Party Summer by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

blanket!” Jan protested.
    â€œI know,” Eric said, pleased with himself.
    â€œCan’t take you anywhere,” Cari said, frowning.
    He’s cute in those mirror sunglasses and jean cutoffs, she thought. I like his ponytail too. Her thoughts surprised her. She’d never thought of Eric as anything but a friend, but now she suddenly felt attracted to him.

    It must just be the great mood I’m in, she thought. I’m attracted to
everybody
today.
    â€œIt was nice of Simon to give us the day off to have fun,” Jan said.
    â€œHe’s a nice guy,” Eric said. “He’s a cool dude. He’s so distinguished looking. Like an ambassador or something.”
    â€œYes, it was really great of him to let us stay,” Cari said thoughtfully. “But what’s with this Martin character?”
    â€œDid you see his face at breakfast? Like a stewed prune!” Eric said, laughing.
    â€œWhat’s his problem anyway?” Cari asked, sifting her hand through the warm sand. “Did you get the feeling he was trying to scare us last night?”
    All three of them laughed.
    â€œHe wasn’t very subtle,” Cari said.
    â€œHe sure didn’t want to tell us about the ghost,” Jan said, pulling herself up onto one elbow.
    â€œOh, please don’t start up about ghosts again,” Eric pleaded.
    Jan’s dark features tightened in anger. “I’m tired of you making fun of me. You think you know everything, but you don’t,” she said sharply. “You know, this island was probably inhabited in colonial days, like three hundred fifty years ago or something. This area is very old. So many spirits have passed through here. New England is filled with old houses and inns and hotels that are inhabited with ghosts from those times. I don’t think Martin was lying to us or trying to scare us last night. I think he was warning us.”
    â€œSomeone should’ve warned us about
you!”
Eric cracked, grinning.
    Jan sat up angrily. “Listen, Eric—just knock it off, okay?”
    Cari knew that Jan was really upset by Eric’s teasing, but Eric didn’t seem to realize it. He jumped to his feet and stretched his hands out in front of him and began playfully advancing on Jan, wide-eyed, a big grin on his face, howling like a Halloween ghost.
“Ooowoooooo!”
    Jan scowled angrily, got up, and started to walk away from him. “I mean it, Eric—”
    But he started to chase after her, lumbering like Frankenstein’s monster, howling at the top of his lungs. Jan started to run up the dunes toward the hotel with Eric in close pursuit, laughing and howling.
    Eric stopped at the edge of the sand, lowering his hands. But Jan kept going, taking long strides, her face red with anger.
    â€œHey, Jan—” Eric called. “Jan—come back!”
    She ignored his calls and disappeared into the hotel.
    â€œWhat’s with her? I was just teasing,” Eric said, jogging back to Cari.
    Cari shrugged. “I guess she doesn’t have much of a sense of humor about ghosts,” she said.
    â€œMaybe she’s just stressed out about her aunt,” Eric suggested, staring up at the hotel.
    â€œMaybe,” Cari replied.
    â€œHey—how about a swim?”
    They looked down to the water and heard Craig calling to them, his hands cupped around hismouth. “Come on!” he shouted, signaling for them to join him.
    â€œI’m ready,” Eric said, whipping off his sunglasses.
    He helped Cari up. His hands felt warm on her arms. She smiled at him. He didn’t let go of her right away. Their eyes met. “Come on! Let’s check out the water!”
    That evening, under a sky streaked with scarlet, as the sun lowered behind the pine trees and a pale full moon appeared above them, the four friends found themselves back on the beach.
    Eric had apologized to Jan, and she had grudgingly accepted his