Page 7 of A Secret Chance

Chapter 3

LAUREN HAD SIX OF THEcandles in the unicorn cake lit when Charlotte burst into the kitchen. “She’s gone,” she announced.

“Good,” Lauren said without looking up. “Thanks for putting candles in the unicorn’s eyes, now it looks like some kind of devil unicorn.”

Charlotte took the lighter from her sister’s hand and blew out the candles.

“What are you doing?” Lauren tried to snatch the lighter back.

“The kids are all out at the half-pipe. The cake is going to have to wait.” Charlotte pulled out one of the offending eye-piercing candles and tried to smooth over the frosting. “Hmmm.” She put one hand on her hip. “I think that’s worse.”

“You think?” Lauren asked. The unicorn now looked like someone had completely gauged its eyes out. She jabbed the candle back into the eye. “I guess we’ll have to wait until after the contest to do the cake.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “Now we can relax for a minute.”

Charlotte looked at her watch, “I’d love to join you, but if I don’t get out of here, I’m going to be late for a meeting.”

“What meeting?” Lauren asked.

“Those investors I was telling you about,” she said and pulled on her coat.

“Which investors?” Lauren prodded. She knew exactly which investors her sister was talking about. The very investors she had begged her specifically NOT to meet with.

“Um. Just some...” Charlotte zipped up her jacket and pulled on her leather gloves. She held her hands up stickup style. “Don’t kill me.” She stepped back from her sister. “It’s just a meeting. I’m not agreeing to anything.”

“Charlotte,” Lauren shouted. “I thought we discussed this.”

Charlotte wasn’t meeting her eyes. “We did discuss it, but I don’t think that we ever really agreed on anything.”

“Ugh,” Lauren groaned loudly. “I can’t believe you.” She flopped down onto one of the chairs at the long communal style eating table. “The very people I’m trying to stop, are meeting with my own flesh and blood.”

“We’ll talk later, Lauren.” Charlotte was at the door. “I won’t agree to anything. It’s just an exploratory meeting. It might even be a conflict of interest for me to help them.” She paused with her hand on the door rail, as if the thought had just crossed her mind.

“I’ve been working for months to kill this project. You know more about it than you should.”

“Don’t get your panties in a knot. I won’t say anything I’m not supposed to.”

“Just go.” Lauren waved Charlotte away with the back of her hand, “We’ll talk about this later.”

“Toodleloo,” Charlotte grinned and gave a fluttery fingered wave as she hurried out the door.