Read Online Beach Blondes: June Dreams, July's Promise, August Magic (Summer) by Katherine Applegate - Free Book Online Page A

Was it that late already?
    “Coming!” she yelled. “That’s my friend—you have to hide,” she told Diver.
    “No problem, I’m outta here.” In a flash he was down the hatchway.
    Summer went to the door. Marquez was wearing skin-tight black shorts and a bright floral bikini top.
    “Hey, girl,” Marquez said, looking around curiously.
    “Hi. I didn’t realize it was so late,” Summer said. “Pretty impressive place, huh? All the mildew you’ll ever need.”
    “It’s very unique,” Marquez said, sounding sincere. “I mean, I’ve seen this place before, of course, but I’ve never been inside. Are those Jet Skis downstairs?”
    “Yes. Too bad I have no idea how to ride them. By the way, you want some fish? I, uh, cooked some.”
    “I noticed, no offense,” Marquez said. “You get to use those Jet Skis?”
    “I can if I want, only, like I said, I don’t know how.”
    “Easy to learn. I’ll teach you.”
    “That would be excellent, someday. I just have to brush my teeth real quick and then we can go,” Summer said.
    “Uh-huh,” Marquez said. “You know, Summer…”
    “What?” Summer answered from the bathroom.
    “Well, I don’t have a car, my brother’s using it, and it’s kind of a long walk over to the Merrick estate; you have to go all the way around, it’s like two miles unless we get lucky and someone I know comes by.”
    “That’s okay, I can use the exercise,” Summer said, trying to talk without dribbling toothpaste. Her mind was leaping back and forth from the impossible notion that she’d let a completely unknown guy practically share her house to the equally impossible concept that she was on her way to party at the Merrick estate.
    “Of course, if we went by water across the bay, it would be much shorter.” Marquez laughed. “Shorter and a lot more exciting.”
    Something about Marquez’s slightly evil laugh grabbed Summer’s attention. “Across the bay? How could we do that?”

    “Of course I know how to ride a Jet Ski,” Marquez said. “I’ve lived here in the Keys all my life.”
    Summer stood beside her on the little platform under the house. It was dark and a bit creepy, with the tar-coated pilings all around and the sense that the house, the entire house, might just decide to fall on their heads at any moment. She looked around, wondering where Diver had gone after running down here. He was nowhere to be seen.
    “You don’t know how to ride them, do you?” Summer asked, not at all convinced.
    “I’ve seen people ride them,” Marquez said. “And I know how to drive a car, right, so how different can it be?”
    “Well, these go on water is one thing.”
    Marquez knelt and pried up the seat on the first Jet Ski. Beneath it was a little waterproof locker. “See, just stick your purse and your dress in here, no problem.”
    Summer pulled the other Jet Ski toward her, a move that involved leaning way out over the water, holding on to a greasy piling and hoping she didn’t fall in. The Jet Ski was tied loosely by two ropes and came easily within reach. Summer put her rolled-up dress and purse in the compartment under the seat. At Marquez’s insistence she had put on a bathing suit.
    “Okay, now we just get on them,” Marquez said.
    “Marquez, are we going to get ourselves killed?”
    “Summer, you need to have more faith. I’ve seen total morons riding these things, and we’re not total morons.”
    “Not total, ” Summer admitted.
    Marquez climbed gingerly onto her Jet Ski. She sat down and gripped the handlebars. “See?”
    “Why am I letting you talk me into this?” Summer muttered.
    “It will be fun. It’ll be cool. You’ll see.”
    Summer climbed on the Jet Ski, which reacted to her weight by wallowing around and spinning slowly away from the platform. Her feet were in the water, but to her amazement the water was perfectly warm, almost hot.
    “Okay, see this loop thing?” Marquez called out. “It’s just hanging there. You put the