Christy Miller Collection, Vol 2

  Here’s What Readers Are Saying about

  the Christy Miller series …

  “I wish I could find the words to tell you what a blessing your books have been! I’ve learned a lot from Christy’s character, and Todd makes me want to wait for a hero! Please keep writing!”

  “Before I finished the first chapter of Summer Promise I was hooked. I had always called myself a Christian, but it wasn’t until your books that I really knew what it meant to lay down my life to Jesus Christ. You would not believe what a difference God has made in my life already. Thank you!”

  “If people ever tell me that being a Christian is boring, I tell them to go read your books! They helped me to start living for God and to look to my Bible for answers to everything.”

  “I read the Christy Miller books during a really stressful time, and they were like a calm in the storm. I have learned so much from them, too! When Doug told Christy that godliness is beautiful, it was an entirely new concept to me! I will not hesitate in saying these books changed my life.”

  “My best friend and I have been reading your books since we were twelve years old. We love them! They have brought us closer to the Lord, and we treasure this more than anything in the world.”

  “I had to read a book for school, and I chose Summer Promise. I never knew it would change my life. I’ve read the series at least six times. I now have a personal relationship with Christ. Thank you for being obedient to God.”

  “When I was in sixth grade, my mom gave me the first Christy Miller book. These books changed my life! Please don’t stop writing until your hand falls off!”

  “I’m thirteen years old, and I love your books! All my friends are reading your books, too. We wish they were movies.”

  “I absolutely love your books. You are my favorite author. After I read the first one, I immediately became a Christian and turned my life over to God. I have struggled some, but your books helped me to stay on track. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing them.”

  “I wanted to thank you for all the books you have written. They have been my joy when things are hard. Every book has been amazing.”

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  THE CHRISTY MILLER COLLECTION, VOLUME 2

  published by Multnomah Books

  © 2006 by Robin’s Ink, LLC

  Compilation of:

  Surprise Endings

  © 1991, 1998 by Robin’s Ink, LLC

  Island Dreamer

  © 1992, 1999 by Robin’s Ink, LLC

  A Heart Full of Hope

  © 1992, 1999 by Robin’s Ink, LLC

  “An Apple-Gathering” and “Twice” used in A Heart Full of Hope are by Christina Rossetti taken from The Complete Poems of Christina Rossetti, volume 1 (Baton Rouge & London: Louisiana State University Press, 1979).

  Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from:

  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

  © 1960, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation

  Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

  MULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.

  For information:

  MULTNOMAH BOOKS

  12265 ORACLE BOULEVARD, SUITE 200

  COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80921

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gunn, Robin Jones, 1955-

  The Christy Miller collection.

  v. cm.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-56287-6

  [1. Friendship–Fiction. 2. Christian life–Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ7.G972Chr 2006

  [Fic]–dc22

  2005025580

  v3.1_r2

  TEEN NOVELS BY ROBIN JONES GUNN

  THE CHRISTY MILLER SERIES

  Volume 1

  Book 1: Summer Promise

  Book 2: A Whisper and a Wish

  Book 3: Yours Forever

  Volume 2

  Book 4: Surprise Endings

  Book 5: Island Dreamer

  Book 6: A Heart Full of Hope

  Volume 3

  Book 7: True Friends

  Book 8: Starry Night

  Book 9: Seventeen Wishes

  Volume 4

  Book 10: A Time to Cherish

  Book 11: Sweet Dreams

  Book 12: A Promise Is Forever

  THE SIERRA JENSEN SERIES

  Volume 1

  Book 1: Only You, Sierra

  Book 2: In Your Dreams

  Book 3: Don’t You Wish

  Volume 2

  Book 4: Close Your Eyes

  Book 5: Without a Doubt

  Book 6: With This Ring

  Volume 3

  Book 7: Open Your Heart

  Book 8: Time Will Tell

  Book 9: Now Picture This

  Volume 4

  Book 10: Hold On Tight

  Book 11: Closer Than Ever

  Book 12: Take My Hand

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Other Books by This Author

  Book Four - Surprise Endings Dedication

  Chapter 1 - Dreams for a Price

  Chapter 2 - Rah-Rah Girls Don’t Quit

  Chapter 3 - Hopeful Romantics

  Chapter 4 - Under the Flower Trellis

  Chapter 5 - An Enchanted Evening

  Chapter 6 - Inside, Outside

  Chapter 7 - Jasmine and Other Poisonous Flowers

  Chapter 8 - Prom Plans

  Chapter 9 - Jealous Love

  Chapter 10 - A Hollow Victory

  Chapter 11 - I Can Wait

  Chapter 12 - A Laurel Crown

  Chapter 13 - Surprise!

  Book Five - Island Dreamer Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1 - What’s So Funny?

  Chapter 2 - Do You Want to Know a Secret?

  Chapter 3 - If Only Katie Could Fit in My Suitcase

  Chapter 4 - Flight 272 Is Now Boarding

  Chapter 5 - Aloha!

  Chapter 6 - “Sweet” Sixteen?

  Chapter 7 - Come On, Christy, Show Us How to Hula!

  Chapter 8 - Mystery Call from the Blue Grotto

  Chapter 9 - Mosquito Nets and Prayers

  Chapter 10 - Which Way to the Waterfalls?

  Chapter 11 - The Bridge

  Chapter 12 - Hana After It Rains

  Chapter 13 - The “God-Thing”

  Book Six - A Heart Full of Hope Dedication

  Chapter 1 - Dazzling Dream Date

  Chapter 2 - When Rick Got on His Knees

  Chapter 3 - The Luckiest Girl in the World

  Chapter 4 - Later, Christy

  Chapter 5 - Holding Hands

  Chapter 6 - Restrictions

  Chapter 7 - One Hedgehog and One Rabbit to Go

  Chapter 8 - Number Eight on the List

  Chapter 9 - Where’s Walter?

  Chapter 10 - Wild Kites Dancing in the Wind

  Chapter 11 - Tostada Surprise

  Chapter 12 - A Fair Trade?

  Chapter 13 - Twice

  About the Author

  To my parents,

  Travis and Barbara Jones,

  who en
couraged me to be

  only what God made me to be—

  nothing more, and certainly nothing less.

  Oh yeah! We’ve got the spirit

  Oh yeah! That cougar spirit

  Say, hey! Get outta our way

  Cougars are on the prowl TODAY!

  Christy Miller ended the cheer with a long, leggy leap. The other girls watched her land just slightly off balance.

  “Good, but try to keep your arms straighter next time,” the cheerleading adviser said.

  Christy nodded at Mrs. James and tried not to feel self-conscious, even though so many girls were standing around watching her.

  “And be sure you stretch out after practice today.” Mrs. James turned her attention to the next girl in line.

  Stepping away from the critical stares of the varsity cheerleaders, Christy took a deep breath and silently mouthed the cheer. Keeping her arms straight, she began going through the motions again.

  It seemed to Christy that the first few days of practice hadn’t been very hard or very competitive. Now that it was getting closer to tryouts, fewer girls were showing up every day. And the ones who did show up were, in Christy’s opinion, all much better at jumps than she’d ever be.

  “Give it a rest, Miller!” one of the varsity girls said, coming in her direction. It was Renee, a junior with short dark hair and eyes like a raven.

  Christy tried to ignore Renee and finished the cheer with a solid jump.

  “Give it up. You’re not cheerleader material, and you know it. Besides, you’re only a sophomore.”

  “Sophomores can try out like anyone else,” Christy said quietly, lifting her damp nutmeg brown hair off the nape of her neck. She shaded her blue-green eyes from the afternoon sun and tilted her head. “Tryouts are only two weeks away, Renee. And I’m not going to drop out.”

  Christy meant the statement to sound firm and threatening, but it affected Renee as much as a harmless kitten batting at a thread.

  “You only made it this far because of Rick Doyle.” Renee flung the words at Christy. Two of her friends now stood beside her. “So don’t look so innocent. We know what’s going on between you and Rick.”

  “Between me and Rick?” Christy couldn’t stand the way the three girls were staring at her. She wasn’t sure what Renee was trying to prove. “Rick and I are just friends.”

  “Oh, right. Friends. Buddies. That explains why the most popular guy in school hangs out with a little sophomore who thinks she’s going to be next year’s star cheerleader.”

  Christy felt her heart pounding and her throat swelling. Why is Renee all over me like this?

  “Come on, Renee,” said one of the other girls, who walked over toward Christy. “Leave her alone. It’s not Christy’s fault Rick turned you down.”

  Renee spun around. “Who asked for your opinion, Teresa?”

  “It’s Teri. Only my grandmother calls me Teresa. ‘Teresa Angelina Raquel Moreno,’ ” Teri mimicked in a high-pitched voice with a heavy Spanish accent. “But you’re not my grandmother, Renee. So you can call me Teri, like the rest of my friends.”

  Christy admired Teri’s friendly spunk. She obviously wasn’t threatened by Renee. Christy wished she could appear as confident as Teri. But then Teri was a junior like Renee, so that had to count for something.

  Renee turned to glare at Christy with a hard, pinched expression. “You’re not good enough, Miller. Okay? You’re not good enough to be a cheerleader, and you’re definitely not good enough for Rick Doyle.” Renee turned with a flashy cheerleading swish and marched off the field with her two friends beside her.

  “What was that all about?” Christy asked Teri. Her hands were shaking. “What did I ever do to her?”

  “It’s not you.” Teri wrapped her long, wavy brown hair up in a knot and tried to secure it with a scrunchie. “She’s mad at Rick, and she’s just taking it out on you. Don’t let her get to you. You’re doing great, Christy. By the time tryouts get here, you’ll be ready. Don’t worry.”

  But Christy did worry. She worried all the way home. As soon as she was in the front door, the first thing she did was call her closest friend, Katie, to tell her about the incident.

  “Oh come on, Christy,” Katie said in her bubbly, self-assured voice. “You know what Renee’s problem is. It’s Rick. She likes Rick. Didn’t you know that? Everybody knows that.”

  “Katie, almost all the girls at Kelley High like Rick. He and I are good friends. You know that.”

  “Sure I do. But Renee doesn’t. She thinks he’s taking you to the prom.”

  “The prom? Why in the world would she think that? My parents would never let me go to the prom. You know how strict they are.”

  “Well, get this,” Katie said. “I heard that Renee asked Rick to the prom, and he turned her down.”

  “You’re kidding! Why?”

  “That’s what she’s so upset about. He didn’t give her a reason, but from what she heard from one of his friends, Renee thought he was taking you.”

  “No way! He’d never ask me. He could choose from a dozen girls, all seniors. Besides, I think a senior guy should take a senior girl. I mean, it’s their last year of high school and everything.”

  “Christy, get a clue! He wants to take you. The problem is, he thinks you won’t go with him since you’re not supposed to date until you’re sixteen.”

  Christy twisted the phone cord around her finger. “But Katie, I’m the kind of girl Rick teases and calls when he’s bored. I’m not the popular rah-rah type he’d take to the prom. He’s probably waiting to find out who’s got the best chance of winning prom queen. That’s who he’ll take.”

  “Wake up, girl! Don’t you see what’s happening? Rick is turning you into the rah-rah prom-queen type. You’re like putty in his hands. He’s making you into the perfect girlfriend.”

  “Katie, that has to be the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said!”

  “Ridiculous or not, it’s the truth.”

  A frustrating silence hung between them.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” Katie said, all the fire doused from her voice. “But if you don’t think I’m right, then just ask yourself to honestly answer one question.” Katie paused.

  “Yes?” Christy knew that although Katie often went overboard with her exuberance, she also could be right sometimes.

  “Ask yourself, Would I have tried out for cheerleading if Rick hadn’t talked me into it and gone with me to practice the first day?”

  “Yes,” Christy answered immediately. “I would’ve gone on my own.”

  “Don’t answer me. Answer yourself. Honestly. And if you’re honest, I think you’ll see what I’m saying. Rick has more control in your life than you realize.”

  For at least twenty minutes after they hung up, Christy remained sitting on the hallway floor with her back against one wall and her stocking feet against the other, searching her heart for an honest answer to Katie’s question.

  The tricky part was, Christy had always wanted to be a cheerleader. She had thought about it a lot when tryouts were announced. But maybe Katie had a point. Deep down, Christy wasn’t sure if she ever would have worked up the nerve to try out if Rick hadn’t coaxed her into going to the first practice.

  However, Todd had a lot to do with it too. If Katie wanted to talk about Todd’s influence on Christy, well, that was another story. She would gladly admit that Todd had a unique way of challenging her and directing her decisions. He had ever since the day they met on the beach last summer. She remembered looking up into the screaming silver-blue eyes of this tall, blond surfer and thinking how he fit her description of the perfect guy. Then she got to know him, and Todd became an important part of her life. He strongly influenced her when it came to things that mattered in her heart.

  Even though Todd lived two hours away, when it came right down to it, if she had to define their relationship, she would consider Todd much closer to one day being her boyfriend than Rick.
Christy and Todd saw each other only a couple times a month, but Todd was in her heart. Forever. Nothing could ever change that. And what mattered to Todd mattered deeply to Christy.

  She tugged at her socks, cuffing them and uncuffing them, remembering when she had scrunched in the hallway last week, the night before the first cheerleading practice, and talked on the phone with Todd for an hour. Christy had told him all about how she was thinking of going out for cheerleading and eagerly waited for his opinion and encouragement.

  But all Todd had said was, “I think if you’re going to do it, you should do it for the Lord.”

  “You mean I should pray about it?” Christy asked.

  “That’s part of it. But you need to think about how you can take some risks on your campus. If you become a cheerleader, you’ll have an audience.”

  “An audience?”

  “There will be lots of people who suddenly know who you are, and they’ll watch your life a lot more closely. You can’t just blend in with the crowd anymore. Being a cheerleader might put you in a good position to let people know who you really are and what your life is all about.”

  “I hadn’t thought about that.”

  “Being up front can be good. It kind of forces you to take a stand for what you believe.”

  Christy had taken Todd’s words to heart, and that night she had written in her diary:

  God, I want to do this cheerleading thing for You. I know Todd’s right. If I become a cheerleader, people will look up to me and respect me. That will give me a better chance to tell them that I’m a Christian and maybe to invite them to church with me or something. I just want whatever is best, and I want to be a good example to others.

  In thinking through the whole situation now, Christy felt certain that even if Rick hadn’t walked her to practice that first day, she still would have gone. Her heart was set on doing this, and just as Todd had advised, she would do it for all the right reasons.

  “Christy,” her mom called from the kitchen, “are you off the phone yet? Dinner is ready. You need to come set the table.”

  “Coming!” Christy left her cheerleading thoughts huddled in the hallway as she went into the kitchen. Her mom had made stew, which wasn’t her favorite dinner. Mom’s stew generally consisted of whatever leftovers had been in the refrigerator long enough to be unappealing if eaten by themselves. They were all dumped into the Crock-Pot in the morning and left to simmer all day until they became “stew.”