Laguna Cove Read Online Free Page A

conveniently forgotten all the lessons they’d taught her, and the line between parent and child had become extremely blurred.
    Grabbing a banana from a silver wire basket, she headed out the sliding doors and onto the flagstone terrace overlooking the beach. She walked to the railing and leaned against it, peeling the banana skin and squinting into the sun toward the ocean. There were five, maybe six surfers all lined up, floating on their boards, laughing and joking while they waited their turn.
    She finished her banana and left the peel lying on the railing, then walked down the stairs and sat on the very last one so she could get a closer look. The beach was a perfect little cove, with light, clean sand dotted with beachgoers’ umbrellas, two wooden lifeguard stands, and what looked to be a much-used volleyball net at the far end. And even though she was determined not to like it here, the fact was she couldn’t believe this beach was actually hers. Well, not hers exactly—there were plenty of other families in the neighborhood. But still, it was hers in the way that it was right at her fingertips, right at the bottom of her stairs.
    She watched the surfers catching waves, one after another, some gliding gracefully to shore, some wiping out and pounding sand. But as much as she loved the water and loved to swim, she was way more comfortable in a pool than the ocean. It was the smell of chlorine, not salt water, that got her excited. She really hoped her new school would have a diving team.
    Stretching her long legs out in front of her, she wondered if it was weird to be sitting outside in the hot sun in her pajamas. But since her pj’s consisted of a thick white ribbed tank top and royal-blue boxers with white flowers, she decided they didn’t look so out of place. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back, enjoying the way the sun warmed her face.
    “Hey, did you sleep it off?”
    Anne opened her eyes to find that annoying Jake guy standing right in front of her—hair stringy with salt water, lips cracked and chapped, beat-up surfboard held under his arm. Something about his ultra-cool, laid-back way totally got on her nerves. He was sooo California. It’s like he came right out of central casting or something.
    “I don’t know what you’re referring to, but I slept well, thank you,” she said, looking right at him and hating the way she just sounded like the most uptight bitch on the planet.
    But Jake was unfazed. “Awesome. Well, your dad wanted me to check in on you. Do you need anything?” he asked, flipping his wet hair a couple times and spraying Anne with water.
    “Yeah. He just called; he wants you to leave me the keys,” she said, holding his gaze without blinking.
    “Oh, yeah? What keys?” he asked, smiling.
    “The keys to the Mercedes. I have errands to run.” She crossed her legs and pointed her toes toward the sand.
    “Nice try.” He laughed.
    Anne shrugged and looked down at her feet. She knew better than to push it; she’d get her hands on those keys eventually.
    “Hey, nice ride, dude. I saw you catch some air out there.”
    What the heck is he talking about now? Anne thought, looking up to find this incredibly cute guy standing right in front of her, next to Jake.
    “It was okay. It’s a little mushy out there,” he said, looking at Jake and then smiling at her.
    Gorgeous turquoise eyes, straight white teeth, tight abs … . Uh, hello? You have a boyfriend, she thought, scolding herself. Just because she moved three thousand miles away didn’t mean it was over with Justin. Just two days ago they’d promised they’d wait for each other, and now some cute local appears and she starts drooling like one of Pavlov’s dogs.
    “This is Anne,” Jake said, nodding in her direction.
    “Hey, I’m Chris.” The gorgeous guy smiled and extended his hand.
    Anne shook his hand briefly, then quickly pulled away.
    “Do you surf?” asked Chris, still smiling.
    “No,” Anne said,