The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Catherine Hapka Read Free Book Online Page A

change that just in the name of tradition.
    â€œGreat, thanks. You’re so understanding, Cam. A really good friend,” I said. “That’s the thing I’ve always appreciated about you the most, you know. Your friendship.”
    â€œUh-huh, me too. Listen, maybe on Saturday we can talk about our costume for the Ball,” he said. “Nick and I were talking the other day and I asked him to pick up the reindeer costume just in case, but if you don’t want to do that, then we only have a month left to figure something out. And you know the good ones always go early. . . .”
    â€œSure, maybe. There are a few things we should probably talk about on Saturday, actually. Oops! I think I hear Mom calling me. Gotta go.”
    I hung up quickly. Whew! That had been harder than I’d expected. Images were flashing through my mind—me and Cam laughing over leftover turkey last year, and the year before, and the year before that . . . Me and Cam dancing together at the Ball last year, and the year before, and the year before that . . .
    But I did my best to push all that aside as I picked up the phone again. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out Jaylene’s number and then dialed. When she answered, I took a deep breath.
    â€œJaylene, hi!” I said cheerfully. “It’s Lexi Michaels. Listen, what do you have planned for Saturday night?”
    And just like that, the deed was done. I arranged for Jaylene to attend that Saturday night concert as well, convincing her that a very special surprise blind date would be meeting her there. The annual Carolers show was pretty informal—just bleacher seating on the lawn in Lakeside Park nearthe ice-skating inlet. I figured Cam and Jaylene would spot each other once they were both there. Like I said, Jaylene tends to be pretty hard to miss.
    Still, I was a bundle of nerves as I paced back and forth across my room, watching the clock hanging over my desk. It was six forty-eight. The concert started at seven.
    Allie was there too, lying on my green checkered bedspread, tickling Blitzen under the chin. That cat hated just about everyone and everything else in the world, but she always tolerated anything Allie did to her, even breaking out in a raspy purr once in a while.
    â€œThere’s still time to change your mind, you know,” Allie said. “You could call and tell Cam you’re running late. Then we could go down there, explain to Jaylene that her date got held up . . .”
    I shook my head. “I’ve come this far. I can’t wimp out now.”
    Taking a deep breath to settle the squirrels doing backflips in my stomach, I picked up the phone and hit the speed dial button for Cam’s number. He answered on the second ring.
    â€œLexi? Is that you? Where are you?”
    â€œCam!” I shot a glance at Allie. For half a second I was tempted to take her advice and change my mind. But I fought the feeling. This was for the best. For
both
of us. “Um, are you at the lake?”
    â€œOf course. The show starts in, like, five minutes. Are you on your way?”
    â€œNot exactly. I’m so sorry, Cam. I don’t think I can make it tonight after all. Something came up.”
    â€œAre you serious? You’re not coming?” It takes a lot to irritate Cam, but I thought I detected a note of irritation in his voice now. I certainly couldn’t blame him—I hadn’t exactly been Girlfriend of the Year lately—but it still made me feel kind of bad.
    â€œSorry,” I said again. “Um, I have to go. I’ll explain later. Sorry.”
    When I hung up, Allie was staring at me with a frown. “So that’s it?” she said. “That’s your great master plan? What if he just decides to leave?”
    â€œHe won’t.” I set down the phone and collapsed into my desk chair. “By now the singers will be setting up. He won’t want to leave in front of