Chapter Two

The Next Evening Matt was out at the Atwood place for supper. It was a nice evening so they were eating outside at the picnic table. Matt was helping Evie set the table while Lisa was checking on the food in the kitchen. She was making one of Rafael's favorite meals. Ironically the same meal they had the first time Lisa ever had supper with Rafael's family, roasted chicken with peppers.

"What happened at Pine Hollow today?" asked Rafael

"Mostly lessons and practicing for the county tournament." Replied Evie

Matt smiled knowingly.

"Evie, I think that he means did you 'deal' with Vanessa?" he said

"Oh!" said Evie in realization. She was about to answer when Risa arrived home and she was clearly upset about something. She flopped down at the table where Matt was about to put down the last plate, propped her chin on her elbows, and scowled.

"Sis," said Evie, "what's wrong didn't you get the tickets?!"

Risa had gone with Brian to the Willow Creek Arena to get tickets to the Jamie O. concert. Jamie O. was a singer that had come on the scene a little over a year ago on the internet and now was an international sensation. Risa and Evie were two of her biggest fans. They had been practically bouncing off the walls of their trailer when they learned that Jamie O would be coming to Willow Creek at the same time as the Moondance clan would be there!

Now their bubble had burst!

"The tickets sold out that fast?!" asked Evie

"Yeah," said Risa, "Especially when Brian's sister got her Mother Veronica to buy out the last 30 tickets, so no one else could get any of them! Vera and her friends now have three rows all to themselves!"

Evie groaned and rubbed her face. Rafael turned and looked at Lisa who had been listening through the open kitchen window in the trailer. Lisa rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Somethings never change." She muttered.

Rafael nodded. He bent down and kissed the top of his daughter's head.

"I'm sorry sweetie," he said, "I know how bad you wanted those tickets."

"I took a cab home," Said Risa, "I was so upset I was afraid that if I rode home with Brian I'd explode and say something that I end up regretting."

While Rafael was comforting his daughter, Evie suddenly grabbed Matt's arm and dragged him around behind the trailer.

"What?" asked Matt bewildered

"Matt," said Evie, "I think I may be responsible for what happened?!" Evie looked on the verge of crying.

"What, you mean the ticket thing?" said Matt, "how could you possibly be responsible for_,"

"Because of Vanessa," said Evie interrupting him, "Today when I got to Pine Hollow, I went straight to Maxine and told her that Vanessa had been reading my diary and she suspended Vanessa for two weeks!"

"You think that Veronica cheated you out of the concert tickets as revenge for that?" asked Matt

"It makes sense doesn't?" replied Evie, "My sister is going to hate me!"

"Hate you for what?" said Risa, who had come looking for them after she finished talked to her father.

Evie took a deep breath and spilled everything to her. Risa just smiled.

"Sis, I could never hate you," she said, "Besides since when did Veronica and her daughter ever need an excuse to cause trouble?"

"Well, that's true," started Evie, "But,"

"But nothing, Sis." Said Risa, "Look even if the suspension did have something to do with it, I'm still glad that you did it. if the saddle club doesn't teach Vanessa and Vera that their actions have consequences who will? Certainly not Veronica."

"So, we're good?" asked Evie

"Sis," said Risa linking arms with her, "We were never otherwise. Now come on, Mom's putting supper on the table right now."

The twin sisters walked off around the corner of the trailer together.

Matt mysteriously hung back. As soon as the girls were out of sight Matt pulled out his phone and dialed a number that he had memorized instead of putting it in his contacts.

A few seconds later the call was picked up.

"Hey, it's me," he said, "Listen I know it's short notice but can I ask a favor?"

######

Two nights later it was the night of the concert, and Risa and Evie, had decided that they would just have a double date with Brian and Jason. There was one condition that Evie insisted on: No more boats!

They were all on their way out the door when a long white SUV limo pulled up in front of the trailer and stopped. they were even more surprised when Matt emerged from the Limo.

"Hi guys," he said

"Matt," said Evie bewildered, "What is all this?"

Matt grinned.

"You did want to go to the concert tonight, didn't you?" said another voice.

Four mouths simultaneously dropped wide open as a tall slender girl with blue streaked blonde hair climbed out of the limo behind Matt.

"J-J-Jamie O!" stammered Risa and Evie in unison

"Hi!" said Jamie with a kind smile, "Nice to meet you."

Evie looked at Matt her eyes still wide.

"How?!" was all she could say.

"Jamie and I have known each other all our lives," Matt explained, "And our mothers have known each other all of their lives, so when I heard how you had been cheated out of those tickets, I called Jamie and told her what happened and asked if I could bring you guys with me to the private box she always reserves for her personal guests."

"And I said sure." Finished Jamie, "Now let's go, I have a neurotic manager who'll will start to hyperventilate if I'm gone too long."

Everybody piled into the Limo and within minutes the three girls were talking like they'd known each other forever.

Matt just sat back and smiled as he watched the girls enjoying themselves. Brian and Jason were occupied with the video game console in the limo. When they reached the arena, Evie and Risa had to elbow their boyfriends in the ribs to get their attention away from the video game they were playing.

Jamie led them all into the backstage area and toward her dressing room. when they got there Jamie was met by a tall buy in blue jeans, and hoodie and a two hundred fifty-dollar haircut. He gave Jamie a peck on the lips.

"Who's he?" Evie whispered in Matt's ear

"Justin Wilcox, her boyfriend." Replied Matt.

Jamie brought them all into her dressing room to hang out while she got ready. Before she sat down at her makeup table to let her makeup girl and stylist get to work, she introduced Justin to everybody.

A few minutes and one makeup job and style touch up later. Jamie stood up.

"Okay, you guys better get out to the box, it's time to start."

Matt led the girls, Brian, and Jason out to the private box and they could barely keep from laughing when they saw the absolutely shocked looks on the faces of Vera and her friends when she saw them.

The concert was a blast. Evie and Risa almost wore their boyfriends out dancing to every song.

After the concert them Jamie back at her dressing room and she invited them to come with them to the after party. Out in the hallway they had only gone a few steps on the way to the party when Risa suddenly gasped, her hand flying to her neck.

"What's wrong, Sis," asked Evie

"My necklace fell off again." Said Risa

"I told you to get the clasp on that thing fixed." Said Evie shaking her head.

"It must be back in the dressing room," said Risa, "I know I had it when we went in there."

"Here," said Jamie handing her the key to the dressing room, "We'll meet you at the car."

Risa nodded and hurried back toward the dressing room.

A few minutes later, with the necklace around her neck again, Risa joined them in the car and off they went to the party.

########

The next day at Pine Hollow Evie and Risa were sitting on their horses in the jumping class line waiting for their turn and still gushing over the amazing night they had.

"Girls," said Maxine getting their attention, "It's your turn! Risa you first."

Suddenly Matt's phone buzzed. He slipped off Wisteria's back and stepped out of the riding ring to take the call.

It was Jamie.

"Matt," she said seriously, "Last night my Emerald Pendant, the silver Celtic knot one, was stolen from my dressing room and a witness says Risa did it!"

TO BE CONTINUED…PLEASE REVIEW