Page 3 of Harmless Scandals

“Of what?”

“People. I’m always on the lookout for a new person to bug for images.”

“Uh.”

Jillian rolled her eyes. “There I go again. They would be for my book covers. I'm an author.”

“Oh. No. Sorry, I mostly do landscapes.”

“Pity. Well, you probably have access to a lot of that here.”

“It’s what brought me here five years ago. I wanted to get some material, then I never left.”

“I can understand that. I moved over here to hide from my family.”

“That's a plus too.”

“Just you then?” When Serenity didn’t immediately reply, Jillian shook her head. “God, I sound like I'm pumping you for information. It’s a writer’s habit, but I’m usually more tactful than I have been today. I've just been stuck in here all day with no Wi-Fi. How is a chick supposed to survive without it?”

“I have no idea, especially since I need it to make a living.”

She nodded. “Exactly. But, Conner said I had to come over here since our first demon seed is having a playdate and as you saw, my brain is mush.”

Serenity smiled. “I would have gone crazy without Wi-Fi for a day. But yes, it is just me.”

“Mick and Adam were happy to know there was someone living here and you weren't a renter.”

“That definitely is a problem these days. I’ve heard some horror stories, especially on this side of the island since Obama made it so popular. It took them forever to redo the house, but I'll be happier with someone here.”

“Oh?”

“I’m an independent woman with a huge imagination. Living off the beaten path is great, but it gets a little dark back here sometimes. And you never know when a drunk tourist will wander into the area.”

“True.” She settled in the chair next to Serenity’s. “The guys got the house at a great price. I heard it was because of the divorce.”

“They had to redo the house from top to bottom after the war that was waged over here. More than once the police were called out.”

“By you?”

She shook her head. “They would call the police on each other.”

“Oh, god. That sounds like a nightmare.”

“I avoided them as much as I could. Shame really. Two years ago, if it had been in good shape, they would have gotten top dollar for this place. But the yard and gardens need work and the housing market is leveling out a little bit. They had offers, but since the couple hated each other, they could never agree until they were forced to.”

Jillian nodded. “The realtor said as much. I feel like we’ve met before.”

“Excuse me?”

“Sorry. Dammit. Dying brain cells in a writer's mind is a recipe for disaster. You look familiar.”

“No. I would definitely have remembered you.”

“Oh, that's sweet. But…” she frowned, studying Serenity’s face.

“Do you go to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet?”

“Yes.”

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