Home for Christmas

by Jessica Burkhart

  To all of those who believe in the spirit of Canterwood

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Seven years later and it’s time to say good-bye to Canterwood Crest Academy and all of the characters who inspired me and gave me endless writing material. *runs away from computer and slinks back* This is the hardest set of acknowledgments that I’ve ever written.

  I wish holiday cheer to each person who touched Canterwood. If I missed you in the acknowledgments, please forgive me!

  Diana Peterfreund, you were the first to give me advice and tell me the NYC agent contacting me was not, in fact, a scam.

  Thank you, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, for finding me and taking on my project.

  Molly McGuire Woods and Rubin Pfeffer, both of you changed my life because you sought a tween horse series.

  To the people on Santa’s Nice List: Fiona Simpson, Alyson Heller, Bethany Buck, Mara Anastas, Lucille Rettino, Venessa Williams, Jessica Handelman, Russell Gordon, Karin Paprocki, Nicole Russo, Paul Crichton, Courtney Sanks, Valerie Shea, Craig Adams, Katherine Devendorf, Ellen Chan, Bess Braswell, Dawn Ryan, Carolyn Swerdloff, Stephanie Voros, Deane Norton, Jim Conlin, Christina Peccorale, and Annie Berger.

  Tremendous thanks to the teachers, librarians, and booksellers from Barnes & Noble to Powell’s, who got Canterwood into the hands of readers.

  Thanks to Cathie Morton for providing inspiration behind the racehorses-in-need story line.

  To my girls, Lauren Barnholdt and Becca Leach, you’ve been there from book one.

  Sparkles to Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Jennifer Rummel, Melissa Walker, Marlene McPherson, Brianna Ahearn, Teri Brown, @KhloDrama, and Natalie K. Reinert.

  Monica Stevenson, it’s impossible for me not to judge my books by their covers! Thank you for shooting such striking photos again and again. Special thanks to Jill S. (aka Sasha), since you’ll forever be the face of Miss Silver. Hugs to all of the Canterwood models who worked tirelessly to create gorgeous covers.

  Shout-out to my Cali Barn Mafia—Joey, Lex, and Grace. Major hugs to you all!

  Kate Angelella, you took over Canterwood with seamless grace. Words will never be enough (Okay, we’ll go shopping!) to thank you for everything you have done for these books. They blossomed from a four-book deal to a twenty-book series thanks to your efforts on all fronts. You’ve lost many things—tangible and not—while the last few books were being written and published. I hope you’re able to see that not an ounce of your talent was ever diminished. I’m beyond proud to call you my best friend. LYSM. <3

  Team Canterwood, I wouldn’t have made it past Take the Reins without you. Your words of encouragement will never be forgotten. This isn’t a good-bye—I hope to be writing for you for a long time!

  1

  CANTERWOOD IS COMING TO TOWN

  Lauren

  “OH, MON DIEU!” I SAID, laughing. “We’ll be there in five seconds!” I glanced behind me at my friends. Khloe Kinsella, Clare Bryant, Carina Johansson, and Lexa Reed grinned at me from the two rows of backseats in the Towers’s family SUV.

  “There” was someplace my friends had never been.

  Somewhere I was nervous to take them.

  I shot a tight but excited smile to Mom, who was in the driver’s seat. I turned my gaze back to the front windshield. Mom flipped on the left blinker, and we made a familiar turn onto my street and started cruising past other houses in my neighborhood.

  This is really happening, I thought. There’s no going back now—you’ve officially brought Canterwood home for Christmas.

  My once-seedling of a dream was now reality. At first I’d thought of only inviting Carina, Canterwood’s Swedish foreign exchange student, home with me to Union so she wouldn’t be alone for the holiday. But my one-house-guest idea had exploded when I’d stumbled upon the parfait opportunity to invite all of my friends to come with me.

  My BlackBerry vibrated on my lap. There was a BlackBerry message from Taylor Frost—my ex-boyfriend from home. He was a Canterwood student now too.

  Taylor:

  The guys & I just got 2 my house. U?

  I wrote him back.

  Lauren:

  2 secs away from mine!

  A warm blush crept over my cheeks when I thought about one of Taylor’s guests—my boyfriend, Drew Adams. He, Zack Reynolds, Garret van Camp, and Cole Harris—all from Canterwood—were en route to Taylor’s house.

  I was glad that Union wasn’t a big town. My guy friends and Drew weren’t in walking distance, but I could reach Taylor’s house in five minutes via car. It felt so good to have everyone close for the holiday. All of my Canterwood friends had become more like family than I’d ever expected.

  I clicked on Brielle Monaco’s name. She was one of my other Canterwood friends who lived in Union.

  Lauren:

  U almost home?

  Brielle would have ridden with us, but space was tight, so her mom had picked her up. Bri and my other bestie from Union, Ana, would be joining my friends and me for the holiday. Ana attended my old school in Union—Yates Preparatory.

  Brielle:

  Couple of mins away! Sooo excited!

  Lauren:

  Me too! :D

  “Lauren?”

  “Huh?” I jerked out of my thoughts when I heard Khloe’s voice from the backseat.

  “Is this your house?” Khloe asked.

  I blinked twice and realized Mom had slowed the SUV in front of what was indeed our house. My mouth was dry—I had no idea what to say. Suddenly I was overwhelmed at having all of my friends here. I visualized having a cup of Peppermint Twist tea in front of the fireplace. Just thinking about tea calmed my nerves. I had to keep reminding myself that this Christmas wasn’t about us. We had some serious work to do. My nerves evaporated. I almost wanted to jump out of the Suburban and run up to my house.

  “Welcome to my home!” I said.

  The girls cheered from the backseat.

  2

  FA, LA, LA, LA, LA!

  Sasha

  “THIS IS THE BEST COFFEE shop in union!” I said, holding open the door for my friends.

  “Thanks, Sasha,” Brit Chan said. She stepped inside the Bean, and Callie Harper, Heather Fox, Eric Rodriguez, Paige Parker, and Alison Robb followed her.

  My hand not holding the door was enveloped in my boyfriend’s warm embrace. I glanced into Jacob Schwartz’s green eyes, which set off his light-brown hair. He grinned, flashing the gorgeous smile that I loved.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” I said. “In Union. For Christmas.”

  “I know,” he said. “I wouldn’t have missed it. I’m so happy to be here with you, Sash.”

  He leaned forward, pressing his soft lips on mine. I forgot about the cold and the fact that I was still holding open a door. I smiled at Jacob when we pulled apart. After a breakup and makeup, Jacob and I had been back together for almost four months, and our relationship was better than ever.

  “You smell like peppermint,” he said.

  I laughed and reached into my coat pocket, producing candy-cane-flavored lip gloss.

  Jacob shook his head, grinning. “Should’ve known! You probably have an entire Christmas collection in your purse.”

  Shrugging and batting my eyes innocently, I danced away from him and through the door. “Maybe!”

  We joined my friends at the counter.

  “There are so many yummy holiday treats!” Alison said, tossing her wavy sandy-blond hair over her shoulder. “Any faves, Sash?”

  I looked up at the Bean’s holiday menu. It was written on a whiteboard in red and green marker. The counter was decorated with garland and tinsel. Christmas tunes on the local radio station played overhead. The small coffee shop in the heart of Union was wit
hin walking distance of my house. It was cold outside, but not too cold that we needed a ride from my mom or dad.

  “Silver?!” Heather elbowed me. “We could try everything on the menu by the time you tell us what’s good.” Heather’s ice-blue eyes bore into mine, and she stuck out a hip. She’d opened her red wool coat to reveal a cream-colored chunky-knit sweater.

  “Oh my God!” I stuck out my tongue at Heather. She smiled sweetly and twisted the end of her blond ponytail. “Okay, the peppermint mocha is amaze, and the gingerbread-flavored latte and the pumpkin spice cappuccinos are so good. There isn’t any holiday drink from here that I don’t like, honestly.”

  We stepped up to the counter and a tall, gangly guy with red hair and a zillion freckles smiled at us. “What can I get you?”

  “Go, Brit,” Eric said.

  “Okay, could I have a peppermint mocha with whipped cream, please?” Brit asked the barista. My roommate dug into her gold purse and pulled out a ten-dollar bill.

  “What do you want?” Jacob asked me. “I’ll order and you can go grab a table.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “That’s so sweet. I’d love a pumpkin spice latte with an extra shot of espresso, please.”

  “You got it,” Jacob said.

  I smiled my thanks and joined Brit, who had her drink. “The tables in the back are the biggest,” I said.

  We walked past a few people sipping drinks and reading books or the Union Times. The Bean had sprayed the window bottoms to look like faux snow, and someone had painted glittery snowflakes on the glass. In the back corner, a small Christmas tree with colored lights was decorated with ornaments. Presents tagged for Union Children’s Hospital were nestled under the tree.

  “Here?” I asked Brit.

  “Perf,” she said.

  We took off our coats and hung them on the back of the chairs. Brit sat across from me, and soon Callie joined us. She shrugged off her plum peacoat and smoothed her baby-pink Calvin Klein sweater. The light color made Callie’s mocha-colored skin glow, and her black hair looked even darker. Paige sat next to Callie, her pale skin looking snow white compared to Callie’s.

  “I’m so going to burn my mouth, but I can’t wait to taste this!” Callie said. I smelled gingerbread coming from her mug covered in snowflakes.

  Brit watched Callie with her almond-shaped brown eyes and winced when Callie made a too hot! face.

  The Bean was mostly empty, and it didn’t take long before all of my friends were seated at our table.

  “This is so weird,” I said, shaking my head. “You guys—my Canterwood friends—staying with me for Christmas. I know we’ll be busy, but I can’t wait to show you Briar Creek.”

  “It’s strange for me, too,” Alison said. “I’ve never missed a holiday at home. I consider it a Christmas miracle that my parents agreed to this!”

  While everyone chatted, I lost myself in thought. All of my relationships had changed so much since my first day on campus. It hadn’t been too long ago that Callie and I hadn’t been speaking because she’d dated Jacob behind my back. Even though we were broken up.

  Paige and I, once the tightest roomies in Winchester Hall, weren’t living together anymore. I’d left to move in with Brit when Paige had sided with Callie on her dating Jacob. Paige and I were newly speaking to each other, and it was a constant struggle of mourning for the best friend that I’d once had and a girl I had to start trusting all over again.

  And that was just the start.

  Heather and I had hate at first sight at Canterwood. She’d been the leader of the Trio—a group consisting of Heather, Alison Robb, and now ex-Canterwood student Julia Myer. The Trio had made my life miserable for a long time. Now the group had disbanded, Julia had been expelled, and Heather and I were close friends.

  Jacob Schwartz was my first crush at Canterwood. He soon was my first BF-turned-ex. Then I dated Eric Rodriguez. We broke up and I stayed single for a while, and finally Jacob and I reunited.

  Brit Chan was my roomie in Orchard Hall. She was the newest to the group. Brit and Callie had an old rivalry, because both girls excelled in dressage and each wanted to shine. Callie, never one to back down about riding, had been out for blood in the dressage arena during practices and competitions.

  For a long time, it had felt like nothing would ever be the same at school. Then my riding instructor, Mr. Conner, had been in a serious accident when he had been teaching my class.

  That terrifying event—a horse flipping onto its back and crushing Mr. Conner’s leg in front of Callie, Heather, Brit, and me—had forced us to look at what was really important. Our stupid vendettas against each other had to stop. We weren’t all besties, but we were trying. For us that was progress.

  “How could they say no?” Eric asked. He ran a hand through his short, spiked black hair. “Sasha, you found the perfect way for us to spend Christmas. Something that embraces the holiday spirit.”

  Turning in my seat, I reached into my purse, dug through a handful of lip glosses, and found the flyer and e-mail I wanted. I laid them flat on the table.

  Everyone peered at the flyer, even though we’d been planning this since Thanksgiving.

  Be an elf this Christmas!

  Safe Haven for Thoroughbreds needs your help!

  If you have time, fund-raising resources, or experience with horses, please call or e-mail us.

  We’re seeking volunteers for the upcoming

  Holiday Adopt-a-Thon!

  Call 519-555-0100

  Beside the flyer was a copy of the confirmation I’d received from Lyssa, a volunteer for Safe Haven.

  11/23 9:04 a.m.

  To: Sasha Silver

  From: Lyssa Grey

  Subject: Re: Holiday volunteers

  Hi, Sasha,

  Wow! Thank you so much for your e-mail! My name is Lyssa, and I’m the volunteer director for Safe Haven for Thoroughbreds (SHT). It’s incredibly generous of you and your friends to offer your time to help us prepare the horses for the Holiday Adopt-a-Thon.

  Attached please find parental permission slips that you’ll each need to bring signed. Also, there is an info sheet with the date, time, and location of our first meeting. Please wear riding boots and bring a helmet. You’ll find a FAQ on our website, or contact me with any questions.

  All best,

  Lyssa Grey

  “I think my mom was a little, like, oh my God, you won’t be home to help with your siblings over break,” Callie said, giggling. “Working with ex-racehorses is going to be a breeze compared to that!”

  “We start on Monday. I can’t wait!” Brit said. The soft lights of the Bean shone down on Brit, making her silky black hair look extra shiny.

  “It’ll be fun to be around horses,” Paige said. “I’m glad the organization let me participate even though I’m not a rider.”

  “Maybe they’ll get you to whip up a fab menu for the adopt-a-thon,” I said. Paige was an insanely talented cook.

  Paige shot me a smile. “Don’t even let me start dreaming about that!”

  “I feel lucky that your parents were cool with Eric and me staying at your house,” Jacob said. “Not many parents would be okay with us staying with all of you girls.”

  I took a sip of my latte and grinned. “Oh, they were so not okay with it at first! My dad said, ‘Absolutely not, young lady!’ and I reminded him that we had extra rooms and you and Eric were totes fine with sharing one. He and my mom talked about it forever, and when they finally said yes, I thought they were going to make me sign a contract or something!”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Like, no kissing your boyfriend in the house,” Brit said.

  “Or no guys putting one toe in your room,” Alison added.

  “And you must remain five feet apart at all times,” Callie said, giggling.

  “Pretty much!” I said. “My dad kept me on the phone so long with a list of ‘There will be no . . .’ that my BlackBerry battery died!”

  A hand slippe
d into mine, and I smiled at Jacob sitting next to me. “Well, that just means I’m going to be holding your hand a lot more when we’re out,” he said.

  “Hmmm.” I tapped my cheek, pretending to consider it. “Okay!”

  We finished our drinks, and my muscles relaxed from the car ride. Or maybe the stress I’d been carrying around about all of us being together. Mom and Dad had picked us all up this morning at Canterwood, and we had dropped our stuff in the living room before needing a caffeine fix. I doubted I’d need any caff, though, when we started at Safe Haven on Monday. I had already spent hours on my iPad, scrolling through the list of adoptable horses and wishing I could adopt one.

  “Ready to go back to my house for a tour?” I asked. A surge of happiness went through me—there hadn’t been an ounce of weirdness so far between any of us.

  “Let’s see your place,” Heather said. She tossed me a quick smile, and it said what she didn’t have to—she was glad to be here. I’d learned just how little Mr. and Mrs. Fox paid attention to their daughter when I’d visited Heather once. I wanted to make this Christmas special for her, too. There was no better place to have a magical Christmas than Union, Connecticut.

  3

  BIENVENUE À LA MAISON

  Lauren

  “YAY!” LEXA CHEERED. “WE’RE HERE!” the other girls added whooping noises.

  Mom parked the SUV in front of the three-car garage, and everyone hopped out onto the driveway.

  “This,” I said, sweeping an arm in the direction of the house, “is my home.”

  The front of our five-bedroom house was a light gray, with dark-gray stones from the bottom to the peak. The attic window was stained glass and one of my favorite parts of the house. The rest of the sides had eggshell-colored siding. The lawn was browned from the cold, but the shrubs along the sidewalk that wound up to the doorway were still green. There were two black lampposts, one on each side of the sidewalk just in front of the two brick stairs up to the front door. The glass door was etched in gold, and light from inside the house spilled onto the porch.

  “It’s so pretty, Lauren and Mrs. Towers,” Carina said. “I love it!”