Girls Only!

Books by Beverly Lewis

G
IRLS
O
NLY
(GO!)

Youth Fiction

Girls Only! Volume One

Girls Only! Volume Two

SUMMERHILL SECRETS

Youth Fiction

SummerHill Secrets Volume One

SummerHill Secrets Volume Two

HOLLY’S HEART

Youth Fiction

Best Friend, Worst Enemy   •   Straight-A Teacher

Secret Summer Dreams   •   No Guys Pact

Sealed With a Kiss   •   Little White Lies

The Trouble With Weddings   •   Freshman Frenzy

California Crazy   •   Mystery Letters

Second-Best Friend   •   Eight Is Enough

Good-Bye, Dressel Hills   •   It’s a Girl Thing

www.BeverlyLewis.com

BEVERLY LEWIS is the bestselling author of more than eighty books for adults and children, including the popular C
UL-DE
-S
AC
K
IDS
and S
UMMER
H
ILL
S
ECRETS
series, several picture books, and numerous adult fiction series. Five of her blockbuster novels have received the Gold Book Award for sales over 500,000 copies, and
The Brethren
won a 2007 Christy Award. Beverly and her husband make their home in Colorado, within miles of the Olympic Training Center, headquarters for the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Follow the

Dream

I am grateful to my daughter Janie, who helped with the story line for this book. Big hugs, honey!

As always, I refer (and often) to the skating authorities at the U.S. Figure Skating Association. I am also thrilled to live so close to the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Now, just a personal note to the many readers who’ve written to me since the G
IRLS
O
NLY
series began. Thank you for your amazing enthusiam for these books!

Thanks to my editor, Rochelle Glöege, of Bethany House Publishers, who first got me thinking about this series. Also, I want to thank my husband, Dave, for his recent surprise gift to me—tickets to Stars on Ice. A very special birthday!

To

Amy Meredith,

one of my most

loyal fans ever!

Follow the Dream

Chapter One

Olivia Hudson stared at the ice-skater figurine on her bookshelf. She ran her fingers over the delicate work of art. “
This
is my dream,” Livvy whispered. “Nothing must keep me from it.”

The piece had been chosen by her mother before her death to leukemia. The statuette was the super-coolest birthday present ever. It was a constant reminder of her mother’s devotion and love. Not to mention Mom’s great encouragement.

“I believe in you
. . . .” Her mother’s words still echoed in Livvy’s memory.

Carefully, she placed the skater back on the shelf. Then she turned toward the windows. Through the delicate yellow curtains, she looked out at the Colorado sky. The sun was making its gradual descent behind the ridge of purple mountains. The sky would soon turn blue-black. House lights would light up the windows along the streets of Alpine Lake.

Livvy sighed.
Why’d Grandma have to stick her nose into my life?
she thought.
Dad and I were doing fine on our own
.

Grandma Hudson’s recent hovering was making Livvy a little crazy. Constantly, she was reminding Livvy, “There’s a very good reason why I’m here, Olivia Kay.”

“I know the reason,” Livvy muttered to herself. She drew the curtain back, continuing to brood. “She thinks I need a ‘good dose of mothering.’ ” It had become her grandmother’s catchphrase, but Livvy was beginning to despise it.

Something had to be done. Very soon. Especially if Livvy was ever to reach her skating goals.

She let go of the curtain and moved away from the window. Falling onto the bed, she thought back to the past months since her father’s mother had moved here from Illinois. At first, things were only slightly tense. Now, though, Grandma insisted on driving her to the rink and attending every single practice session. Livvy actually preferred to walk the short distance to the mall skating rink. After all, it was only a few blocks. Walking was one way to get her leg muscles limbered up before her rigorous stretching exercises.

“I have to talk to her,” Livvy said into the air. “But how?” She absolutely dreaded the thought of confronting her aging grandmother.

Oh, she could just imagine the sorry scene. Grandma’s eyes would turn misty and wide. Her heart-shaped face would get all pinkish red. Livvy knew this because she’d accidently observed Grandma’s reaction one other time when she was terribly upset. Dad had been annoyed with Grandma’s choice of laundry detergent.
Very
politely, he’d said it gave him a skin rash.

Grandma’s feathers had gotten quite ruffled, and several days passed before things blew over. That was at the beginning of December. Now it was mid-March, coming up on Easter. What a lousy time to be ungrateful.

But Livvy couldn’t help it.
Her
gripe with Grandma would never just blow over. She draped her arm down over the side of the bed, groaning. “It’s pointless,” she said aloud. “Grandma will never understand.”

Yet she was determined to do something. She
had
to. Her skating future was at stake!

Across the room, Coco, her parrot, began flying back and forth in his cage. “Livvy . . . Livvy . . .” he called repeatedly.

“That’s my name, birdie-boy.” She sat up.

“Birdie-boy . . . birdie-boy” came the reply.

Livvy got up and went to his cage. “Aren’t you a lively one!” She watched him preen his feathers. “Must be nice not having a care in the world,” she muttered.

“Not a care.”

She laughed at the parrot’s innocent mockery. Before moving to Alpine Lake, Livvy had actually considered Coco one of the best listening ears around. Now Jenna Song, her closest friend, definitely filled that spot. For always.

Thinking of Jen, Livvy wiggled her fingers good-bye to her beloved pet. “It’s time for some people talk. Sorry, birdie.”

Coco began cawing, making a general nuisance of himself.

“Oh, calm your feathers.” She closed the bedroom door and hurried downstairs.

Coco kept screaming, but Livvy knew he’d cool it eventually. She crept into the kitchen, relieved the portable phone was available. She eyed the small, fragile woman near the sink. Grandma was wearing a bright red apron, making a supper casserole of chicken and noodles. Before Grandma could notice her, Livvy disappeared back upstairs with the phone.

In the privacy of her bedroom, she dialed Jenna’s number.

Her friend picked up on the first ring. “Song residence, Jenna speaking.”

“Jen! I’m glad you answered. It’s Livvy.”

“Hey,” Jenna said, warm as always. “How’s your day going?”

“Okay, but I need some advice.” She sighed. “Oh, how can I ever say this . . . without sounding super horrible?”

“Well, try me. How’s that?”

Pausing, Livvy remembered the occasions when Grandma had nearly followed her right onto the ice. At practice, no less!

“Liv?” prodded Jen.

“Oh, I’m sorry. . . .”

“Everything all right?”

Livvy couldn’t keep it inside any longer, “You know I love my grandmother, but . . .” She bit her lip. “She’s making my life totally miserable.”

“What’s happening between you and her?”

“To begin with, she treats me like a four-year-old,” Livvy explained. “She follows me around at home, makes sure I do my homework, make my bed . . . stuff like that. But on the ice, it’s even worse. Grandma’s starting to act like my coach!”

“You’ve gotta be joking!”

“She doesn’t know the first thing about ice-skating!”

Jenna was quiet for a moment. Then, “Is there something I can do?”

She wouldn’t burden her friend with a family problem like this. “I don’t know . . . probably not.”

“What about our Girls Only club?” suggested Jenna. “Maybe the four of us can help. We could talk it out at the next meeting.”

Livvy shook her head at the phone. “That’s why I called
you
, Jen. I’d rather not blab it around.”

“I understand. But I’m sure Heather and Miranda will keep this quiet,” Jenna persisted.

Livvy didn’t want to tell the whole world. “Sorry, Jen, I didn’t mean to bother you. Besides, I better get ready for supper. Grandma’s calling.”

“See you at school,” Jenna said.

Before Livvy could press the Off button on the phone, Grandma was already calling up the stairs for the second time. “Food’s getting cold, Olivia” came the insistent voice. “Hurry, now, and tell your father.”

Livvy trudged down the hall to the door leading to the attic art studio. “Dad,” she called, leaning her head into the stairwell. “Supper’s ready.”

“I’ll be right down.” He sounded distracted. Like he was preoccupied with an important project—something more important than a chicken casserole.

She knew she’d better make herself very clear. “Grandma’s called twice already, Dad.”

That’s when she heard his chair roll back from his sketching table.
He
knew Grandma wasn’t kidding. Grandma had attempted to train them, in only a few months, to come to the table promptly when called.

Turning, Livvy hurried back down the hall. It would be a mistake to delay supper with Grandma in charge of the kitchen. A very
big
mistake!