Free The Kiss on Castle Road (A Lavender Island Novel) by Lauren Christopher Page B

you’d be perfect for this role,” he said, sitting back at his desk. “She seems to think you’d be great for the rescue center tours. Or the marina. Or Zumba. Or any of our activities. We do a lot of picnics on the beach, tide-pool visits, that kind of thing. Do you have any experience?”
    Having changed jobs at least three times a year for as long as she could remember, Natalie always knew the answer to this question.
    “I’m a fast learner, and eager to expand my experience into new fields.”
    Steve Stegner looked at her over the top of his glasses. Apparently, he could see a line of BS coming a mile away. “Well, Doris highly recommends you, so I’ll go with her gut. This is a part-time job, with mornings preferred. The seniors like doing their activities primarily before noon. What’s your availability?”
    “I’m available from eight thirty, after I drop my niece off at school, until two, when she gets out.”
    “Perfect.” He reached behind him and grabbed an application off his desk. “Fill this out, and we’ll get you started.”

    By eight that night, Natalie had a second job, a month-to-month phone plan, a phone in her hand after an hour-long negotiation with the eyes-on-her-breasts kid back at the phone store, and a DVD for how to Zumba. She tucked her purchases back into her tote bag in the pleather-lined booth of the Shore Thing bar and lifted the laminated menu between her and Paige.
    “You look like Donna Summer gone wrong,” Paige said.
    “You look like Richard Simmons gone wrong,” Natalie said.
    They both smiled through the dim lighting, casting giggling glances at each other over the tops of their menus. Paige wore a bright-yellow afro wig and Natalie’s was hot pink. The wigs were for 1970s Night, which Olivia had somehow talked Paige and Natalie into, right after she talked them into standing in for her and Jon on their dart league. Paige had capped her look off with blue-shaded John Lennon glasses sitting on the edge of her nose, and Natalie wore heart-shaped wire-rimmed ones with pink shades.
    “Your ass looks amazing in those bell-bottoms, though,” Paige said. “You should walk around the bar more. Besides, Olivia wanted you to meet Tag.” Paige looked over her shoulder. “I hope he’s coming tonight.”
    “I don’t want to be set up, Paige.”
    “Not a setup. Just a meet.”
    “No men. I’m just here to play darts. Let’s focus on the game.”
    “I’m sorry, by the way, for teasing you about your mancation. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’ve just never known you to be without a guy. Maybe I’m just jealous.”
    “Jealous?” Natalie laughed. “You definitely don’t need to be jealous of me.”
    “Well, we don’t need to do the bet.”
    “No, I’m good for the bet.”
    “It’s okay. It’s not right.”
    “What’s not right?”
    Paige suddenly seemed to find the menu unduly interesting.
    A slow heat moved up Natalie’s face. “You’re thinking it’s not right that you take my three hundred and fifty dollars, aren’t you?”
    “I know you don’t have much money right now.”
    “I’m not going to lose!” Natalie sat back in the booth. Wow. Her sisters really had no faith in her.
    “Of course. But we don’t have to—”
    “Paige, stop! This is nonsense. I wouldn’t have made the bet if I didn’t think I would either win it or be good for it. The bet’s on. End of discussion.”
    Paige shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
    “Now let’s talk darts. Or you can help me with this phone. What is this thing?”
    Paige took the phone out of Natalie’s hand to see what she was pointing at.
    Although Paige could be critical of Natalie’s dating decisions, she never criticized her intelligence, which Natalie always appreciated. As smart as Paige was, she always made Natalie feel smart, too, and called her the “brains of the family.” They all seemed disappointed that she’d never extended her education like Paige and Olivia had. But