Page 114 of Surfside Sisters

Isabelle lightly slugged Keely’s arm. “Don’t be a wuss. Come on, let’s have a quick stroll. That way we’ll be really hungry for dinner.”

Keely ran behind Isabelle down the hardened sand path to the beach and the water. Today the ocean was a great rumbling indigo creature, flinging its waves up on the shore.

With the instinct gained from years of walking on the beach, Keely and Isabelle started their stroll facing into the wind, so it would be behind them on the return.

“So!” Isabelle said. Reaching out, she took Keely’s hand.

“So?” Something was up, Keely could tell.

“So New Frontiers Press has boughtThe Island. And they want a young adult series.”

Keely slammed to a halt in the sand. “Get out of town! Really? Isabelle, that’s fabulous!”

“I’m going to sign a contract with an agent, and I’m going up to Boston—New Frontiers is in Boston—to meet my editor.” Isabelle’s face lit up like the sun.“My editor!”

“Isabelle, I justknewyou’d get that wonderful book published!” Keely said.

“Keely.” Isabelle was glowing. “We’re both writers, just like we’d hoped.”

“I know! Wait till we tell the writers’ group!”

“I’lltell them, thank you very much!”

“Mrs. Atwater will explode!”

“They don’t even know I’ve been working on a young adult novel.”

“You’re good at keeping secrets.”

“We both are.”

“That’s true.” Keely grinned. “Because I’ve got news, too.”

Isabelle took Keely by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. “You’re not!”

Keely nodded, smiling and tearful at the same time. “I am!”

“Does Sebastian know?”

“I haven’t told him yet. I haven’t told anyone but you.”

“This is wonderful!” Isabelle pulled Keely into a hug.

“I know.” Keely’s skin was covered with goose bumps—from the wind? From pure amazing life. “We aresocreative!”

“In more ways than one!”

“The sand’s blowing into my teeth!”

“Mine, too. Let’s go back.”

They spun around.

“Have you started throwing up yet?”

“Only once. I wake up feeling kind of green.”

“Keep saltines on your bedside table.”

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