“So I’m sure you’ve heard,” she said.
Walker nodded.
“I can’t stop thinking that I should have done something.”
“No. You couldn’t have done anything, Emma, believe me.”
“But I knew. You told me. I could have tried to—”
“What? Not let him go visit Yale?” Walker shook his head. “There wasn’t much you could do, Emma. Which is why I waited so long to tell you. If I couldn’t get through to him… then how could you?”
They walked in silence down the hall as Emma let this sink in. “I guess you’re right.”
They turned down a hallway that led to a back stairway. “So,” he said, stopping to look at her. They seemed to be alone, and Emma’s heart began to race again. “What are you doing on Friday?” he asked. “Do you want to go see a movie or something?”
She smiled. “I’d love to. And by the way, I’m going to be on the debate team.”
He held up his hand and gave her a high five. “Awesome,” he said. “Except for one thing.”
“What?” she asked, stepping closer to him.
“Now I’m seriously never going to be able to concentrate,” he said. “Not with you so close to me.”
Walker took her hand and slowly drew her closer to him. Time seemed to stop as he leaned down. His lips brushed softly against hers.
That was it, she thought. My first kiss. It only seemed right that Walker Lloyd was the one to give it to her. His fingers were warm and smooth as he squeezed her hand, and when he smiled at her, she knew that this was the guy she’d been waiting for.
chapter 32
“So let me ask you: One snake wasn’t enough?” Remington asked, taking Archie out of his terrarium and letting him slither across the carpet. “You had to get him a buddy?”
“We all need companionship in our lives,” Emma said, taking the smaller garter snake from the tank and letting it slither next to Archie. “Isabella can kind of be like his girlfriend.”
“Snakes don’t need to be in relationships,” Remington said.
“Well, I don’t think they’re going to be signing any prenups or anything like that,” Emma wisecracked.
Outside the window, the snow fell thick and fast over the front lawn of their house on Lake George. She always liked it when it snowed on Thanksgiving up here. It made her feel like they were even farther away from their regular life. Downstairs she could hear her dad helping her mom in the kitchen—he’d actually been granted the entire holiday weekend off by Tom Beckett. His campaign had taken a beating in the past few weeks, ever since Remington’s arrest, but a few days earlier a story had been leaked about Jim Gibbons’s possible affair with an intern, which had put smiles back on everyone’s faces at Conway for America. Emma had stopped following the campaign too closely, and so had her brother. Ever since that night in New Haven, he’d thrown himself into his swim team and debate practice. As far as she knew, he hadn’t touched any alcohol since that night, and most weekend nights he stayed home to finish his college applications.
And a funny thing had happened. Slowly, she and Remington were becoming friends again. He started coming by her room after dinner to chat, and soon they were taking the subway to school together. When they passed each other in the halls they said hi, most of the time. Even he and Walker had started hanging out again, once Walker made sure Remington knew that he and Emma were very much an item.
“So, do you want to hear something crazy?” Remington asked suddenly. “I think I’m going to put off going to college next year.”
“You mean to be with Dad?” Emma asked, drawing a throw blanket closer around her on the living room couch.
“No, to travel,” he said. “There’s this program down in the Galapagos Islands. It’s an environmental research project kind of thing. I just heard about it. I think it would be cool.”
“Yeah, definitely,” Emma said. “Have you talked to Mom and Dad about it?”
“Not yet,” Remington said. “What do you think they’ll say?”
“I think they’ll be super into it,” Emma said.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“Yeah. I think you should do it,” she said. “College will be here when you get back. But I’d miss you. It wouldn’t be the same not having you in the country for a year.”
“You could always do a semester abroad,” he said. “Chadwick has programs all over the place. Maybe one in Ecuador?”
Emma realized she’d never thought of taking part in one of those programs before; she’d always assumed that they were for the nerds in her school. But suddenly she remembered that she’d been doing pretty well in Spanish so far this semester, and said, “I’ll look into that. Why not?”
“I think it might be good for both of us to get a little break next year.” Remington kicked off his duck boots and put his feet on the coffee table. “Sorry if I was a major jerk to you this term.”
Emma held Archie in her hand. She was tempted to agree, but only for a moment. “It’s okay. I was kind of a jerk, too. I think we’re even.”
“You weren’t a jerk,” he said. “You tried to smack some sense into me, and I wouldn’t listen.” He looked at her. “You’re not a bad little sister, you know that? As far as little sisters go.”
She smiled. “Why does that still kind of sound like a put-down?”
“Just because I’m your older brother. I’m supposed to be annoyed by you.”
She smiled. “Let’s stop thinking of supposed to, and let’s just start being us,” she said, as their parents called them down to dinner.
chapter 33
It was a little cold outside for Pinkberry, but that didn’t seem to matter to Lizzie, Carina, Emma, and Hudson as they huddled around a white plastic table, digging into their yogurt.
“This chocolate is sooo good,” Carina said, offering a loaded spoon to anyone who wanted a taste. “Emma, here. Taste it. You have to.”
Emma took the spoon. “Yum,” she said. “But I hate to tell you, I think I’m getting the flu.”
Carina’s face fell as Lizzie and Hudson laughed.
“Just kidding,” Emma said, giggling.
“Ha, ha,” Carina said.
“So, when does the album drop?” Lizzie asked Hudson, who had finished almost half of her pomegranate yogurt with blueberries.
“In two weeks,” Hudson said with a half-smile, half-grimace. “The week before Christmas.”
“So, are you ready?” asked Emma.
“Not really,” Hudson said. “And I have news for you guys: I don’t think I’m going to be in school for a couple months.”
Emma, Lizzie, and Carina all looked at one another. “Seriously?” Carina asked. “You’re leaving us?”
“It’s just while I promote the album,” Hudson said. “They’ve got me doing a tour up and down the East Coast, then going out to L.A., and then to Europe.”
“No way,” Emma said. Hudson’s life sounded like the coolest thing in the world.
“That sounds amazing, H,” Lizzie said. “But when would you come back?”
“I’m not sure right now,” Hudson said. “Probably after spring break.”
“Wow,” Lizzie said thoughtfully, stirring her yogurt. “This is really happening for you.”
“About time,” Carina added.
“But we’ll miss you,” Emma said. “Mrs. Bateman’s class definitely won’t be the same without you.”
“And there’s one more thing I have to tell you,” Hudson said. “Ben asked me out the other day. We’re officially going out.”
“Woo-hoo!” Emma yelled, giving her a high five. “That’s amazing!”
“Finally,” Carina said. “Has he kissed you yet?”
Hudson nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Yes!” Carina yelled, causing some of the other customers to turn around and stare. “You both are so shy I thought it might never happen.” She clasped her hands and looked up to the sky. “Thank you, God.”
??
?I actually kind of asked him out,” Hudson said. “Or at least, I dropped some serious hints that I was into him.” She looked at Emma. “Thanks, Em. I could never have done it without you.”
“You’re totally welcome,” Emma said, running a hand through her blue-streaked hair. She’d celebrated the end of exams with another bottle of Manic Panic at Ricky’s, and so far nobody at school or home had complained.
“And I want to hear what’s going on with Walker Lloyd,” Carina said, turning to Emma. “How many dates have you guys been on?”
“Just three,” Emma said, feeling herself blush. It was still hard to believe sometimes that she had a boyfriend.
“And your brother’s cool with it?” Carina asked.
“My brother actually couldn’t be happier about it,” she said. “And, weirdly, my parents. The last thing I expected them to approve of was my boyfriend.”
“Well, when you date one of the smartest guys in school, that’s kind of inevitable,” Lizzie said. “I think it’s awesome you guys are together.”
As Lizzie said this, Emma couldn’t help but notice how sad she seemed. She and Todd were still taking a break, even though his dad’s trial was over and he had returned to school.
“Don’t worry, Lizbutt,” Carina said. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“No, I’m fine,” she said, shaking her head. “Really. I’m okay with it now. We’re actually becoming friends again. But it has been totally awkward. I just hope we’re past all the weirdness by the time we come back from Christmas break.”
Suddenly they heard the sound of a cell phone chiming. Emma lunged for her bag, along with the rest of them.
Lizzie pulled out her phone. “It’s from Todd.”
“Read it,” Carina said urgently.
Lizzie clicked on the message and stared at it.
“What does it say?” Hudson urged.
“I miss you,” Lizzie read aloud.
“Holy shnit,” Carina said.
“Wow,” Hudson said.
Lizzie swallowed. Emma could see that she was trying to fight off a smile.
“What do you guys think this means?” she asked.
“It means he wants you!” Emma said. “He misses you. Write him back right now and say you miss him back!”
Lizzie looked doubtful. “Really?”
“Yes!” Emma said. “He wants another chance! Don’t overthink this!”
Lizzie picked up the phone.
“What do you want, Lizbutt?” Hudson asked. “What do you want to do?”
“What do you think I want to do?” Lizzie said, starting to type. “I want to see him.” She typed for a few moments.
“What are you saying?” Emma asked.
There was another chime as Lizzie got a new text. Her eyes filled with tears.
“What did it say?” Carina asked.
“I love you,” Lizzie read.
“Damn straight he does!” Carina said.
Lizzie started to laugh, and then Emma, Carina, and Hudson joined in. As Emma giggled into her yogurt, she realized that this, right now, was the happiest she’d ever been in her life. Maybe she would never fully belong in her own family, but she’d made another one for herself. And this one was just as strong.
acknowledgments
Once again, I am so grateful for my agent, Becka Oliver, whose enthusiasm for this series—and for me—makes me feel like the luckiest author in the world. Enormous thanks also go to Cindy Eagan and Elizabeth Bewley, my genius editors, for all of their support and insightful suggestions. Tracy Shaw designed another gorgeous cover—thank you, Tracy! And JoAnna Kremer’s copyediting improved the manuscript tenfold—thank you! I’d also like to thank my sister and friend, JJ Philbin, for being my first reader. And for always reading everything so fast. She has two kids and a busy writing career of her own, so I have no idea how she does it.
The following books gave me much-needed insight into the world of presidential campaigning: Game Change and The Way to Win, by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin; Notes from the Trail, by Alexandra Kerry; The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama; and The Audacity to Win, by David Plouffe.
Many thanks also go to my friend Michael Oates Palmer, for answering endless campaign-related questions.
I am also grateful to the following for schooling me on the principles of speech and debate: You Can Write Speeches and Debates, by Jennifer Rozines Roy and Johannah Haney; The Complete Book of Speech Communication, by Carol Marrs; Speaking with Confidence, by Wanda Vassallo; and the website www.middleschooldebate.com.
the daughters novels by Joanna Philbin:
the daughters
the daughters break the rules
the daughters take the stage
the daughters join the party
Contents
Welcome
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Acknowledgments
The Daughters Novels by Joanna Philbin
Copyright
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Joanna Philbin
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permission
[email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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Second e-book edition: May 2012
ISBN 978-0-316-19235-4
Joanna Philbin, The Daughters Join the Party
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