Read Online The Summer Solstice ~ Enchanted by K.K. Allen - Free Book Online

umbrellas.
    This
would be a fun place to work.
    The hostess gives Charlotte a familiar glance and
smiles. “Booth?” She asks bouncily. The girl looks to be my age. I wonder if
we’ll be going to school together in the fall. Her nametag reads Trisha.
    Charlotte responds with a nod and we are led to a
booth in the back of the restaurant. Still admiring the décor, I barely notice
Alec, Iris, and Ava sitting at one of the tables. Alec’s back is toward me but
Iris catches my eye. I smile and lift my arm in a wave just to be friendly and
am rewarded with a smirk. She looks away and continues her conversation.
    That was odd. Surely she would have said “hi” if
she saw me. She was probably just in the middle of a conversation. I follow
Charlotte to the table while trying to ignore my negative thoughts.
    I glance sideways at Alec, wishing that I wasn’t
the new girl in town. Wishing that I could be at their table, sitting with
them. Well, sitting with Alec.
    Charlotte who excuses herself for the restroom
disturbs me momentarily. I turn back towards Alec and his friends, and wonder
again if Iris is Alec’s girlfriend.
    “You’re new friend is so weird.” I hear the
familiar voice but it sounds like a whisper all around me. I whip my head
around, expecting to see someone speaking to me.
    “Who?” Asks another voice. That sounds like Alec. I
look towards their table again. Impossible. Their table is on the other side of
the loud restaurant. I couldn’t possibly be hearing them.
    The voices continue.
    “That Summer girl you were talking to earlier.
Rose’s granddaughter. How do you even know her?” Her tone is almost accusing.
    “Her name is Kat.” The voice belongs to Alec. “We
ran into each other on the beach.” I watch him shrug his shoulders and reach
for his soda.
    “You think she likes you?”
    “I don’t know, why would I think that?” There’s
laughter in his voice.
    “Alec, you are so funny. The girl obviously has a
crush on you. Just be careful.” Her tone reeks of genuine concern and now I’m
embarrassed.
    Alec is chuckling. “It’s really none of your
concern, Iris. Just leave it alone. She’s just a friend. She’s new. She’s nice.
I’m going to invite her to my Fourth of July party so she can get to know
everyone.”
    That
sounds like fun , my hope to fit
in, sparked.
    Iris’s features are not returning his calm. She
frowns and shakes her head. “Alec I’m serious. You know what I’ve told you
about the Summers – my parents tell me that there’s something strange
about them. And that old woman thinks she rules this town. You shouldn’t be
getting mixed up with her.”
    Alec just laughs again. “Well, Rose does rule this
town, Iris. She’s lived here longer than anyone else and she does a lot for
this place. She’s the reason we’re sitting at this restaurant now. I respect
her.”
    Ava chimes in now, tone equally as disturbing as
Iris’s. “Rose won’t always rule this town, Alec. She’s old. Others more
suitable should run this place – and soon they will.” Ava speaks quietly
but matter-of-factly.
    Iris nods. “And when that happens you won’t want
anything to do with Kat Summer.”
    As grateful as I am to him for his defense of Rose,
the disturbance of this conversation remains. Why would Iris and Ava be so
possessive of this town? And why would Iris’s parents have anything mean to say
about Rose?
    Their words disturb me more than I want them to.
    “Kat.” The next voice is clearer and right in front
of me. I snap out of my trance and look up to see Charlotte sitting in the
booth. She has a worried look on her face. “You okay?”
    I recover quickly and nod my head. “Yeah, I just
thought I heard something. What’s good to eat here?”
    Just then, a scruffy guy, probably in his late
teens, steps up to our table. I assume he wants to take our order but he says
nothing. His brooding eyes and solid hands never leave his notepad. I watch him
curiously. What is