AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not yet, but I can help you find out.”
Zoe considered the offer. Julie probably was her best bet. And what did she have to lose? So she told the redhead the basics.
“Computer games?” Julie pursed her lips and considered. “A few people come to mine. Brad, of course. But he’s more the sports type than the fantasy type.”
Zoe nodded in agreement.
“Teresa Roberts is rumored to own some kind of computer company. There might be a couple of others, too. I’ll ask around. Maybe the art teacher, Mrs. Greenberg, will have an idea. Whoever it is had to be a pretty good artist, right?”
Zoe nodded her gratitude, then asked, “And in return?”
“I want to beat Candice to the reunion crown,” Julie admitted.
Zoe grinned. “Works for me,” she said before she could help herself.
Julie gave a tiny frown and tilted her head. “You’re sure? I mean, her theory is you came back to get it for yourself.”
“Candice has a theory about me?”
“Candice has a theory about everything and everybody.”
“Do tell…?” Zoe leaned her own elbow on the table and cupped her chin, her eyes round, brows raised.
Julie’s lips twitched.
“Let’s see…According to Candice’s theory, you’re here for revenge, aka the crown. Most of the other women are here to see if she got fat, the men to see if they can get lucky. I’m sucking up for a job connection.” The redhead paused to catch her breath and roll her eyes. “My sister is looking for a husband. Brad Young is getting ready to invest a pile of money in some video business. And Mr. Lee is hoping for student recommendations to snag himself a raise.”
Zoe grinned. Bingo. It was all she could do to keep her ass in the seat instead of jumping up to do a happy dance. If Candice was right, Brad was the video-game wizard.
“Well, we’ve already debunked her theory on me. D’ya think any of her others have any weight?” After all, Candice might be faulty.
Julie shrugged. “Candice is usually fifty-fifty in the theory department. She’s good at gossip gathering, but lousy at factoring in the people dynamic.”
“Unlike you?”
“Precisely. And my people skills tell me that while you’re not interested in the crown yourself, you might be willing to help me get it away from Candice. Especially if it doesn’t take much effort on your part.”
Zoe couldn’t help it, she laughed out loud. “So according to your people skills, I’m all about revenge, but kinda on the lazy side?”
Julie got a horrified look in her eyes, then she gave a sheepish shrug and said, “Well, yeah.”
“Okay,” Zoe agreed as her laughter trailed off. “That’s close enough. What do you want me to do?”
Julie gave a little whoop, then ducked her shoulders and looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Paling, she grimaced and slunk low in her chair. Zoe looked over her shoulder and saw Candice following the hostess to a table across the room.
“Busted?” she asked, her tone mocking to hide her surprising hurt. Well, well. Rejection once again.
“Nah. It’s not like our sitting together won’t get back to her. But I don’t want a confrontation yet,” Julie muttered, sounding like she was having the time of her life. “She’s holding a rah-rah meeting, trying to get people to sign up for her public relations services. She sees this reunion as an extended nag-fest. But, you know, in the spirit of surprise making her defeat all the sweeter, I’m going to sneak out of here before she sees me. And, well, I’d rather keep our little plan between us for a while.”
“She’s really in public relations?” Zoe asked before Julie could get up, eyeing the obvious strong-arm tactics of the blonde and wondering if she managed to get any repeat business.
“Temporarily,” Julie verified. “For all her rubbing her perfection in our faces, I don’t think she’s happy. All she talks about is her big life goal. Marry rich. I’m pretty sure she sees the reunion as her ticket there, too.”
Zoe sent Candice a long, curious look. She’d always figured the blonde was on top of the world.
“Sounds kinda…”
“Pitiful?” Julie gave her an amused look as she tried to slide out of the chair without standing. “Don’t feel bad for her. She’s telling anyone who’ll listen that she’s got Brad on the hook and that he has some hush-hush job that apparently pays beaucoup bucks. Candy’s good at looking out for herself. But I’ve got to go. We can talk somewhere else, huh?”
Julie gave a little hurry-up motion with her hand. Zoe snickered and shook her head. This would be one of the reasons why she’d never made it in the popular circles. She didn’t have the mind—or the patience—for this kind of intrigue. Zoe didn’t care about the contest between Julie and Candice, but she did care about Brad’s hush-hush job. Another link to Gandalf.
