Adelaide Upset Read Online Free Page A

buy
me a snack. Stephen had wandered off down the line of vendors
hoping to buy a funnel cake. It was just Francesca, me, and the
dreaded moment, not to be put off any longer. With a sigh of defeat
I pointed in Lucas’ direction.
    Francesca’s mouth dropped open.
    “I know right?”
    He came over shortly
after, delivering a hot and salty twist of German dough. He hadn’t
noticed Francesca, but I knew it wouldn’t be long. Wanting to rip
off the band-aid I said, “Luke, this is Francesca. Francesca,
Lucas.”
    He nodded briefly, his eyes barely sweeping
over her as he pulled off a piece of my pretzel to eat.
    Francesca wasn’t used to
being ignored and took it as some sort of challenge. Pulling her
shoulders back, she effectively hoisted her cleavage up so the
split of her breasts were plainly visible in the silky scoop-neck
sundress. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s good to finally meet
Adelaide’s other friend.”
    “She calls me her boyfriend,” he
answered.
    “And are you?” Francesca challenged.
    Uninterested in semantics,
he shrugged, as if to say: Sure, if she
says so .
    I had been watching,
waiting, but Lucas was aloof as ever. His eyes never dipped down,
nor lingered too long on Francesca. I could have kissed him then,
but Francesca wasn’t done. She was feeling a bit miffed by his
behavior, experiencing, for the first time, an attractive man that
didn’t seem to notice her in turn.
    It was lucky Conner showed
up before she could do something rash. Sidling up beside her, he
settled an arm around her waist and a kiss against her cheek.
“Parking was a nightmare,” he said, though he was smiling and it
didn’t sound like a complaint. He turned his attention outward,
toward me and Lucas, thrusting out a hand. “You must be Adelaide.
Francesca speaks as though you’re the most interesting person on
the island.”
    “Not interesting,” Francesca corrected,
sending me a wink. “I said original.”
    Conner reminded me of Reed
Wallace. Both men were moneyed, and in my experience that meant
they had polished social skills. Rich people knew how to keep up a
conversation, always ready with quick wit or a well-timed joke.
Although Lucas was something of a challenge for Conner, as he was
uninterested in being drawn out or engaged by any topic. Conner’s
appearance was another tip-off, his clothing perfectly fitted,
though a bit preppy in my opinion. His face disconcerted me though,
similar in shape and coloring to Reed’s. The same sharp, intense
lines and marble-smooth complexion, though being pale didn’t work
for men from the waist down. Conner was smart to have worn pants,
because pasty man-leg didn’t look good on anyone.
    Stephen jogged up. I could feel him coming,
his youthful enthusiasm waving like an emotional flag in my
face.
    “Hi, Stephen,” Francesca said with a smile.
“Adelaide didn’t tell me you were coming.”
    Her recognition triggered
his lust, and flushing ever so slightly, he managed to muster up a
reply. He and Conner were both attracted to Francesca, though it
was interesting to feel the difference. Stephen adored her with
young love, not pure per se, but sincere. Conner’s feelings were
less poignant, and not the least bit hopeful, which was typically a
bad sign. Couples that were hopeful and anticipatory were often
looking ahead, planning together, with a shared existence in mind.
Conner, like most of Francesca’s men, had no such feelings. His
were transient and self-centered. Her smiles and affection only
fueled his image, making him feel... I don’t know, manly I guess.
I’d like to condemn him for this, but, unfortunately, I knew it
only to be human nature. Selfless love was something I had yet to
truly encounter.
    “Did you bring a date, Stephen?” I heard
Francesca ask.
    In some ways she was eons
ahead of me in experience, but in others she was completely inept.
“Come on,” I said before Stephen was forced to think of something
to say. “Let’s go see