A Girl Named Summer by Julie Garwood Read Free Book Online Page B

David meant but knew that he was giving her a compliment. She was glad her name was Summer.
    It wasn’t until they were saying good night on the front porch that she found enough courage to ask him to go to Ann Logan’s party with her. “I had a great time, David. Thank you for inviting me,” she whispered. The noise from the television was blaring through the screen door, and she didn’t want to alert her parents to the fact that they were home.
    “I’ll pick you up at four tomorrow, okay?” he asked just as softly.
    “Fine,” she answered. It was now or never. “A friend of mine—well, she really isn’t a friend, she’s a classmate—and she’s having this swim party next Wednesday night. We’re supposed to bring dates, and I was wondering if you would like to go with me.” The last was blurted out, but she didn’t care. David was smiling and nodding. He really seemed pleased she had asked him.
    “Sure,” he answered. “We can talk about the time and all that tomorrow, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    He put his hands on her shoulders and leanedtoward her. “Summer, is that you?” Her father’s voice surprised her and she jumped. David let go of her shoulders and took a step backward. Both of them began to laugh, and then everything was just fine.
    “Yes, Dad,” she called. “I’ll be right in.”
    She watched David walk down the steps before turning to go into the house.
    “See you tomorrow,” David called over his shoulder.
    “Did you have a good time, sweetheart?” her father asked.
    “Just fine, Daddy,” Summer answered. “Just fine.”

Chapter 5
    R egina was sitting on the porch steps when Summer returned from the park with a waterlogged Michael in tow. “How’d your swimming lesson go, Mike?” Regina asked.
    “I got my face wet,” Michael answered as he threw himself on Regina’s lap. He was happy to see Regina and grinned up at her.
    Summer settled next to the pair on the top step and gave Regina a blow-by-blow description of her date with David.
    “He sounds too good to be true,” Regina sighed. “What about his friends? Any tall ones?”
    “He mentioned a boy named Charlie. I’ll ask all the necessary questions when we play tennis today.”
    “Just don’t be too eager when you tell him about me. And
don’t
say I’ve got a great personality,” Reginawarned. “He’ll think I’m a dog. And be casual about it. If the opportunity doesn’t come up, wait until Ann’s party and then ask him.”
    “Okay, okay,” Summer said. “Regina, I do know how to be tactful.”
    Summer was so excited about David, she felt like jumping up and doing a little jig, just the way Michael did when he was told he was going to get some special treat. “Oh, Regina, David is almost perfect. He does have one little, tiny flaw, though,” Summer began.
    “What?” Regina asked.
    “You’ll think I’m being stupid…”
    “So?”
    “Well, he tells these really terrible jokes. I mean, they aren’t funny at all, but he thinks they are. After he tells the punch line, he laughs so hard his shoulders shake, and I don’t think he even notices that I’m not laughing. Honestly, Regina, he told one bad joke after another all the way home. I think he has a hidden ambition to be a stand-up comic,” Summer concluded.
    “That’s not such a bad flaw,” Regina said. “I thought you were going to tell me something gross. Now, drooling, twitching, belching all the time…those are definite flaws.”
    “Be serious,” Summer demanded.
    “Okay,” Regina replied. “If telling bad jokes is David’s only flaw, then I still say he’s perfect. At least he has a sense of humor.”
    “You’re right. He
is
perfect,” Summer agreed.“Now, let’s get down to business, Regina. How am I going to learn to play tennis before four o’clock?”
    David was prompt. At exactly four o’clock he knocked on the screen door. He was also thoughtful. He produced an entire pack of Juicy Fruit gum and handed it to