Red Girl, Blue Boy: An If Only novel (If Only . . .)

by Baratz-Logsted, Lauren

  A roar goes up and at first I’m confused. Is someone cheering for us? And then I realize what it must be—the election returns are beginning to come in.

  In a few moments, we’ll have to go our separate ways and wait to see how this all turns out. But after that? Who knows? Like I said, I don’t have all the answers. In fact, I have hardly any.

  But as the snow falls more steadily and more cheers go up, I kiss her again, harder, a promise for the future. And as she kisses me back just as hard, I can’t help but be filled with hope.

  It’s starting.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thanks to Pamela Harty, for friendship above all else, and to everyone at The Knight Agency.

  Thanks to Laura Whitaker, for stepping in with precision and verve, and to Sarah Shumway and everyone at Bloomsbury.

  Thanks to the Friday Night Irregulars: Lauren Catherine, Bob Gulian, Andrea Schicke Hirsch, and Greg Logsted (who doubles as my husband).

  Thanks to Backspace for being a terrific site for writers and BookBalloon for being a terrific site for readers.

  Thanks to booksellers and librarians for years of support, and Twitter and FB for years of diversion.

  Thanks to readers everywhere, my favorite of whom is my daughter, Jackie, who’s all-around terrific even when she’s not reading.

  The line

  Fool Me Twice

  by Mandy Hubbard

  Wish You Were Italian

  by Kristin Rae

  Not in the Script

  by Amy Finnegan

  Wild Hearts

  by Jessica Burkhart

  Red Girl, Blue Boy

  by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

  Everything but the Truth

  by Mandy Hubbard

  Just Like the Movies

  by Kelly Fiore

  (coming soon)

  What You Always Wanted

  by Kristin Rae

  (coming soon)

  Copyright © 2015 by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

  All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  First published in the United States of America in October 2015

  by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

  www.bloomsbury.com

  E-book edition published in October 2015

  Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

  Baratz-Logsted, Lauren.

  Red girl, blue boy : an If only novel / by Lauren Baratz-Logsted.

  pages cm

  Summary: As Katie’s father and Drew’s mother vie for the presidency, the sixteen-year-olds start—and end—a romance, but the press finds out, both candidates’ poll numbers rise, and the two are asked to flaunt their former relationship.

  ISBN 978-1-61963-685-9 (paperback) • ISBN 978-1-61963-500-5 (hardcover)

  [1. Politics, Practical—Fiction. 2. Presidential candidates—Fiction. 3. Dating (Social customs)—Fiction. 4. Celebrities—Fiction. 5. Family life—Connecticut—Fiction. 6. Connecticut—Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ7.B22966Red 2015 [Fic]—dc23 2014032448

  ISBN 978-1-61963-501-2 (e-book)