Chapter 1 #2
“Nice to meet you all.” Jordyn gave an awkward wave at the firepit group before hurrying after her hostess.
“Slow down, new girl.”
A voice from behind her made Jordyn pause. Destiny picked her way through the grass in metallic-colored kitten heels.
“You too, Kaitlin.” Destiny called as she reached Jordyn’s side. She pointed to Jordyn’s handbag, her silver-painted fingernail resting on the designer insignia. “What’s this all about?”
Confused, Jordyn wondered if she needed to defend her fake Louis purse. “An impulse buy, I guess. Is it that obvious it’s not real?”
She lifted the leather to examine the pattern stamped on it more carefully as Kaitlin rejoined them, her tray still half full.
“Not the clutch. This.” Destiny withdrew the book club invitation sticking out from the side pouch. She waved it in front of Kaitlin’s nose. “You got her in?”
“Well, not in so many words, but I’m going to.” Kaitlin shrugged and, now that the sun was almost down, pushed her sunglasses up into her highlighted, honey-colored hair. “We’re down a member anyway.”
Destiny sucked in a breath before she swore lightly. “And that’s what you’re going to tell Sophie when you bring Jordyn with you?” She tucked the card back into the open exterior pocket of Jordyn’s bag.
“Obviously not, but it’s true.” Kaitlin tipped her chin as she shifted the tray of drinks onto a patio table near the pool. “And does anyone else think it’s in extremely bad taste of her to host a murder mystery game on the first anniversary of—”
Destiny cleared her throat loudly. “Heads up. She just arrived with Luke and the girls.”
Jordyn tensed. Was she picking up on apprehension from the others? Or was it because of the subject they’d just dropped like a hot potato?
“Who’s here?” she asked softly, even though she was pretty sure she’d followed the gist of the conversation enough to make an educated guess.
She’d been involved with the residents of this neighborhood for all of one day, and she’d already pinpointed the most powerful player on the block.
But then, Jordyn had done her homework before she’d unpacked her moving boxes.
She’d read about Saratoga’s social scene and its new, undisputed queen.
The same woman who ran an elite book club and founded a successful podcast that arbitrated sticky break-ups for entertainment value.
“Sophie Durand,” Kaitlin muttered as she glanced sideways at a laughing blond woman bracketed by two gorgeous teenage girls. A dark-haired man with a backwards ball cap and a broad smile stood behind the group, his hands on the woman’s shoulders. “This month’s book club hostess.”
Charlotte is the older daughter. She’s a carbon copy of her mother. Smart, ambitious, well-rounded. Amelia is the wildcard. Every bit as intelligent as her sister but a little bit of a smart ass. Kind of like you, Jordyn.
Jordyn’s gaze roamed over the young women as she recalled the scouting report on them.
Willowy Charlotte wore a cropped pink sweatshirt with jeans and white tennis shoes, her attention focused on the young family that had stopped to speak to her mother.
She bent toward a sporty leather stroller, covered in horses, to smile at the baby inside.
Amelia, the other daughter, a shorter, curvier blonde dressed in a varsity jacket and denim shorts, gave all her attention to her phone.
They were both lovely young women. But it was their mother who held Jordyn’s attention.
Sophie Durand had the kind of beauty other women only dreamed about.
Flawless skin even though she was old enough to have a daughter finishing high school.
Wavy golden locks that looked as effortless as her crisp white button down worn untucked over a navy-colored skirt.
She had the strong, lean legs of an athlete, and she moved with the confidence and grace of someone accustomed to being the center of attention.
“Now’s your chance to tell her that Jordyn’s coming to the next meeting.” Destiny elbowed Kaitlin as she gave her a sly smile.
Squeals from down by the lake were quickly drowned out by the sound of a boat motor roaring to life.
“That would be great,” Jordyn chimed in, determined not to lose the ground she’d gained today in expanding her network in her new town. Sophie Durand was an important player in the social landscape that Jordyn needed to navigate. “I’m excited to meet everyone.”
“Careful what you wish for,” Kaitlin said, half to herself, before raising her arm to wave over her new guests. Her silver bracelets jangled with the movement. “Here she comes.”
Jordyn watched with interest as the two teen daughters peeled off in different directions. One toward the lake, the other toward the house. The man in the ball cap remained in the driveway in an animated conversation with another guy who’d just arrived on a motorcycle.
So they would have Sophie all to themselves.
“The house looks beautiful, Kaitlin.” The woman’s voice was low and modulated. A good voice for a podcaster. “Thank you for having us.”
Sophie Durand enveloped Kaitlin in a quick embrace before turning to Destiny and greeting her the same way.
“Well it’s not a luau, but I do what I can,” Kaitlin quipped. “I heard your party was amazing.”
Sophie shrugged as if it was of no consequence. “It was all Luke’s idea. He’s so good at event planning.” Then her marine blue eyes landed on Jordyn. “I’m Sophie, by the way.”
“Jordyn Lawson. I’m a huge fan of your show.” She figured a little flattery never hurt the cause. Then, taking a gamble, she withdrew the book club invitation from her purse. “I’m also a huge fan of murder mystery games if you need any help finding a killer.”
For a moment, her eyes locked with Sophie’s. But it only took a moment for the other woman to smile. “Is that so?”
Jordyn’s heart pounded. “Mostly I just really like reading,” she admitted. “I may have twisted Kaitlin’s arm into telling me about your book club.”
“It is the best book club in town, hands down,” Destiny added, making a show of buffing her perfect fingernails on the shoulder of her sweater. “I mean, she wouldn’t want to belong to any other.”
Jordyn could have hugged her for the endorsement, since it sort of felt like she was on trial. Except she wasn’t really of a mind to hug any of the women who belonged to a book club that was—Jordyn was pretty sure—murderous.
Getting into the book club was crucial.
“Right?” Kaitlin reached back to the tray of apple cider mimosas and picked up two, passing one each to Sophie and Jordyn before grabbing two more for herself and Destiny. “It’s not like I go blabbing about our group to just anyone.”
Sophie’s gaze tracked back and forth between her two friends before coming to rest on Jordyn again. Assessing.
“Well I guess that’s settled then.” She lifted her flute in a toast. “Welcome to book club, Jordyn Lawson.”
Relieved, Jordyn clinked glasses with the others, feeling the full import of the day’s victory before she indulged in a single sip. She still needed to be cautious. Watchful. But she couldn’t resist celebrating this moment after she’d been tense and anxious all day.
And not just because she was a certified introvert trying her damnedest to masquerade as a fun and lighthearted extrovert.
No. Jordyn was a knot of nerves because she really was trying to find a killer.