Summer's Fun (The Boys of Ocean Beach 2)

“Yeah, I’m Pete.”

She offers her hand. I take it. “Nice to meet you, Pete. How long have you known Summer and her family?”

“I’ve known Summer and her mom for about a year. The rest of her family, my whole life.”

“What did you think about them coming here to investigate Donald Gaskins?”

I shrug. “I didn’t think much about it, but it’s cool to see them have so much success. I know they worked hard on the book.”

“Did you have any idea about Julia’s past with Gaskins?”

I shake my head.

Footsteps on the gravel catch my attention and I glance down the path toward the parking lot. Avery’s standing with his hands shoved in his pockets. His cool eyes sweep over me and the bags I’m carrying.

“Are you talking about Donald Gaskins?” he asks Shay with a small, charming smile.

“I am,” she replies.

“I know all about him. And everything about Ms. Barnes’ book. I’ve read it five times.”

Shay looks at me and I say, “This is Avery Miller. He’s local, too.”

“You live here?” he asks.

“No, but my aunt has a trailer here.” He jerks his thumb vaguely behind him.

I hold up the bags. “I really need to get these over to Summer and head on to work myself.”

“Please tell Summer to call me,” she says.

“I will.”

I walk past Avery, who hasn’t moved, and say hello to Ms. Dorothy on the way back to my car. The trailer park is starting to move, which means I’m late. When I get back to my car I glance back at the path and see Shay still speaking with Avery. Maybe she’s found the person willing to talk about Gaskins and will give Summer a break. Whatever is going on, I leave them to it, quickly pulling out of the driveway to check on my friends.

16

Summer

I stay with Whit for twenty-four hours. Justin calls in to the surf school for him. Anita assures me she doesn’t want any of our germs near her or the baby. My mother arrives in two days and then the party. The only good news is that I’ve been able to avoid Shay this whole time. The bad news about that is who is she talking to?

“She and Avery were talking when I left the trailer park,” Pete said when he dropped off my clothes. “Maybe he can take her on a tour.”

“Sounds like he knows everything about my mom’s book and Gaskins’ history. He’s probably not a bad choice.”

Pete kissed my forehead, leaving us with a six-pack of Gatorade, and went to work.

Midway through the morning, Whit wakes from a nap and his skin is on fire. I give him another dose of medicine, grab a cool cloth, and press it against cheeks. “Thanks for staying with me,” he says, eyes barely open.

I rest a hand on his chest. “Not a problem.”

His fingers lift and tug at my hair. “This is why it’s important for me to be more for you, Summer Barnes. You deserve someone successful. Important.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You.” His eyelids flutter. “There are so many things I want to say to you. Tell you. Do to you…”

“What things?” I’ve bent over to hear his soft voice.