Read Online Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz - Free Book Online

sandals.
    Originally the plan was that she and Wes would come and we’d make it a foursome, but unfortunately, that plan got snagged when Kimmie was grounded for making her eight-year-old brother, Nate, do all her household chores for a week. As punishment, Kimmie’s parents have declared her Nate’s own personal slave for a period of seventy-two hours. Kimmie has spent the last twenty-four of those hours dodging water balloons, making grilled-cheese-and-gummy-worm sandwiches, playing hide-and-seek, and organizing her brother’s Matchbox car collection according to type, color, size, and year.
    You’d think all that torture would suffice. But not quite. Nate refuses to let Kimmie have the afternoon off.
    “He says either he comes along, or I can’t go.”
    “Are you kidding?” I ask, pulling the leggings on.
    “Not kidding. I tried to talk him out of it, but that just made him want to come more. I’m lucky he even gave me this hour off for good behavior. You look hot, by the way.”
    “Thanks,” I say, running my fingers through my kinky hair, and seriously wondering if I’m going to be sick.
    “Don’t worry,” Kimmie assures me. “You won’t even know we’re there.”
    “Right,” I say, fairly confident that that won’t be the case.
    But we go anyway—Kimmie and me in the front seat of her parents’ minivan and Nate in the back, armed with his basketball, baseball, and hockey equipment. We pull into the parking lot, my eyes scanning the area, looking for Ben by the pavilion, at the fountain, or on one of the park benches.
    I finally spot him sitting on a blanket in the distance, a basket and cooler set up in front of him.
    “Who knew Ben the Butcher was such a romantic?” Kimmie whips a pair of binoculars out of her purse for a better view.
    I take a deep breath, trying to calm my jangled nerves. Meanwhile, Kimmie adjusts the zoom lens on her binoculars, zeroing in on a guy jogging in the distance.
    “Hey, that totally looks like your boss. Does Spencer run?”
    “Okay, can we just focus on me for a moment?”
    “Relax. I’ll only be a slasher-movie scream away,” she teases.
    “At the baseball diamond,” Nate specifies. He pulls on his catcher’s mask.
    Kimmie gives me a quick hug for luck, and then I climb out of the van and make my way toward Ben. But, before I can even get halfway there, a soccer ball comes flying in my direction.
    “Heads up!” I hear somebody yell.
    I stop the ball using the heel of my sandal, and then look up in search of the owner. It’s John Kenneally. He comes running to retrieve it.
    “Thanks,” he says, catching my throw. “Ever think about trying out for goalie?”
    I smile and glance over his shoulder, where it appears his soccer team is having a scrimmage.
    “Seems we’ve been bumping into each other a lot lately,” he says.
    I nod and scan the park for Kimmie, surprised she didn’t spot John right away, especially with her binoculars. “Do you guys always practice here on Saturdays?”
    He nods. “Usually from one to three, just after lunch.”
    “Great,” I say, filing the information away so I can share it with Kimmie later.
    “Really?”
    I nod again, trying not to act too enthusiastic, even though I’ve probably already overdone it.
    While John heads back to his teammates, I head in Ben’s direction. It appears as though he’s already spotted me.
    “Hey!” he shouts, waving me over.
    He couldn’t look more amazing—hair messed up to perfection; torn jeans; and a crewneck sweater that clings just enough to his chest.
    We sit, and he pops the cork off a bottle of faux champagne. “I’m really glad you came.”
    “Did you think I wouldn’t?”
    He shrugs and pours me a glass.
    “Thanks,” I say, taking a sip.
    Ben unloads the basket. He’s got a whole spread prepared for us, including a loaf of honey bread, thick wedges of sharp cheddar cheese, and an antipasto with olives, marinated peppers, and eggplant.
    “This looks