By the end of the day, Riley realized that somewhere along the line she had stopped pretending to be enjoying the Christmas activities and had actually started to enjoy them. There was something so soothing about doing simple things like frosting cookies. Nothing they were doing at Christmas Camp was brain surgery. It was all just a way to relax and have fun, and despite herself, she had to admit she was having fun.
The next time she saw Colin, Brendan, and Tyler was after dinner when she was running upstairs to get ready for the Christmas Camp Ugly Sweater Pageant. The three of them had been coming in the front door.
Surprised, she stopped in her tracks. “Hey, guys. What are you doing . . . together?”
“We ran into one another in town,” Tyler said.
“So we grabbed dinner,” Colin added.
Riley’s eyes widened. “Together?”
“Yeah,” Brendan said. “These guys are pretty cool.”
Brendan slapped Colin on the back. “Turns out we have more than just you in common.”
Riley laughed. “Well, okay, that’s great. I’m glad to see you’re all getting along. Are you going to join us for our Ugly Sweater Pageant?”
“What about our date?” Tyler asked.
“We’re still good,” Riley said. “We should be wrapped up by eight. Can you give me a hint as to what we’re doing so I know what to wear?”
“Don’t worry. Everything you need will be delivered to your room later,” Tyler said.
While Riley looked intrigued, Brendan and Colin frowned. “Okay, I gotta go, I’ll see you guys later.”
She was almost to the top of the stairs when Colin called out to her. “I’m up for this Ugly Sweater Pageant,” he said. “Does the offer still stand?”
“Sure.” Riley smiled. “The more the merrier.”
“Then I’m in, too,” Brendan piped up.
Tyler looked at both of the guys. “Seriously, you’re both doing this?”
“Oh, yeah,” Brendan said. “And I plan to win.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Colin said. “There’s a prize, right?”
Riley laughed. “Yes, but you’ll need an ugly sweater to win it.”
Luke appeared from around the corner. “If anyone needs to borrow a sweater, I have a whole box of them.”
“Thanks, Luke,” Colin said. “I’ll take one.”
“Me too,” Brendan said. “What about you, Tyler?”
They all looked at Tyler. Riley could never imagine Tyler, Mr. Fashion, wearing an ugly sweater of any kind.
Tyler’s jaw clenched but then he looked at Riley. “Sure, why not.”
Riley’s jaw dropped. “Really? Wow.” She looked at her three exes. “I can’t wait to see this.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
A few minutes later, the first person Riley saw when she came back downstairs was Luke. They burst out laughing when they saw each other’s sweaters.
Riley was wearing one of Luke’s mom’s sweaters. She’d picked the one with the giant reindeer face with its fuzzy antlers sticking out and flopping around. It also had at least two dozen reindeer tails hanging off it everywhere. Under each tail were brown specks that looked like reindeer droppings.
Luke had also gone all-out. His sweater looked like he’d rolled around in a thousand Christmas lights. The sweater was green, so Riley could only guess he was channeling the Christmas trees out front because there were even real ornaments hanging off the lights.
This was going to be the Ugly Sweater Pageant to end all Ugly Sweater Pageants.
“You look ridiculous,” Riley told Luke.
He laughed. “And you’re one to talk. You do know you’re wearing a sweater that has reindeer poop on it.”
Riley smiled sweetly back at him. “Whatever it takes to win.”
As they entered the lobby, Riley had to laugh again when she heard the song that was playing . . .
“I’m too sexy for my ugly Christmas sweater . . .”
She looked at Luke. “Where did this song come from?”
“Caylee,” Luke said with pride. “She put it together. It’s great, right?”
“It is,” Riley had to admit. As she scanned the room, taking in all the Christmas Campers, she was happy to see they were also taking this competition very seriously. They’d all brought their own holly-jolly-ugly-Christmas-sweater spirit to the pageant, wearing everything from sweaters that lit up and played Christmas music to ones covered in garland and tinsel.
By far the most creative sweater was a giant red sweater worn by the twins. Each twin had one arm in a sleeve and across the front it said Christmas Camp in huge white letters. Hanging off the front of the sweater were all Riley’s book covers, lit up with LED lights.
“Okay, should I be offended by this?” Riley asked the twins in a teasing voice. She pointed at her book covers. “You’re thinking you’re going to win the ugly prize with my books? Ouch.”
Everyone laughed loudly.
“No! We love your book covers,” Carrie rushed to say.
“They’re the best,” Terrie added. “Carrie, I told you this was a bad idea.”
Riley laughed. “I was just kidding, you guys. I think it’s great! Extra points for creativity.”
When Paul showed up eager to get some pictures, Riley stopped him.
“Aren’t you missing something?” Riley asked him.
Paul checked his camera. “What?”
Riley tugged on her ugly sweater as a hint.
Luke joined them. “Don’t worry, Paul. I can help you with that.”
Riley laughed as she watched Luke lead Paul away. Caylee joined her looking curious.
“Where’s Paul going?” Caylee asked.
“He forgot something,” Riley said with a smirk.
When Luke and Paul came back a few minutes later, both Riley and Caylee cracked up laughing. Paul was wearing what looked like an abominable snowman sweater that had more fur on it than the Riley’s yeti boots.
Paul looked like he wanted to hide. “Happy now?”
Caylee burst out laughing again.
Riley fought to keep a straight face. “Very.”
“Okay, so who is ready for the pageant to start?” Luke asked.
Riley and Caylee both eagerly raised their hands.
As Luke got everyone’s attention and started explaining how the Christmas Camp Ugly Sweater Pageant was going to
