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Tucker
“Knock-knock!” I double-tap on my sister’s door. “Five minutes, and we’re leaving, Alice.”
“Okay. I’m ready now,” my big sister hollers from behind her closed door, making me grin. Then she’s swinging it open, holding Barry Bear against her chest, giving me a goofy smile.
She’s dressed in a Bee Kind T-shirt and jeans and a pink cowboy hat and cowboy boots. We went horse riding one year on her birthday, and we made sure Alice looked the part.
“What’s with the hat, Alice?”
“I’m going to a ranch.” And that just made sense to my sister.
“Well, that sounds like a legitimate reason to be wearing a pink cowboy hat.”
“Cowgirl,” she corrects me.
“My mistake. And is Barry Bear coming along for a ride, too?”
“Yes. He’s coming to say goodbye to Bronwyn Bear. She’s going to be visiting with Ophelia until I see her again after Alaska to get her back.”
I try not to laugh at my clever sister. She is making sure she has a reason to see her new friend again. “Is Barry Bear okay with these arrangements?”
“Yes. They will be like you and Ophelia—separated until we get back home. Bronwyn will have a good time at the Fainting Goat Ranch, and Barry will have us and snow angels.”
“Sounds like a solid plan, sis.”
“Shall I go get Ophelia from upstairs?” My sister has grown attached to Ophelia in such a short time. A bit like her younger brother.
“She’s already in the car waiting with Bronwyn Bear and Teagan.”
“Okay.” She looks hopeful. “Can I call ‘shotgun’ before Teagan does it?”
“You just did.” I curl my arm over her shoulder and lead her toward the elevator.
“Yay! I beat Teagan.”
I press the elevator button. “The early bird—”
“—catches the worm,” she finishes for me.
The elevator pings and the door opens. We walk inside.
Alice turns to me.
“What’s up?”
“Is Ophelia your girlfriend?”
“Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
“Okay.”
Thirty-Four
A MUSTANG, A BOOM BOX, AND A BFF
Ophelia
Teagan looks super pleased with whatever is going on in her pretty head while seated beside me in the eight-seater black SUV.
