Turn Over

It was funny actually putting a face to a voice. Mark was genuinely nice and helpful, but I could see why he irritated Mason. He wasn’t sure about much, and he certainly wasn’t confident.

He led me past a reception area and a break room. “When you’re in the Dallas office, I guess this is where you’ll be. Unless Mr. Lachlan has other plans.”

I shook him off. “No, I’ll be right here.” I tried to assure him. I wanted him to think of me like everyone else, although it hadn’t taken everyone long to figure out that wasn’t the case. I felt warm every time I thought of how he called me his girlfriend this morning.

“Jackie and Chelsea, meet Sydney. She’s new to the team. I’m sure you read my memo.” Mark tried to sound authoritative.

I stopped in the doorway. Holy hell. They were stunning. They were like two models pulled from a swimsuit catalog. I had to force myself to pick up the bottom half of my mouth and form words.

“H-h-hi.”

Jackie smiled first. She had pitch-black hair and crystal blue eyes. Her hair was parted in the center in smooth waves. “I saw your memo, Mark.”

“Oh good. That’s good.” I felt bad for the guy. He was completely out of his element with the PR team. “I’m going to run upstairs for a second, Sydney.”

“I’m fine. I can find my way back no problem. Thanks, Mark.”

He headed back to the third floor.

Chelsea spun in her chair. Her hair was layered in blond highlights. She had soft pink lips and wide eyes. “Thank God, you’re here.”

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I found her introduction a little odd. “Excuse me?”

“We’ve been working on this Padre story all morning which makes no sense since you are in the ‘Padre office’.” She used air quotes.

“What story is that?” I walked closer to her computer to see what was on the screen.

I looked over her shoulder. “The natural habitat story. It’s ridiculous.” She exhaled in exasperation.

I scanned the document she was typing. “Where is this habitat?” I asked. I hadn’t heard of anything on the island.

Jackie stood next to me. “See? I knew it would have been easier if you had done this from the beginning. We have no idea where anything is on the island. Neither one of us has ever been to South Padre.”

Chelsea hit print. “Why don’t you read it first and then you can help us with it?” She handed the pages to me.

I couldn’t be reading this right. I looked at both of them. “This is for the sound site where the campground was supposed to go?”

“Yeah. I don’t even know how we’re supposed to make this sound sexy.” Chelsea looked bored.

“But, what happened to the campground?”

Jackie shrugged. “No more campground. It’s all about some bugs now. We have to write about how wonderful it is we’re saving some kind of locust species. Lach Corp is going to fund a habitat and summer courses for a nature camp.”

“No. No. That’s not right,” I argued with them. “The sound site is for the Cove residents. It’s for Shawna and Lindy.” I searched their pretty faces, but they had no clue what I was talking about.

Neither had been to the island. They had never sat at Shawna’s table or listened to Lindy’s munchkin voice.

Shawna and Lindy were supposed to move in less than a week. Lindy was excited about the cats and Shawna was looking forward to real playground. No, these two models had it wrong.

“Can you at least show me on a map the location you’re writing about?”

Jackie opened a second window on her computer. “Here. This is the address we have for the story.”

It was the abandoned junkyard. My stomach clenched in spasms. No. Mason wouldn’t abandon them.

“Ok. And where are the Cove residents supposed to go?”