As he turned to leave, I internally groaned. Could I possibly have done anything lamer? I mean, really? A thumbs-up.

But as I watched him walk away, I felt myself sigh without even meaning to. So, no, I wasn’t 100 percent sold on the idea of living at the mommune. It was, admittedly, pretty weird. But if it meant spending more time with Merit, I thought it was a life I could get used to.

JUNIPER SHORES SOCIALITE

@junipershoressocialite

Sharing bad behavior and delicious drama in North Carolina’s most exclusive coastal zip code. DM with tips, pics, and juicy deets.

AUGUST 29, 7:47 A.M.

9 Posts

2,173 Followers

11 Following

You didn’t hear it from me, but…

PIC 1: A brand-new pair has moved into Juniper Shores’ most-gossiped-about house: the mommune, a.k.a. Alice Bailey’s beachfront compound, the creepy and surely haunted site of the death of one of the Black Widow’s three deceased husbands. The disgraced Charlotte and Iris Sitterly have taken refuge from their troubles alongside its glittering ocean views. But one source questions: Will someone under that roof be the Black Widow’s next prey? And another asks: Is the mommune a cult, and are Charlotte and Iris its newest members? Stay tuned.…

PIC 2: In your daily dose of high school drama, freshman Chloe Montoya has indeed snagged the reigning heir to the Juniper Shores automotive throne from a certain junior co-cheer captain. Chloe, we hope your new man gets you a fast getaway car.… Said junior girl also holds the Juniper Shores sprint record.

PIC 3: Boozy moms, rejoice! The RoséStream has reopened—just in time for the Juniper Shores Country Club Bar to undergo a full renovation. Do people around here not know that alcohol sales are the majority of our GTP (Gross Town Product)? Again, thoughts and prayers.

TNT (’Til Next Tequila!)

JUNIPER SHORES SOCIALITE

Charlotte Before

“Miss,” the Uber driver said gently, “are you, um, going to get out?”

Miss.

I couldn’t remember the last time someone had called me miss. I didn’t hate it. But then a cold chill washed over me. Was he calling me miss because he intuited that I was going to be unmarried in short order? I looked down at the sparkling carats on my left hand and my breath caught in my throat. This was one of the only things I had left. Was someone going to come take it from me? Should I try to sell it before they did? Would that be a crime?