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temporary—perhaps even temporary insanity—and they would go away

with time. She felt better after that reassurance. The internet rarely lied,

after all.

By the time she got to her meeting, June felt much better. She felt

comfortable and confident, no longer like she was boiling up on the inside.

She only experienced a few twinges when Arabella spoke about her

research towards the new children’s line.

They were going to have to make a decision about that soon, and she

knew that if they went that direction, her marketing department would

market the heck out of whatever they put out there. June was privately

impressed with Arabella’s level of research, her projections, and her

designs. She was thoroughly organized. She was also utterly professional

and had been ever since that slip up on the beach, which was a massive

relief as well. It was easier to avoid temptation if temptation took itself out

of the equation.

June tuned out while the footwear line was being discussed by everyone

around the table. It was easy for her to scribble things on the notepad in

front of her, things that probably even made sense if someone should look

over to read what she was writing, but her mind was on something else.

Arabella.

June didn’t like the hot prickles that crawled up her spine, the way the

hair at the back her neck stood on end, or the fluttering in her chest and the

sour clench in her stomach. If she told a doctor about it, they’d probably

have a humorous explanation, like constipation, but she wasn’t constipated.

She was jealous. Jealous from thinking of Arabella with someone else.

Being happy with another person. Having her own blonde-haired, blue-eyed

babies and looking at them with love and adoration like she’d stared at

Beth’s granddaughter a few days ago.

“Oh. Shit. I mean shoot. Sorry!” Arabella clamped a hand over her

mouth.