Contents ( 66)
- Cover
- Books by Valerie Fraser Luesse
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Map of Florida
- one
- two
- three
- four
- five
- six
- seven
- eight
- nine
- ten
- eleven
- twelve
- thirteen
- fourteen
- fifteen
- sixteen
- seventeen
- eighteen
- nineteen
- twenty
- twenty-one
- twenty-two
- twenty-three
- twenty-four
- twenty-five
- twenty-six
- twenty-seven
- twenty-eight
- twenty-nine
- thirty
- thirty-one
- thirty-two
- thirty-three
- thirty-four
- thirty-five
- thirty-six
- thirty-seven
- thirty-eight
- thirty-nine
- forty
- forty-one
- forty-two
- forty-three
- forty-four
- forty-five
- forty-six
- forty-seven
- forty-eight
- forty-nine
- fifty
- fifty-one
- Epilogue
- Keep Reading for a Preview of Valerie Luesse’s Next Book!
- Prologue
- one
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
“Look, I don’t know you, ma’am. And you don’t know me. If you did, you wouldn’t think so ill of me. I care a lot about Lisa. And I have a lotta respect for her. You got the wrong idea. And you’re listenin’ to a newspaper reporter who’d prob’ly lie about her own mama to get a headline. I’ll be goin’ now.”
Lisa’s aunt stood up. “I’m not through with you.”
“Yes, ma’am, I b’lieve you are.”
Peyton hurried out of the house, grabbed his bike, and feverishly pedaled to get as far away from that awful house as he could. He stopped at a gas station to get directions back to A1A, changed into his shorts and a T-shirt, and grabbed a quick sandwich from a little lunch counter in back before getting change for the phone.
His heart pounded faster with each coin he dropped into the slot. He dialed Lisa’s number and counted the rings. One . . . two . . . three . . .
“Hello?”
“Judy? Is that you?”
“Peyton? Where on earth are you?”
“I’m in Miami. I came to see Lisa, but your aunt said she sent her home.”
“My aunt lied. And in case you haven’t figured it out, she’s an evil troll, but you’ll never convince Mama of that. Lisa’s not here. Get this—she’s in Key West.”
“What? You gotta be kiddin’ me!”
“Nope. That’s probably why Aunt Marilyn told you they sent her home. They don’t want you looking for her down there. But dear Auntie did tell Lisa about that article, and said she put it in the mail to my parents. Sis was pretty sore, but she was too embarrassed to tell me why. What on earth did you say?”
Peyton fed more coins into the slot. “Listen, Judy, that reporter put words in my mouth. And now your aunt thinks I described Lisa like this painting called Venus. But I swear I didn’t. That reporter did. Judy? Are you laughing?”
Judy was laughing so hard she couldn’t talk. “Peyton, honey, you can get yourself into some scrapes! I studied that painting in art class. Ol’ Venus is as naked as a jaybird!”
“I know! The reporter tricked me into sayin’ I had a special girl and that she’s beautiful and has red hair. That’s when she came up with that Venus business, and now your aunt thinks I’m sittin’ around picturin’ Lisa . . .”
Judy was laughing again.
“You’ve just gotta stop laughin’, Judy, this is serious!”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ll straighten up. But one o’ these days, I promise you’ll laugh pretty hard yourself. Meantime, I can’t help you much with Key West because I don’t know where they are. Our great-aunt owns a vacation house on the island and invited Lisa and our cousin Bobbie Ann to come down. I don’t remember where it is, but I’ll see if I can find out.”
“Thanks. And promise me you’ll set your parents straight about that article. Please?”