Free The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow

you stay.”
    Peyton couldn’t believe it. Adrian seemed calm and collected, like he could handle anything. But could he actually be so nervous to be around them that he needed Rebecca there for emotional support?
    Her stomach rumbled; the restaurant smelled like fresh bread and perfectly cooked steak, and she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She took the seat next to Brett, which was as far away from Adrian as possible.
    She placed her napkin on her lap and looked at her silverware in confusion. Why did she need two forks and two knives? And why was the spoon so small and above the plate?
    “Start at the outside and work in,” Brett whispered to her. “And don’t touch the spoon until dessert.”
    “Thanks.” Apparently she’d looked as confused as she’d felt.
    Adrian ordered a bottle of champagne after they went through the introductions. No one mentioned that they were underage, and the waiter didn’t care. Brett didn’t seem fazed, either. Peyton accepted a glass—she was nothing like her mom and could handle her alcohol just fine—and Savannah got one, too. Courtney gave Savannah a warning look and said she was fine with water.
    Peyton wondered if Courtney would ever let loose and have fun. They weren’t at home anymore—they were as far from it as possible. Not geographically, obviously, but Vegas couldn’t have been more different from Fairfield if it tried. Peyton wasn’t going to let Vegas change her, since she was fine just as she was, but it might not hurt Courtney to live a little.
    “I hear you three will be attending Goodman in the fall,” Rebecca said, playing with her pearl necklace as she waited for an answer.
    A pit of dread formed in Peyton’s stomach. She recognized the name of the school Damien had mentioned, but she wouldn’t be in Vegas long enough for school to start. Their mom had to get better before September.
    If it ended up taking longer and she and her sisters had to do a few weeks at Goodman, no one had told them yet. Anyway, what was the big deal about the school? It wasn’t like they had an option where they would go. How different could this Goodman place be from Fairfield High?
    “Yes,” Adrian said. “After I informed the headmaster that I would make a generous contribution toward the new sports center, I mentioned my three daughters were moving to town and hadn’t picked a school yet. Coincidentally, Goodman had three spots waiting to be filled.”
    “How wonderful.” Rebecca beamed. Peyton wasn’t sure if she was fake or trying really hard to get them to like her. Judging by how nervous she seemed, she suspected it was the latter. “It’s the best school in the state. Brett goes there. He’ll be a junior in the fall, so he’ll be in Courtney’s year. He can introduce you to the other students this summer so you’ll know people once school begins.”
    “Because you know how much I hang out with the prep school crew,” Brett said. Rebecca gave him a look that said, Stop being so insolent, but Brett just smiled and took a sip of water.
    “Back up a second,” Peyton said. “Isn’t it too early to worry about school?”
    “I know no one wants to think about going back to school when it’s only the beginning of July, but this was late notice,” Adrian said. “Their deadline for applications is January. Luckily for the three of you, they were able to make an exception.”
    “That’s not what I mean.” Peyton clenched her fists, angry at how he played head games with his words. “If Mom’s better in a few weeks, by September we’ll be back home and at Fairfield High. We shouldn’t think about school here until we know when she’ll be out of that place.”
    “Oh.” Rebecca’s face crumpled, and she looked at Adrian in question. “They don’t know yet?”
    “Know what?” Courtney asked softly.
    “I would have said something earlier, but my meeting ran late and we had to hurry to dinner,” Adrian said. “Plus, I thought your grandmother