Page 82 of The Singles Club

C: I told you. :)

I: Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact she’s probably too stubborn to admit it… or that she’s moving to Paris.

C: You know the only reason she decided on Paris in the first place was because of Lucas. She wanted a fresh start.

I: Yeah, but it is a great opportunity.

C: And how often does love come around, especially for someone like Vivian? There’s a reason they met just before she was set to leave. It’s fate.

I: Then maybe we should leave it alone and see how it all plays out.

C: There’s a saying: “Fate may help you win the lottery, but you have to buy a ticket first.” All I’m proposing is we buy the ticket and help it along. In the end, Justin and Vivian make the choice.

I: What has your scheming mind planned out so far?

C: Maybe we can get Justin to convince her that he’s met someone. A threat that she could lose him may kick her butt enough to finally admit it.

I: Justin would never agree to that. He’s not the game-playing type, more straight-forward and honest. You’ll have to come up with something else.

Five minutes later…

C: OMG. I have the perfect idea… and at the same time, it will prove her theory wrong.

I: Skype me. I want to hear every detail.

17

The Plan

Vivian

Every muscle in my body screamed at me for dancing so many hours yesterday. I could barely move and was thankful we had tonight off. I needed the rest. Poor Katerina was at her wit's end with us, so we were determined to get it right and practiced for five hours straight with only two short breaks. The “Night and Day” song now invaded my brain throughout my sleeping and waking moments. Getting it right before I left for Paris was a challenge, and I couldn’t back out of it now.

Crystal walked in, catching me slumped over my desk.

“Hangover?”

“Not the good kind. Exercise hangover.”

“Ah.”

“At least I burned off the mac and cheese I had Saturday night.”

“I don’t know why you worry so much about your weight. You’re fine. Focus on being healthy, not thin.”

I let out a grunt. “Did you come in here to lecture me, or do you have a purpose?”

“Oh, I definitely have a purpose.”

“What is it?”

“What’s going on between you and Justin?”

Not this now.

“Nothing, we’re friends.”

“It looked like a lot more than friendship at the hospital… and I’m not the only one who noticed it.”