A Beat in Time Read Online Free PDF Page A

first period and we had to swim. I mean really? Who gives a teenage girl PE for first period?”
    “Didn’t you fail it?” Amanda laughed.
    “Yes,” I groused. “I was not going to go swimming after spending an hour in front of the mirror.”
    “God, you are such a girl.”
    “Take that back!” I pointed at Amanda with my beer bottle.
    Amanda snickered and took the year book from me. She flipped through the pages and stopped. “God, look at Jensen. He was so young.”
    “Can we not talk about him, please?”
    “Serena…”
    “I just want to put that behind me.”
    “You’ve tried. God, if anything, I can read about him in every book you’ve ever published. You don’t see it, but I do. One of your guys is always Jensen. The shy and quiet type.”
    “Turns out he wasn’t that shy, huh?” I chuckled.
    “Not once he got to know you.” Amanda leaned forward and looked at me. “What you guys had, even at that young, was epic. He loved you and you loved him.”
    “Not enough, apparently.”
    “Come on, Serena! I saw you guys together!”
    “Yeah? And you saw me after he broke my heart!” I shouted. I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands. “I don’t want to talk about it. I just had this conversation with my godmother.”
    “Did she read your cards?”
    “Yes, and before you ask, Jensen came up in them.”
    “Oh my God! Really? So what now?”
    “Now I move to Flagstaff and try to come up with a male/female book for my publishing house. I guess were going with a rock band theme.”
    “You’re going to write a hetero novel?” Amanda burst into laughter.
    “Don’t laugh so hard.” I glared at her.
    “When was the last time you actually had sex?”
    “I don’t fucking know. It’s not like I write it down on the calendar.”
    “Well, be careful with whoever you fuck. I can see it now, he’ll be dressed like Indiana Jones and fighting the bats that fly out of your vagina.”
    “Don’t forget the cobwebs and moths,” I added.
    “Wearing a head lamp.”
    We busted out laughing.
     
    I ended up on the couch with Amanda, watching eighties movies. I was on my sixth Corona and had polished off half of my cheesecake. My mind drifted to the book I was supposed to write. How the hell was I going to pull off a hetero book? I don’t believe in male/female relationships anymore. That was why I was so good at writing two men in love.
    “Serena?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Thanks for coming to see me. I missed you, girl.”
    I turned to look at Amanda with a smile.
    “Missed you too, Bitch.”

Chapter 5
     
    I met with the realtor at one of the properties Ann picked out. It was a split level a few miles from the heart of Flagstaff. It was a cute neighborhood and very quiet. I learned the hard way that if a house comes up for rent, you better be the first one there.
    They go fast.
    I walked through the remodeled kitchen and looked out the back sliding glass door. I had a deck and a fenced in yard. Upstairs was a master room with a bathroom and two more bedrooms. I followed the stairs down to the last bedroom and took a look around. This was going to be my office.
    “I’ve got a few more clients coming to look at the place.”
    I turned to look at the realtor, and smiled. “I’ll fill out the application right now.”
    “Oh, okay. Sure,” he nodded. “We’ll call you when we make a decision, Ms. Devane.”
    “Thank you.” I handed him my business card.
    I went back to my hotel and stood on the balcony, watching the city as the sun set. My phone beeped and I looked at the caller I.D. The realtor was calling. I hit talk.
    “Hello?”
    “Hello, Ms. Devane. Sorry to call you so late. The owner of the house would like for you to be the renter. Can you come to the office tomorrow and fill out the paperwork?”
    “I can. Thank you very much for calling me so quickly.”
    “You’re very welcome. See you tomorrow.”
    I hung up and sighed. This was going to be my home for a year while I tried to write