Beyond the Sea by Emily Goodwin Read Free Book Online Page A

wished they’d given me up for adoption.” He shrugged, avoiding Melia’s pitying looks.
    “Anyway, my mom is going through some bull shit religious awakening, and every time she looks at me she is reminded of her ‘premarital sex’ and ‘unchristian choices’. I guess I’m unholy for being born out of wedlock. She’s always telling me I’m gonna go to hell. I used to feel guilty about it, like I really was some huge burden. But it’s not like I asked to be born. And today- today I didn’t go to church because I was hung over. She said she wished she didn’t keep me. I got pissed, and came here.”
    His words hung in the storm-thick air. Why did he just spill his guts to Melia? Even Connor, who had been his friend since the fifth grade, didn’t know he felt that way. What was it about her that made him feel like he could trust her with something so personal? It must be the weird way you get from a near death experience.
    “Peter,” she said softly. “I’m really sorry. I can’t imagine hearing something so awful from my own mother. The worst she said to us was that she would sell us to the seal women if we didn’t behave. Of course, she was joking.” She smiled. “You know you shouldn’t blame yourself, right?”
    Thunder crackled above them. “I know now.” He half smiled. “What’s a seal woman?”
    “Just something she made up, I’m sure,” Melia said quickly.
      A gentle rain began to fall, the soothing sounds of its drops lost in the crash of the waves. The wind blew, covering both with a cool mist. Peter shivered.
    “Do you want to come over?” Melia asked, somewhat nervous he would say no.
    “Sure,” Peter said, hoping he didn’t sound too eager. Melia exited the overhang and gazed at The Ridge.
    “It’s kind of a far walk,” she spoke aloud, realizing for the first time how long it would take to walk there. She always swam.
    “My car’s up there.” Peter pointed to the parking lot. “And I didn’t lose my keys.” He smiled as he fished them from his pocket. Silently, they walked up the path.
    “Do you care if I get your seat wet?” Melia asked before she got in the Mustang.
    He did care, but he wasn’t about to say so. And, after all, he was just as soaked. The engine revved to life. Peter turned down the radio (which had been left blaring) so he could speak.
    “You know, it’s probably not safe for a girl as pretty as you to be out alone at night.”
    “Nothing in the ocean will hurt me,” she replied casually.
    “I’m not talking about what’s in the ocean,” he told her, working to keep his eyes focused on the road. Her white sundress became almost see through when wet, and she wasn’t wearing a bra. It took everything for Peter to keep his eyes off her chest.
    Melia didn’t understand at first until she remembered a time Edward had given her the same warning. In the water she was safe since she was faster and stronger than any human. But on land, she was at a disadvantage.
    “Usually I bring my dog with me. That way I’m safe.” She smiled, feeling that was a satisfactory response. Wolfy started barking as soon as Peter got out of the car. Luckily he remembered that his gym bag was in the back seat. The clothes in there were less than clean, but they were at least dry. As Melia led the way around the back of the house, he noticed she was barefoot. She opened the door and the most gigantic dog he’d ever seen wildly greeted his owner. As soon as the wiry coated dog caught sight of Peter, it lumbered over and jumped, putting his paws on Peter’s shoulders while licking his startled face.
    “Wolfy, down!” Melia instructed, but the huge dog didn’t listen. Peter dropped his bag and put both hands on Wolfy’s head, petting him and laughing.
    “I think you were right about being safe; no one in their right mind would cross this dog.”
    “Yea,” she agreed. “But he’s definitely no guard dog.”
    Peter looked around the house. From the pool area,