Read Island Girls for Free Online Page B

right again.”
    Jenny and Tim both smiled nervously.
    “Now, we need to have a meetin’ soon because I want the two of you to design, build, and run the arts coalition website,” Genevieve declared.
    Arden bit back a smile as she watched Jenny and Tim exchange a meaningful glance.
    “Of course you know I’ll pay you, and top rate, too,” Genevieve cooed. “You’re only young’uns, and I wouldn’t expect kids like you just starting out to donate your time, so don’t even think about it. Bill me like you’re both lawyers.” She chuckled at her own wit. “Okay, Monday morning, my office, eleven?” She bent to peck a kiss on Jenny’s forehead and stood on tiptoe to kiss Tim’s chin, then whirled away, leaving a mist of perfume as sweet as a Taylor Swift song.
    Jenny’s smile disappeared. Her face grew stormy. “I’m going to kill myself,” she muttered.
    “Grow up,” Tim told her. “We can do this.”
    “I’m sys admin,” Jenny snapped.
    “That is so wrong. You should be site designer and the graphic artist—that’s the stuff you do well,” Tim retorted.
    Arden’s head turned back and forth as if she were watching a tennis match.
Okay
, Arden thought,
Tim gave Jenny a compliment. Now Jenny will be nice back
.
    Jenny only bristled. “I do
everything
well.”
    Tim stepped closer to Jenny, hands on his hips, mouth tense, glaring down at her with the ferocity of some futuristic death-ray machine. Arden thought he might zap her with a toxic glow and Jenny would disappear.
Serve her right
, Arden thought with a wicked inner smile.
    Instead, Tim spoke with obvious patience. “Let’s just make the meeting and go from there, okay? This could be important to both of us.”
    Mouth tightened into a thin line, Jenny nodded. Then she spun on her heel and stalked away.
    Tim took a long, deep breath. After a moment, he realized Arden was standing there. “So she’s your sister?”
    Arden made a helpless shoulder shrug. “As she said, she’s a stepsister. We’re not exactly close. Our relationship is neutral at the best of times. It’s complicated.”
    Tim smiled at her. “I’d like to hear about it.”
    Wow, did this guy have a dangerous smile. Arden narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why? So you can learn more about Jenny?”
    “Believe me, I know all I need to about her,” he answered. “No, so I can learn more about you. I don’t believe I’ve started off on my best foot, so to speak. Let me take you out to dinner. Or better yet, out on my boat.”
    “It would be heavenly to get out on the water,” Arden said.
    “Next Saturday?”
    She thought for a moment. She wasn’t used to having free time, but for three months, she had all the time in the world. “Next Saturday,” she agreed.

SIX
    Meg kept looking at the clock.
    Arden had assured Jenny they didn’t have to eat before the party because there would be so many catered goodies on offer. They’d hurried into the house to shower and dress, leaving Meg alone in the garden.
    Meg had tried to relax in her chair. Tried to enjoy the soft summer air. But she was hurt that Jenny hadn’t invited Meg to the party, too. She felt left out. She
was
left out. Restless and annoyed with herself, she went back into the house and up to her room, trying not to notice the fragrance of Arden’s and Jenny’s bath salts and perfumes. She shut her door and seated herself at her desk. She organized her papers, laying her research notes, computer, books, and notebooks on the rickety wooden table. She almost didn’t hear Arden calling out “Bye!”
    After they left, Meg went down to the kitchen and made a sandwich—from the food that Jenny had bought. She scribbled a note in her little book of days so she could keep track of what sheowed Jenny. God forbid she’d ever be indebted to her, even for five cents. Jenny’s mother, Justine, would take Meg to court.
    She could have walked into town and enjoyed a meal at any number of restaurants, but she didn’t