Page 25 of Surfside Sisters

“So what about you? Have you met anyone special?”

“Guys are everywhere.” Keely shrugged. “I’m not in the mood for dating, really.”

“Because you’re in love with Sebastian?”

Keely dropped her eyes to her coffee cup. “I never told you I was in love with Sebastian.”

“You never had to. Iamyour best friend.”

“And Sebastian’s sister.”

“What, you think Sebastian and I sit around talking about love andfeelings? I’ve never told him how you feel about him.”

“I’venever toldyouhow I feel about him!” Keely snapped.

“I know. But I’ve got eyes. The way you stare at him says it all.”

“Well, that’s embarrassing.”

“Stop it. I don’t mean everyone understands you. I get it because I’m your best friend. And I wish you would talk to me about it, about Sebastian. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, too, you know.”

Keely’s heart ballooned with hope. “How does he look at me?”

“Not like you look at him. He’s a guy. Plus, he’s older. But his eyes go all soft when he sees you. When he sees you, he smiles.”

Keely met Isabelle’s eyes. “He sent me an email when he first started college. He told me I’m beautiful.”

“Wow.”

“I emailed him back. But his next emails were short, like duty messages.”

“It was his first year in college. A lot of people get overwhelmed during their first year.”

Keely shook her head. “It wasn’t college. It was women. It was Ebba.”

“I know. She’s so gorgeous. Tall, blond, with those kind ofsliversof ice blue eyes. And she’s kind of mysterious.”

Keely held her hand up like a “stop” sign again. “That’s enough.”

“I’m sorry, Keely. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think it will last.”

“Isabelle! It’s lasted two years. He’s going to Sweden for Christmas. He’s bringing Ebba home for Thanksgiving! I think it’s pretty serious.”

“Oh, who cares, it’s onlySebastian.You’re way too cool for Sebastian.”

Keely allowed herself a sardonic grin. “It seems I’m way too cool for anyone.”

“You were smart not to have sex with anyone in high school,” Isabelle said. “Just think, if you hadn’t been so obsessed with your grades, you couldn’t have gotten the scholarship. If you’d been all dreamy about some guy, you might not have even applied to college.”

“I know,” Keely agreed. “You’re right.”

“You’ll fall in love when you’re here,” Isabelle predicted. “Just wait and see.”

—

Keely fell in love, but not with a guy.

During her sophomore year at UMass, Keely took creative writing classes from Uma Fairside, who looked like a pre-Raphaelite heroine with her long, wavy red hair and her floaty, loose dresses. Uma Fairside had had two novels published to fine literary acceptance. She was encouraging to Keely, but she was encouraging to all her students.

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