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Kristal was excited about the idea of a girls’ night out "We’ll go out for dinner together," she said, pullingtable "Let otten used to the fact that she always liked to dressout It was for my own benefit, since she alwaysmakeup I’d never hadatit into a slick ponytail Then she took out herme what she called a "smoky eye" look

Smoky or not, I had to admit when I looked in the ed into one of my new dresses, fastened Griffin’s necklace around hly sexy I even caught Jake eyeing h the front door

Just as ere about to enter the elevator, Kristal stopped abruptly

"Oh, da"

She ran back to the apart a s

"This is Chloe’s," Kristal explained "She left it with ot to return it to her"

We exited the building and, to ht--toward the beach She picked up her mobile phone and dialed a nuht now? Okay, don’t go anywhere because I’side her, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach We reached the beach and stopped once we reached Jacob’s Restaurant Chloe, a short brunette, sat next to her boyfriend, John Kristal walked over and handed her the bag They were sitting at a table outside in the open air, with a clear view onto the beach

We were about to leave when Chloe said, "Hey, why don’t you join us? There’s plenty of roo yet"

Kristal answered before even consulting reat idea," she said

I didn’t argue since it would have been too aard I took a seat next to Kristal, opposite Chloe and John across the table

I tried to convince ht And yes, ere sitting right on the beach But ere near a restaurant, and that was probably the worst kind of place to collect hule with drunk crowds

Still, I failed to relax as we sat for hours on the beachfront, so close to where those girls had been abducted I foundsuspiciously at each person alked by us

"Are you all right, Rose?" Kristal asked, squeezing my knee beneath the table "You’re awfully quiet"

"Yes, I’o back home now if you want We don’t have to stay for dessert"

"Okay," I said, nodding and clutching her hand "Let’s do that"

Kristal called for the bill and insisted on paying for all of us

We all got up to leave together and I breathed a sigh of relief as we bade goodbye to the couple and left the beach