotte. “All I know is that they’ve been talking about the past and the future, and it seems they’re enjoying talking after all these years. I think you detectives have done enough snooping into JT’s life. It’s best to let him be now.”
Charlotte knew her dad was right. Still, she wished she could have been a fly on the wall during one of the conversations between JT and his long-lost Amaryllis.
Mr. Ramsey inched the door to the suite open, assuming that all the girls had crashed for the evening, but the light was on and they were all watching TV on the huge leather couch.
“Can’t sleep?” Mr. Ramsey asked.
“Nope,” Katani answered. “This has been a whirlwind few days. We need some time to chill!”
“Have fun,” Mr. Ramsey said, “but don’t stay up too late.” He retired into the master bedroom, leaving the girls to catch up.
“This has been one crazy trip,” Isabel said. “We missed you guys so much!”
“We missed you, too,” Maeve said. “I can’t believe how much has happened in the past few days. How are we ever going to go back to our normal lives? Someone should totally make a TV movie about us.”
“Well, I think I’m at least going to write an article about it for the Sentinel,” Charlotte told them, pulli
ng her diary from her backpack. “I have plenty of notes to work from. Maybe someday I’ll even write a short story about Amaryllis and JT. I’ll have to change their names, of course.”
“Dry Gulch was awesome! Someone should make that place a museum or something,” Avery said. “Hey, Char, maybe you could get your article published in some Montana newspapers too. It might get people interested in preserving Dry Gulch so people could visit it without having to sleep on the floor and eat beans three times a day.”
“Bannack became a Montana State Park!” Charlotte exclaimed. “Why couldn’t something like that happen to Dry Gulch?”
“Yeah! Why not? Especially with an original Dry Gulch resident still alive. Maybe JT could run ghost tours or something!” Avery suggested.
“Maybe,” Charlotte said thoughtfully. “But I’m not sure JT will want to be involved if it gets to be really big. He kind of likes to keep to himself, remember?”
“I guess.” Avery shrugged.
“So . . .” Maeve said to Katani and Isabel. “You have to tell me every single thing you learned about Nik and Sam this week.”
“Well, we were really worried about you. But once we heard the message from Mr. Ramsey that you were okay, we were able to relax a little. And have some fun with our new friends!” Katani grinned.
“Life in Montana is totally different from Boston or Detroit,” Isabel surmised. “I like this place. It’s very relaxed, and everyone is so friendly.”
“But a little wild, too,” Avery added. “Yee HAW!”
“Come on! Nik and Sam?!” Maeve demanded. “Did you get celebrity treatment all week? I am so jealous. I can’t stand it!”
“Katani and I were talking about it this morning. We were really surprised at how Nik and Sam are just like regular girls,” said Isabel.
“What do you mean?” Maeve asked.
Isabel tried to explain. “When I first met them, I was thinking it’d be all about the celebrity treatment too. But Nik and Sam just wanted to hang out and do normal stuff.”
“Yeah,” Katani agreed. “The twins love to sing, but they seemed to have just as much fun singing in the car as they did at the concert.”
“That means they’re classy celebrities. That’s the kind of star I’m going to be,” Maeve promised. “I’ll never forget my true friends.”
“My grandmother was right,” Katani decided. “Seeing different places is good research. I can’t wait to work some western style into my new designs. But chilling out with my best friends is so much more important right now,” Katani admitted.
“This has been the best week!” Charlotte enthused.
Maeve let out a giggle that turned into a hiccup.
“You giccupped!” Avery cried. “Awesome.”
“What’s so funny anyway?” Katani asked.
“I was thinking about supersleek Kgirl meets laid back ‘Home on the Range’ style. It’s a brand new concept.” Maeve giggled again.
The other girls started humming “Home on the Range” as Maeve continued. “So, are you going to spring for a new pair of boots to go along with your cowgirl attitude?”
“Hmmm.” Katani thought for a moment.
“Maybe a pair of pink boots? We could match!” Maeve clapped her hands together.
“No way!” Katani shook her head.
“But I thought you broadened your fashion horizons!” Maeve teased.
“Not as far as matching pink boots! And anyway, I just decided. I’m going to buy bright red ones. For Kelley.”
The girls all nodded in approval.
“Kelley will love red cowboy boots!” Maeve exclaimed.
“So what about you, Maeve?” Charlotte asked. “What did you learn in the last few days?”
“Well, I can’t say I’m convinced there aren’t ghosts out there somewhere. And I’m so glad to be sleeping in a real cozy bed tonight. I NEVER want to eat a can of beans for breakfast again. But mostly I’m happy because I got to see a real, live storybook romance unfold before my very eyes,” Maeve sighed. “Imagine thinking you were all alone in the world and then finding a granddaughter . . . and discovering that your long-lost love is still alive after all.”
Charlotte looked around the room and realized what she’d learned during the trip. That no matter what—even if he got a real girlfriend someday—her dad loved her to pieces, and that she’d never be alone in the world with her four amazing friends by her side.
To be continued . . .
Ghost Town
BOOK EXTRAS
Book Club Buzz
Trivialicious Trivia
Charlotte’s Word Nerd Dictionary
Montana-Rama
The Big Bad Truth
10 QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO CHAT ABOUT
1. Mr. Ramsey gives the BSG the chance to take a trip of a lifetime to a cool resort in the Wild Wild West. What’s your dream vacation destination? What sorts of things would you want to see and do there?
2. Maeve and Isabel have to work extra hard to earn money for the trip to Big Sky Resort. Have you ever worked to earn money for something special? What did you do to earn the money? How did you spend it?
3. Why does JT stay in Dry Gulch after all those lonely years? Do you think he’s happy living a solitary life? Why or why not?
4. Charlotte finds a secret diary that holds an important key to a long lost romance.Do you keep a diary? If so, why is it important to you? What kinds of things do you write in it? How would you feel if someone else found it and read it?
5. How do Charlotte, Avery, and Maeve work together to solve the mystery of Dry Gulch?
6. Do you think Lissie and Charlotte could become friends? Why was Charlotte so nervous about Lissie at first?
7. Katani is excited about riding horses at Big Sky, but when she gets to the ranch she finds another sport she’s good at. What are your unique talents? Have you ever discovered you have a talent for something that you didn’t think you could do at first?
8. The group stranded in Dry Gulch has to make do with limited supplies. If you were stranded somewhere, what are the top three things you’d want to have with you?
9. Charlotte, Avery, and Maeve have a totally different experience in Montana than Katani and Isabel. Who do you think got the better end of the deal? Would you rather visit a posh resort or a cool, historic ghost town?
10. The BSG are surprised that country stars Nik and Sam are just like them—real girls with real feelings who like to hang out with their friends and do “normal” stuff. Were you surprised at how down-to-earth Nik and Sam are? What would you say or do if you met a celebrity?
Ghost Town trivialicious trivia
1. What is the name of the resort in Montana where the BSG and Mr. Ramsey are headed for the trip of a lifetime?
A. Wolfpup Ranch
B. Montana Dude Ranch
C. Big Sky Resort
D. Lissie MacMillan Resort
2. Who has the most questions for Mr. Ramsey about the trip to Montana?
A. Mrs. Fields
B. Aunt Lourdes
C. Charlotte
D. Ms. Rodriguez
3. Who calms Maeve down when she is freaking out on the plane?
A. Nik and Sam
B. Riley Lee
C. Lissie
D. Aaron Olcrest
4. What type of music do Nik and Sam sing?
A. Jazz
B. Country
C. Hip-Hop
D. Classical
5. What is the name of the ghost town where some of the BSG get stuck?
A. Dry Gulch
B. Green Springs
C. Millertown
D. Grand View
6. What kind of animals has JT been rescuing on the sly?
A. Blue jays
B. Wolf pups
C. Miniature horses
D. Bears
7. What ingredient does Maeve use to make a new and improved kind of s’more?
A. Peanut butter
&nbs
p; B. M&Ms
C. Swedish Fish
D. Sardines
8. What sport does Katani discover she is a “natural” at?
A. Soccer
B. Table tennis
C. Dogsledding
D. Pool
9. What color are the scarves Katani gives to Nik and Sam?
A. Navy blue and white
B. Lime green and purple
C. Purple and red
D. Light blue and yellow
10. What do the initials “J.T.” stand for?
A. Jericho Tanner
B. Jamie Talbot
C. Jessica Tildsley
D. Jasper Tucker
Answers: 1. C Big Sky Resort 2.B. Aunt Lourdes 3. D. Aaron Olcrest
4. B. Country 5. A. Dry Gulch 6. B. Wolf pups 7. C Swedish Fish 8. D. Pool
9. B. Lime green and purple 10. D. Jasper Tucker
Charlotte Ramsey
Charlotte’s Word Nerd Dictionary
Mammoth: (p. 1) adjective—huge; gigantic; enormous
Sufficient: (p. 7) adjective—enough; the right amount
Amenities: (p. 12) noun—special features and offerings
Profit: (p. 15) noun—the money you walk away with after subtracting any expenses
Chandelier: (p. 29) noun—a fancy ceiling light
Surge: (p. 33) noun—a big rush or burst of movement
Exasperated: (p. 46) adjective—annoyed or irritated
Ominous: (p. 65) adjective—threatening; spelling disaster
Concierge: (p. 71) noun—employee at a resort who makes sure all the guests are comfortable
Giddy: (p. 72) adjective—super duper excited
Plush: (p. 72) adjective—cushy, luxurious, and oh-so-comfortable
Bravado: (p. 83) noun—a whole lot of bravery and courage
Catapult: (p. 98) verb—to be thrown forward
Silhouette: (p. 112) noun—a shadowy outline of a person or thing
Delicacy: (p. 116) noun—a truly special, unique, and often expensive type of food
Equestrian: (p. 135) adjective—relating to horses
Pungent: (p. 145) adjective—strong smelling or tasting
