He placed the AminoSpa bottle on the counter and gave Hanna a kiss on top of her head. His slippers made soft slaps on the floor as he padded out of the room. Hanna sat motionless for a few moments, staring at the AminoSpa bottle on the counter. It was crazy to think she’d fallen for a guy who’d gotten caught up in a pyramid scheme. Dinah could totally have him.
Suddenly, an idea came to her. She stood, raced over to the bottle, and looked at the company information on the back. To join our team, call now! it said beneath a 1-800 number and a website.
Heart thumping, Hanna lifted her home phone off the receiver and dialed the number. “AminoSpa Industries!” a chipper voice answered almost immediately. “Are you interested in joining our team?”
“Uh, yes,” Hanna said in her most professional voice. “My boyfriend sells AminoSpa, and I’d love to be part of it, too.”
“That’s wonderful!” the operator chirped. “What’s your name?”
“Dinah Morrissey,” Hanna said, grinning at her reflection in the window. She spelled it out, then gave the operator Dinah’s address, which was on the boot camp call sheet Vince had given them the first day. “Please send me a hundred cases.”
“One hundred?” The operator’s voice rose. “Oh, honey, that’s a lot for someone who’s just starting out.”
“I can handle it,” Hanna urged, running her fingers over her new necklace.
“You realize there are no returns, right? You’re responsible for every last bottle. And we’ll bill you for those cases at the beginning of next month.”
“I understand,” Hanna said. “Like I said, I’m very eager to join the team!”
After giving the operator a few more details, Hanna hung up and grinned. Then she grabbed the half-drunk AminoSpa bottle her father had left behind, screwed the cap on tight, and dropped it in the recycling bin. Opening her phone, she composed a new text to Dinah. I forgive you! I’m sure you guys will be very happy together in EVERY endeavor! If Dinah wanted Vince, she could have him—but she had to take him, goofy pyramid scheme and all.
Her phone chirped less than a minute later, and at first she thought it was Dinah sending a reply. But to her surprise, Lucas’s number flashed on the screen.
Got home early. Can you come over before school?
Chapter 16
Sunglasses Tans Are So In
After changing into her Rosewood Day uniform and gathering her books for school, Hanna pulled up to the curb at Lucas’s house. His family’s Ford Explorer was back in the driveway, the hatchback still open. The Mercedes SUV Hanna had seen the night the Rumsons had stopped over was here as well—meaning Brooke was here, too. Hanna wondered if Lucas had just invited her over to break up with her in person. Not that she would let him beat her to the punch. She would break up with him first.
Well, let’s get it over with, she thought, grateful at least that she looked gorgeous after boot camp. Sighing dolefully, she slammed the door to the Prius and started up the front walk. As she was about to ring the bell, she caught sight of a faint flicker in the thick line of bushes that surrounded the Beattie property. It almost looked like someone was hiding there, but that was crazy. Who could be skulking around at 8 A.M. in fifteen-degree weather? When would Hanna stop thinking someone was following her?
Lucas answered the door almost immediately. His skin was golden, his blond hair was almost white, and he looked like he’d lost a couple of pounds. “Hey,” he said, pulling her inside and giving her a huge hug. “I missed you so much.”
Hanna recoiled. “It didn’t seem like that when you were gone. I guess you were having too much fun to send me a text, huh?”
Lucas winced. “I’m so sorry. I thought we were going to have Wi-Fi, but the server was down. That’s one of the reasons we’re home early, actually—Mr. Rumson was freaking out because he couldn’t check his BlackBerry. Brooke got onto Facebook for a moment, but none of us could get online.”
“Yes, I saw that post.” Hanna wasn’t able to conceal her irritation. “You and Brooke looked very happy together.”
Lucas searched her face. “You don’t think we were . . .” He trailed off and pinched the skin between his eyes. “Oh, Hanna, I’m so sorry. It wasn’t what it looked like.”
“Uh-huh,” Hanna said tepidly. She was sure he was just making excuses now that Brooke had to go home.