Can't Get Over You (Fortune's Island, Book 2) by Shirley Jump Page B

customers. Then, there were other years where business had dried up like grapes left in the sun too long. It had all made her a little reluctant to go into a career that was just as mercurial. Waitressing might not be glamorous, but if she was frugal, it paid the bills.
    Still, a part of Jillian wanted—no, craved—more. She wanted to step off this little world she inhabited and go after something bigger, riskier. She was tired of being cautious, of hiding her dreams under a rock by the sea.
    Maybe it was time she told somebody and made the leap into making her dreams public knowledge. Well, maybe not a leap, more like a baby step. Either way, she needed to do something, rather than sit on the sidelines and wait for a moment that may never come. “If I tell you,” Jillian said, “you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not Mom, not Dad, not even Darcy.”
    Carter grinned. “If you’re about to tell me you’ve suddenly become the next cocaine kingpin on Fortune’s Island, I don’t want to hear it.”
    Jillian laughed. “No, I’m not a cocaine kingpin. Do we even have one of those on this island?”
    “Well, there’s Marty, who’s the pot kingpin. Though I’m pretty sure he smokes everything he grows.”
    That made Jillian laugh some more. “I’m not doing that, either. I’m…” She glanced around, didn’t see anyone she knew, but lowered her voice to a whisper anyway. Her heart thudded in her chest, and her stomach tied in knots. Once she told Carter, she’d be taking a giantstep forward. One she couldn’t undo. Maybe, though, it was about time she did this. “I’m going to college.”
    Carter wrinkled his brows. “And why is that a big secret?”
    “I’m going to music college. And I’m just doing it to have fun. Learn a little.” Okay, so she’d partially chickened out at the last minute and downplayed what she was doing.
    “So you are spending thousands of dollars and countless hours pursuing a degree…for fun?” Carter arched a brow.
    “Well, it’s music. And you know what that industry is like. I mean, look at Zach.” At that, she turned and glanced through the glass doors. Zach and The Outsiders were playing their next song, a peppy cover of an 80s hit.
    “Seems to me somebody might have a dream career that she’s not telling anyone about.” Carter leaned in. “Am I right?”
    “No, it’s just for fun. I mean, I might not even finish. I’m just taking a couple classes, nothing more. Seriously.” She got to her feet. The reality was that most musicians barely made enough money to eat. It was better for her to keep the steady job and forget this pipedream. “I have to get back to work.”
    Carter grabbed her hand before she could walk away. “You’re an incredible singer, Jillian. You should do something with that. And with this degree you’re pretending you’re only getting for ‘fun’.”
    “How do you know I can sing?”
    “I grew up with you, remember? I used to think there was a cow dying in the next room until I realized it was you, trying to be Madonna.”
    She slugged him, hard this time. “Shut up. I hate you.”
    “You love me.” He grinned at her. “Everyone loves me. And everyone is going to love listening to you sing, if you quit being such a weenie about it.”
    “I’m not a weenie. I’m just not…ready.” Okay, so maybe she was just terrified. But either way, the end result was the same.
    She’d made two major changes in her life in the last few months—breaking up with Zach and enrolling in college—but had yet to take this one final step. Singing into her iPhone’s video lens wasn’t the same as performing in front of people, not even close.
    Carter snorted. “You know, we are more alike than you think. I’m scared as hell to go out on my own, you’re scared as hell to perform for anyone other than the cat.”
    “I don’t even have a cat. Singing in front of a pet would be a huge step forward for me.” She grinned, then shook her