Read Online Island Girls (and Boys) by Rachel Hawthorne - Free Book Online

the hood. �Busted hose. Easy enough to fix.� He turned and looked up the road in the direction that they�d been going�toward Surf Town. �Zach, you want to head into town and see if you can find an auto shop?�
    ï¿½Sure. Who wants to go with me?� Zach grinned, while we were all exchanging glances. �Come on. Don�t be shy. I can�t handle the motorcycle and hold a hose.�
    ï¿½I guess I�ll go since it�s my car,� Amy said, sounding a little like she was answering a summons to ride into hell.
    After Zach and Amy left on his motorcycle, Chelsea walked off, holding the phone to her ear, trying to get in touch with Noah, I guessed. Dylan took a multipurpose knife out of his pocket. He pulled out a section that could be used as a screwdriver and went to work loosening the clamps that held the busted hose in place. I leaned against the hood, watching.
    ï¿½It sure was our good luck that you came by,� I said.
    A motor home drove past us, headed for the campground.
    ï¿½Someone else would have stopped,� Dylan said.
    Only no one else had. I watched the way his forearm bunched up as he worked. The silence started to get uncomfortable, and I thought I should say something .
    ï¿½So, did you talk with Mr. Plackette?�
    ï¿½Sure did. Zach and I have been cleaning bathrooms at the crack of dawn,� he said, not looking up from his work. He�d loosened one clamp and was reaching down to get to the oneholding the other end of the hose in place.
    ï¿½Oh, sorry, didn�t know he�d have you at it so early,� I said.
    ï¿½Not a problem. He wants it done before people start getting up. Makes sense. Plus it leaves most of the day free for me and Zach to do what we want.�
    He grunted and twisted, which brought him a little closer to me. He�d definitely showered recently. I could smell some type of spicy scent coming off his skin.
    ï¿½And you get to use the showers,� I said inanely.
    He turned his head, our noses almost touching. I didn�t realize until that moment exactly how far I�d leaned over. Why don�t you just fall over him, Jen?
    ï¿½Thanks for hooking us up with this gig.�
    ï¿½No problem,� I hastened to reassure him.
    He pulled the hose out of the car, dropped it to the ground, straightened, leaned his hip against the grille, and crossed his arms over his chest, drawing my attention to his wide shoulders and impressive biceps.
    ï¿½I couldn�t believe all the people at the campground today. Where did they come from?� he asked.
    I held out my hands in surrender. �All over. They are all the fortunate ones who don�t have to work over the holiday.�
    ï¿½You�re not one of those, I take it.�
    ï¿½No way. This is what I live for. Incredible weekends like this.�
    He laughed. �Yeah, I bet.�
    The passing vehicles suddenly seemed to get louder, and I realized it was because one of them�a motorcycle�was pulling off the road and parking beside us. Amy was sitting behind Zach, a sack nestled between them. It turned out that they�d bought not only a hose but a couple of jugs of water.
    It didn�t take Dylan long to attach the new hose and empty the jugs of water into the radiator. We were all set to go, which should have filled me with jubilation. Instead, I was a little sorry that our reason for having the guys around was gone.
    Chelsea walked back to the car and snappedher phone closed. �I finally got in touch with Noah. For some reason his phone wasn�t getting a signal earlier.�
    ï¿½Doesn�t matter,� I said. �Everything worked out.�
    ï¿½So how do we get to your place?� Zach asked.
    I looked at him like he�d spoken in Klingon. �Our place?�
    ï¿½I offered to fix them dinner, to thank them for helping us out,� Amy said.
    ï¿½That�s cool,� I said