Changing Chloe

By Julie Glover

Chloe just wanted a fling and some fun. Is that so much to ask?

 

Chloe Fox had a challenging final semester, but she's determined to savor one last summer with high school friends. With that in mind, she rents a beach house, invites her closest friends, and anticipates a full weekend of wow. Right up until her ride peters out, her best friend invites party crashers, and questions about what's next with her boyfriend (boyfriend?) scamper to the surface.

 

Sidelined as queen of the festivities, this could be the push she needs to face her own fears and figure out her future plans before she can get back to the summer she deserves.

 

Short Story, 7k words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julie Glover
• Release date: Dec 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215225554

Julie Glover

Julie Glover is an award-winning author of young adult and mystery fiction. Her debut Sharing Hunter placed in several contests, including the much-touted RWA® Golden Heart® YA. Her follow-up, Daring Charlotte, also a repeat contest finalist, releases later this year. She has also co-authored four supernatural suspense novels and two short stories in the Muse Island series under her pen name Jules Lynn. Julie lives in Texas with her hottie husband, her loquacious cat, and her large collection of cowgirl boots.

Book preview

Dedication

For Bonnie, Cindy & Dana

whose personalities inspired me to create Chloe Fox

Chapter 1

I SAY BEWARE OF ALL enterprises that require new clothes. — Henry David Thoreau

---

If you’d told me I’d spend my last-hoorah summer as a magician’s assistant performing at children’s birthday parties, I’d have flattened you with a take that back glare. But senior year had turned out to be incredibly unpredictable.

Today’s party had been corralled under the shade of a park pavilion, where the summer heat was almost unbearable. But the birthday girl’s parents were forking out a good bit of money for this gig. Plus, I got to rock a red sequin-and-fringe dress with satin, fingerless gloves.

Wes finished his last rope trick to the oohs and aahs of the miniature-sized party goers. And now my assistant wanted me to try something new. He shrugged one lanky shoulder. I told her to surprise me. Let’s see what she came up with.

It had taken several rounds of practicing before he could say those lines without me rolling my eyes.

I smiled, performance-pretty. I hope you like things hot.

It had taken even more tries for me to say that line with a G-rating. Well, PG.

Wes and I weren’t soul mates, but we were having fun. He opined on intellectual topics and great novels, jumped in with both size-fourteen feet when I suggested something crazy-spontaneous, and kissed like a gangly Greek god. Who knew. He didn’t just like it hot—he was hot.

Reaching into his trunk of magic supplies, I grabbed the fire eater stick and a butane lighter. With one quick flick, I lit the bulb end. The kids’ eyes went wide. I waved the flaming stick around a couple of times for effect, then passed him the torch.

He twisted up his brow, confused-like. What am I supposed to do with this?

As expected, one kid yelled, Eat it!

Soon they were all chanting, Eat it, eat it, eat it...

Wes cocked his head back and lowered the flame into his mouth.

Kids gasped and fisted their hands, amazed their own personal magician was eating fire.

My chest tightened, even though I knew how he did it. He