Free Model Menace 2 by Carolyn Keene

said jokingly, her cheeks reddening just a bit. “Or maybe I’m just eager to get this show on the road so my best friend can get married already.”
    Jamal smiled again, warmly, and settled close in the seat next to Akinyi. “I can identify with that,” he said. Then he moved his head close to hers and dropped his voice low, so low that I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
    At that moment George walked up and pinched me.
    “Ouch!” I cried.
    “You might want to remember to blink every once in a while,” she said, following my gaze over to the best man and maid of honor. “It’s a little obvious you’re spying when your jaw is on the ground like that.”
    I smiled sheepishly. “Do you think anyone noticed?”
    George shook her head. “I think those two are in a world of their own,” she observed.
    “It is interesting,” I suggested quietly, “that Akinyi’s letting him flirt so much when she said she was so torn up over her break up with Josh.”
    George shrugged. “Or maybe she really does miss Josh, but she’s attracted to Jamal too. It can happen sometimes.”
    Trying to be less conspicuous, I chanced another glance in Akinyi’s direction. Now the two of them were giggling, heads still close. I watched as Jamal lightly touched Akinyi’s knee, then quickly pulled his hand away.
    “Or maybe,” I suggested to George, “they’ve been hiding their relationship all this time! Maybe they are working together and Akinyi staged the breakup the other day to distract us from the fact that she could have shredded the dress!”
    George watched Akinyi and Jamal for a few seconds before shaking her head. “Honestly, Nance,” she said, “if you weren’t right so often I’d think you were nuts.”
    I narrowed my eyes, watching as Jamal touched Akinyi’s shoulder before walking back to the crew. “It’s either them or Pandora.”
    Just then I heard a rumble going through the crowd, and I turned to see a limo pull up to the park entrance. After a few seconds the passenger door opened and Vic’s mom got out, followed by Syd’s dad, Ellie, and then Vic. Vic smiled when he realized everyone was watching him—even giving a quick “finger-gun” salute to the cameras, which had started filming. But as he stepped away and Syd gingerly stepped out, I was stunned to see that she was wiping away tears.
    “Oh my gosh,” whispered Bess, moving over to where George and I stood. “Maybe the wedding saboteur struck again while we weren’t around!”
    The crowd seemed to politely back away once they realized Syd was upset, and soon the low din of wedding party members talking amongst themselves rose up, and someone from the crew started playing classical music over the huge sound system they’d installed. I was about to say something to answer Bess, but then I spotted Syd moving in our direction, quickly followed by camera and sound guys.
    Vic stepped up behind her, touching her arm, but Syd angrily pulled away. “Don’t start!” she barked, moving quickly to join our small group.
    “Hey,” George said warmly, placing a hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “You okay? Did something happen?”
    Syd’s eyes were rimmed with red. “Did something happen? Yeah, something happened all right. Vic told me that if we get married and something happens to him, he wants me to remarry!”
    Syd bugged out her eyes, like the ridiculousness of this request was obvious. But George, Bess, and I just looked at each other blankly, until finally recognition flashed in Bess’s eyes and she announced in a relieved voice, “Oh! You two just had a fight!”
    “Ahhh,” George and I murmured, unable to hide our own relief.
    “So you’re okay?” I asked. “No acid in your shower, no poison in your coffee this morning?”
    Syd looked at me like I was nuts. “Okay?” she asked. “No, I am not okay. I just had a huge fight with the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with! Over a hugely important issue! He doesn’t even