Between Us Girls Read Online Free PDF Page A

and no way of getting there.
    â€œJasmyn, dear, where are you from?”
    â€œIllinois. Valley Oaks, Illinois.”
    â€œOh! Then you’re here on vacation?” Liv sounded surprised.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œIs someone traveling with you?”
    As Quinn would say, Uh-oh, red flag . She’d say that California had earned its nickname, the Land of Fruits and Nuts, for good reason, and it wasn’t because of agriculture. Friendly did not mean trustworthy, and Jasmyn should always be on her guard against weirdos.
    If Quinn could see this guy Keagan, she’d tell Jasmyn to hightail it out of there ASAP. He was friendly enough to make the phone call, but come on,Albright, give me a break. Scary. No expression whatsoever. Have you seen him smile? No. I am not even going to mention those two mirrors hiding his eyes. Check out the hair. Hair? What’d he use? A brown marker? That’s one bona fide kook for sure.
    Liv said, “Can we call someone for you?”
    Jasmyn shrugged, not wanting to give personal information, and she wondered why such a nice woman would hang out with the likes of Keagan. It was probably all an act. The two of them were in cahoots.
    Liv went on. “You said you were living out of your suitcase. Are you staying in a motel?”
    Jasmyn’s neck ached from looking up at the strangers. She bent her head and focused on shoving the towel back into the beach bag, trying not to cry again. If she didn’t shove Quinn’s imaginary voice in the bag with the towel, she’d be sitting there all night in the grass because really, she was beyond frazzled.
    She had no choice but to trust these kooks.
    â€œI’m here by myself. I checked out of a motel this morning.” She got to her feet and smoothed out her cover-up dress. “That’s why all my luggage was in the car. I was leaving from the beach to go to…to go to…” Her breath caught. “To Disneyland. I had a reservation at the resort.”
    â€œOh, honey.” Liv reached out and squeezed Jasmyn’s arm. “You’ll get a chance to go there and you will love it. For now, though, we’d better get you settled in. You’ll want to cancel credit cards and reservations. You need food and a place to sleep.”
    She blinked away fresh tears. It was too much to think about. “Any motel is fine. Whatever is close. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”
    â€œNow, now, no worries about money. And no motel room for you. I live right through that gate over there, and we have a room with your name on it. As a matter of fact, we have an entire cottage. Come on. Let’s go home.” She turned on her heel and walked away.
    A cottage with her name on it? Uh-oh. Should Jasmyn follow? Was she being kidnapped?
    Quinn’s voice again.
    But Quinn had not met this woman.
    Liv was tall and large-boned. Probably in her sixties. She wore sandals, khaki capris, and a brightly colored floral print blouse. Her twinkling eyes and quick smile were the stuff of fairy godmother tales. In a deep voiceon the verge of a giggle, she had made the car issue disappear like a puff of smoke and offered to take Jasmyn home.
    Home.
    Could Liv McAlister be Hansel and Gretel’s hag in disguise?
    Keagan moved beside her. “Olivia’s the real deal, Jasmyn Albright.” Without another glance or word, he trailed after the woman.
    Jasmyn watched their retreating backs. What should she do? Spend the night on a park bench or follow the bighearted woman and her mind-reading friend?
    Her heart thumping in her throat, she picked up her beach bag.
    Quinn would have a cow.

    Jasmyn walked toward the wall she had noticed every day she had parked in her spot. It was impossible not to notice it. At least half a block long and probably twelve feet high, it was covered with green vines and gorgeous hot pink papery blossoms.
    In the center of the wall was a wide archway with a gate—more like a