Jessica's Secret Love Read online

  "That's terrific," Elizabeth said, putting her hand on Sue's arm. "I know you two are going to be so happy together."

  Sue turned to her with a smile. "We already are. Jeremy is everything in the world to me. He's my family, and my future."

  Jessica gazed off down the shoreline. Obviously Sue was too caught up in talking about Jeremy to hear Jessica's questions about her dream man. I can't exactly blame her—she's planning her whole future with the man she loves. But if I don't get a chance to pump her about the man I love, I'll go out of my mind by the end of the day. She pictured him in the rain forest, looking rugged and passionate.

  "Where are you going to register for your wedding?" Lila Fowler asked. "Bibi's is a great place."

  Jessica roused herself from her latest safari daydream. "Lila, Bibi's sells mostly jewelry. Sue has to register somewhere where she can get a few practical things, too. You know—blenders, sheets, towels, china. And what about poor Jeremy?"

  "I don't know," Sue said with a giggle. "Jewelry sounds like a great wedding present. Jeremy will just have to get stuck with all the blenders and stuff. It's every man for himself when it comes to the wedding loot. Besides, as he's paying for the wedding, I'm sure he'll be pleased when I make out like a bandit—like we're getting back what he put into it, you know?"

  Lila and Amy laughed, but Jessica felt a flicker of surprise. She liked jewelry as much as anyone, but when she thought about weddings she thought of togetherness—not "every man for himself" or "making out like a bandit." She glanced over at Elizabeth, who looked positively shocked.

  "Have you thought about the actual wedding at all?" Enid asked.

  "I was thinking about having it at the cathedral downtown," Sue said. "It's nice and big, and could hold a lot of people. I'm not sure how many of my friends will come from New York, but I want to be prepared. We could decorate the inside with tons of white flowers, maybe tied with gold ribbon . . . and lots of green leaves and ferns and stuff."

  "Sounds fab," Lila said approvingly.

  "Wow, it's almost eleven thirty," Elizabeth said, looking at her watch. "Sue, Jess, should we get going to the mall? We can have lunch there."

  "Sounds good," Sue said agreeably, standing up and brushing sand off her bathing suit.

  "I'm ready," Jessica said. "I'll call you later, Li."

  "Yeah, do. I have to give you the next installment of 'The Rich and the In Love.' "

  "What's that? A new soap?" Enid asked.

  Lila laughed and waved one manicured hand. "No—not exactly. But it is the story of my life, juicy details, racy love scenes, and all."

  Jessica kicked a little sand on Lila as she walked by, and laughing, she, Elizabeth, and Sue headed back to the Jeep.

  When Sue skipped a little ahead of the twins in the parking lot, Jessica clutched her sister's arm. "Sue's from New York, and she works as a conservationist," she whispered. "I bet she knows who my guy is!"

  "But Jess," Elizabeth whispered back. "You don't even know his name. And you're not even sure he's from New York—it could be Boston, remember? Anyway, there are quite a few conservation groups now—what are the chances of her knowing him, really?"

  Jessica gave her sister a sour look. "Thanks for raining on my parade," she said shortly.

  "Jess, I don't mean to dash your hopes, but I just want you to be realistic, so you don't get disappointed later. In my book Real Women, Bad Men, it said that a major source of frustration for women is unrealistic expectations, especially in relationships. It said—"

  "All right," Jessica said in as low a voice as she could manage. "You've made your point. Just quit quoting that stupid book at me!"

  By the time they reached the Jeep, where Sue stood waiting, it took all Jessica's strength to force her face into a smile.

  "I love this mall," Sue said, looking around Sweet Valley's main shopping center. "We don't have anything like this in Manhattan. You have to trudge from one store to the other on the subway. I like this system better, where you just get in your car and drive everywhere."

  So much for conserving gas, Elizabeth thought wryly. She liked Sue and was enjoying her visit, but privately she thought Sue seemed a little immature for someone about to get married. But I'm being too critical of her. It's only natural to joke about your wedding presents, and wish for a life-style that you wouldn't really lead, like driving everywhere. "It is pretty," she agreed out loud. "I think Jessica knows every square inch of this place—she spends enough time here," she teased her sister.

  "Hey, is that plant new?" Jessica stopped dead in her tracks and pointed to a potted mum that was part of a decoration around the center fountain.

  Elizabeth giggled. "See what I mean? My sister can even locate every piece of gum stuck to the tables in the food court." The three girls laughed.

  "Speaking of the food court, can we have lunch first? I'm starved," Sue said apologetically.

  "Lunch first it is," Elizabeth promised.

  "How about this burger place?" Sue suggested.

  Elizabeth looked at her. The fast-food place in question had had a lot of publicity lately—some rain-forest conservation groups had protested that the company supported slash-and-burn agriculture in South America to raise their beef cattle.

  Apparently Sue hadn't heard about it.

  "How about the salad bar at the chicken shack?" Elizabeth suggested instead. She was sure Sue wouldn't want to eat at a place other conservationists were boycotting.

  "Oh, sure," Sue agreed. "Whatever."

  After lunch Jessica and Elizabeth introduced Sue to all their favorite boutiques.

  "The best place for clothes is Kiki's," Jessica informed Sue, leading her over to their display window.

  "Those leggings are adorable," Sue said.

  "You and Jeremy can register at Lytton & Brown," Elizabeth said, naming the area's biggest department store.

  "Oh, great. I can't wait for him to get here. I want him to see everything that you've shown me. I'm sure he'll love it as much as I do," Sue said enthusiastically.

  "When is he coming?" Elizabeth asked.

  "Tomorrow. He had to wrap things up in New York, because we're taking so much time off. But he's had a great idea—there's a branch of Project Nature in Los Angeles. That's only about a half hour away, right?"

  "Right," Jessica said.

  "Anyway, he thinks we can work there part time while we're in Sweet Valley. It'll make it easier to take off a couple weeks for our honeymoon."

  "That's a good plan. Now, do you feel like heading over to Bibi's to look at some engagement rings?" Elizabeth suggested. Sue had told her that she and Jeremy had been so busy in New York that they hadn't gotten a chance to pick out a ring. Elizabeth was planning to take note of the ones Sue liked so that she could tell Jeremy about them later.

  "Sounds fine to me." Sue linked arms with both Elizabeth and Jessica, and they headed off to a different wing of the mall.

  She's so easygoing, Elizabeth thought. No matter what she and Jessica suggested, Sue always agreed, always seemed cheerful and enthusiastic. Probably Jeremy cherished that aspect of her personality. Does Todd think of me as easygoing? Elizabeth mused. Maybe an easygoing nature is a key ingredient to a strong relationship. She resolved to look it up in her self-help book when she got home.

  "Anyway, we haven't decided where to go for our honeymoon," Sue was chattering on. Her good mood was infectious, and even Jessica looked as though she was having fun talking with Sue.

  "Paris would be fabulous," Jessica suggested.

  "Oh, can you imagine anything more romantic? There are some fantastic hotels there," Sue exclaimed.

  "Jess," Elizabeth chided gently. "Jeremy and Sue probably want to go somewhere where they can do a little fieldwork as well. A couple as committed to their cause as they are wouldn't want to waste time slogging around Paris when they could be educating people in Costa Rica."

  "Oh, right, right," Sue said, nodding. "I'll have to ask Jeremy about it. He always has the best ideas." A dreamy smile came over her face. "We want to raise our children with the same beliefs," she said. "That we have to take care of mother earth in order for her to take care of us."

  Elizabeth nodded admiringly. "That's beautiful."

  "Speaking of beauty, here's Bibi's," Jessica broke in.

  Bibi's was one of the more exclusive jewelry stores in Sweet Valley, but they also had some other gift-type items. Lila usually picked out her birthday and Christmas presents from there.

  Once inside, the three girls walked from glass case to glass case, examining the gold and silver jewelry. Most pieces were unique, with special designs commissioned by Bibi's and not sold anywhere else.

  Elizabeth looked through the case of earrings and found a pair shaped like little silver cats. Maybe I could hint to Todd about them for my birthday, she thought. Then she saw their price tag. So much for that idea.

  Jessica and Sue were already looking at the engagement and wedding ring sets, and Elizabeth wandered over to join them.

  "Liz, let's each pick out our favorite ring, just for fun," Jessica suggested.

  "OK," Elizabeth agreed. She knew she was still years away from being engaged, but it was fun to look at the rings.

  "It's so hard to decide," Sue murmured, examining the case of rings closely. "Sometimes there's a great stone, but its setting is ugly. Or vice versa."

  "Mm-hmm," Elizabeth said. "Oh, I think I have mine," she said a minute later. Jessica and Sue both came over to look at her choice. It was a large natural pearl, surrounded by tiny diamonds, on a simple gold band.

  "It's pretty," Sue said. "It looks like you."

  "It doesn't look much like an engagement ring, though," Jessica commented.

  "No," Elizabeth said. "But I like it. That's
the one I would pick. How about you guys?"

  "I think I found mine over here." Jessica led them to the next case over. "It's that one," she said, tapping gently on the glass top over her ring. Jessica's ring was an oval sapphire, set in a yellow-gold band. It had two small triangular diamonds, one on each side.

  "Jessica, that's gorgeous," Elizabeth said. "It's beautiful and classy, just like you." She gave her sister a big smile. Jessica was really being very brave, under the circumstances, Elizabeth thought. Normally, if she were hooked on a guy she couldn't have, everyone would be totally sick of hearing her whining and complaining by now. But she had been on her best behavior since Sue had arrived. Maybe she was growing up.

  "It really is nice," Sue said. But then a ring in the counter held her gaze. "Could I try on this one, please?" Sue asked the salesclerk.

  The salesclerk took it out and carefully placed it on the ring finger of Sue's left hand.

  "I like it," Sue breathed.

  "Whoa. It's . . . really something," Jessica said.

  The ring Sue had picked out was a very large, marquise-shaped diamond solitaire. The stone was almost as big as the fingernail on Jessica's pinky. It was set in an ornate platinum band.

  "Wow," Elizabeth said. "Is that the one you like?" Gosh, she thought. Such a showy diamond would look a little out of place in the rain forests of South America.

  Sue nodded decisively. "Yes. This is it. I'll have to bring Jeremy here and show it to him."

  The twins met eyes over Sue's head. Elizabeth looked carefully at the ring so they could recognize it again when she came here with Jeremy.

  Sue gave the ring back to the salesclerk. "Now, don't sell it to anyone else," she joked.

  As the girls headed toward the parking lot, Elizabeth and Jessica let Sue wander ahead a bit so they could talk.

  "Ol' Jeremy must be loaded," Jessica murmured.

  "I hope so," Elizabeth whispered. "Because that ring cost almost as much as the down payment on a house."

  "Maybe they won't need much money in savings, if they're just going to be traveling for a couple of years," Jessica said softly.

  Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know. It was a beautiful ring, and it looks terrific on Sue's hand. But that money could be used for so many other things."

  "It sounds as if she wants a pretty elaborate wedding," Jessica added in a low voice. "I think the perfect wedding would be on the beach at sunset. Maybe barefoot or something. With family and friends, and then a wild party afterward, with a hot band."

  Just then Sue skipped back to them. "You guys were so sweet to bring me here," she said. "I'm having a great time! And I just love that ring we found. You know, they say diamonds are a great investment. I always wished that I could have my mother's engagement ring, but she never really had one. I guess Daddy was too poor when they got married, and then Phil, my stepdad, never got around to giving her one." For a moment, Sue's normally cheerful face clouded over. "But that isn't going to happen to me. When Jeremy gives me my engagement ring, I want it to be nice enough to hand down to my daughter someday." She turned to give the twins a smile. "I just wish it was tomorrow night so Jeremy could be here, too. I don't know how I'm ever going to last until then!"

  "We'll just have to keep you busy," Elizabeth told her, laughing. So that explains the big ring, Elizabeth mused. Poor Sue. It's as if this wedding is going to give her the security she hasn't had in a long time. Not that that's the only reason she's getting married, of course. It couldn't be.

  Chapter 4

  "More cold chicken, Lila?" Robby Goodman asked. They were sitting by the rippling blue water of Secca Lake on Monday afternoon.

  "No, thanks. I'm stuffed." Lila lay back on the cotton blanket Robby had brought, her hands behind her head. "That was a fabulous picnic, Robby," she said dreamily. "It was a brilliant idea. You're so clever—you make everything fun."

  Robby smiled down at her indulgently, his black hair falling into his eyes. "You're fun to plan things for, Lila," he said softly. "You really know how to enjoy life. I respect that."

  Lila returned his smile. "So many people pretend that it's better to do without things all the time," she said, taking Robby's hand in hers. "But in a way, that's more arrogant than always going for what you want. Why turn your nose up at caviar and champagne, as if beer and peanuts were just as good? Don't you agree?"

  Robby stretched out close to Lila on the blanket and gently stroked a white rose against her face. "I totally agree. It's unusual for someone so young to have so much worldly wisdom," he said seriously.

  Lila gave him a glowing smile. She couldn't get over the sheer happiness of the last week. Robby was one in a million, and he had millions too, which was a totally unbeatable combination. No other boy had ever meshed with her so perfectly, ever agreed with her so easily, ever doted on her so obviously. For the first time in her life, she had met a guy who thought she was just fine the way she was, and it felt wonderful. If only they could have met earlier. But with the age difference, and the fact that Robby had moved to Sweet Valley only two years ago, their paths had never crossed. Until now.

  Looking up into his deep-blue eyes, Lila felt a thrill run down her spine. Her lips parted, and he moved nearer to her in response. Gently he kissed her, touching her waist to pull her closer to him.

  They had seen each other almost every day for the last six days, and each time was better than the last. They liked the same movies, the same restaurants, the same music. Robby lived with his father, who was out of town, in a house just as beautiful and big and expensive as hers. When they had driven to Miller's Point in his Lamborghini, she had felt totally comfortable with him—she trusted him completely. His kisses were exciting and tempting and tender all at once. He seemed instinctively to know how far to go and when to stop. He was exactly what she wanted—and needed. Earlier in the year, Lila had almost been date-raped, and since then her love life had taken a sinking plummet. Only recently had she started to date again, but she had never felt so at ease with anyone but Robby. Maybe it was because he was older, she mused. He was twenty, by far the oldest guy she had ever dated.

  "Lila, you're so beautiful," he murmured against her cheek. "So special. You're like a fine jewel—made to be cherished. I can't believe I met you." They kissed deeply again.

  "I feel the same way about you," she said, looking lovingly into his eyes. "I've never met someone who's so much like me. The boys I dated before you came from different backgrounds, and they were always intimidated by my money."

  Robby nodded sympathetically, then kissed her nose. She giggled.

  "Do you really think our both having money is that important?" he asked. He broke into a teasing smile. "What if I were just like I am now, but broke. Would you still care?"

  Lila laughed. "Robby, that's just the point. You're not broke. That's why you understand me so well, why we get along. We move in the same world—we like the same things. Those things happen to be the finer things in life. If you were broke, do you think you would have put together such a fabulous gourmet picnic? Would we be lying on this wonderful, soft blanket? Would we have driven here in a car that makes other people drool?" Her brown eyes shone as she gazed into his.

  Thoughtfully Robby picked up a strand of her long brown hair and played with it, wrapping it around his fingers. "Lila, even if I were broke, I would somehow get those things for you. You deserve all of it, and more."

  Lila's breath caught in her throat as Robby pulled her close and kissed her again. She held him tightly, never wanting to let him go. This is it, she thought giddily. I'm in love.

  How repulsive, Jessica thought late that afternoon as she hung up the phone. She preferred Lila tormented and single. This bubbly, giddy, happy person was completely unnatural. She didn't know how much more of Lila's gloating she could take. "Robby's so wonderful; Robby's so fabulous. Ugh! Give me a break," Jessica muttered to herself.

  A tap on her door made her look up. "Uh-huh?"

  Elizabeth came in. "Jess, I—Oh, my God, what happened in here?" she asked, a horrified expression on her face.