Meant To Be by Karen Stivali Read Free Book Online Page B

forget the marshmallows.”
    He ran the spoon along the side of the bowl, scooping up one last mouthful. She was licking chocolate, you idiot, she’s not trying to seduce you. Get a grip. He scolded himself, but the image remained in his head, and it stayed there the rest of the night.
    ****
    It was a cool, crisp summer morning. Justine had told Marienne to come over at ten o’clock, and she was right on time. She knocked, and Daniel opened their door. He smiled and let her in.
    “Coffee?” he asked.
    “No thanks. You working?” She noted the stacks of papers that covered the kitchen table.
    “Yep. First major essays for both of my classes. Not good thinking on my part to have them due at the same time.”
    Justine swept into the room, putting in an earring as she walked. She looked impeccable, as always. Her golden hair was brushed into a low ponytail. She wore dark jeans and a cap-sleeved, tailored shirt that accented her hips. A chunky silver pendant rested right below her collarbone, and the matching earrings dangled from both ears. She looked as though she’d just stepped off the pages of an Ann Taylor catalog.
    Marienne felt disheveled in comparison. She’d left her hair down, so it hung around her face, long pieces of bangs occasionally falling across her eyes. She also wore dark jeans, but she’d paired them with a tie-dyed v-neck t-shirt with a flared hem, and a pair of black Converse Chucks. Justine looked every bit the together career woman while Marienne felt like an awkward teenager.
    “You ready?” Justine grabbed her purse from the shiny black countertop.
    “Mmmmhmmm.” Marienne murmured.
    Justine leaned down and gave Daniel a quick kiss. “See you.”
    “Have fun grading papers,” Marienne said as she followed Justine.
    ****
    Justine wove through the highway traffic. “So, what kinds of stores do they have?”
    “Lots of galleries, local artists, artisan jewelers.”
    “Cool,” Justine said. “I need things for the house and for work.”
    “There are tons of antique shops, too.”
    Justine crinkled her nose. Marienne knew antiques weren’t her taste. “What about restaurants?” Justine asked. “I didn’t eat breakfast. I’m starving.”
    “We can grab something at a café.”
    “Perfect.” Justine glanced at Marienne’s hands as they rested on her lap. “Cool bracelet.”
    “Thanks. I made it.” Marienne rolled the bracelet with her fingers. “I went through a jewelry making kick a few years ago, a friend of mine worked at a bead shop. Whenever I needed something to match at outfit I’d pick out beads and put them together myself.”
    “What a great idea.” Justine sounded impressed.
    Justine found a parking spot on a side street and parallel parked with ease.
    Marienne was awed. “It would have taken me ten tries to squeeze into a space that small and we still would have wound up with the car crooked and a foot from the curb.”
    “I’ve always been good at parking.” Justine grinned.
    They walked straight to the nearest café. The tray of oversized muffins seemed to be calling Marienne’s name. She reached for a blueberry one. “Want to split this?”
    “Sure.” Justine surveyed the rest of the choices and grabbed a large fruit salad. “Let’s get this, too.”
    Marienne nodded and grabbed two forks from the glass jar on the countertop.
    They each ordered a coffee; a small, light and sweet regular coffee for Marienne, a large, fat free latte, no sugar for Justine. They paid, and then took a seat at one of the outside tables.
    “Tell me more about Just in Time,” Marienne said. “Frank told me you have some investors interested.”
    “I have two potential investors, but they have different ideas of how they’d like to see the company expand. I want to be the one to make that decision. It’s my company, and I won’t work with anyone who’s going to forget that.”
    Marienne listened intently. Justine was so vibrant and animated. It was easy to see why