Summer at Forsaken Lake by Michael D. Beil Read Free Book Online

from town—Charlie, the pitcher who struck him outon four pitches. Correction: the really
cute
pitcher who struck him out.
    What is she doing here?
    For a second—maybe two—confusion was the overwhelming emotion racing through his preteen brain. And then the real horror hit him.
    Where is my shirt?
    For Nicholas Mettleson, a little shy, a little short for his age, and a
lot
scrawny, standing shirtless in front of a girl—especially a pretty girl like Charlie Brennan—was a thousand times worse than being struck out by one. Ten thousand times, maybe.
    His shirt, of course, was in the dinghy with Hayley and Hetty, who were still trying to retrieve the second oar.
    “Hey, I know you,” Charlie said, smiling broadly. “You’re the kid I struck out yesterday. What are you doing here?”
    Nicholas looked around in vain for a towel that he could throw over his shoulders at least. “Umm, my, uh, uh, my uncle lives here.”
    Just then, Uncle Nick’s head popped up from underwater. “Hey, Charlie! Meet my nephew, Nicholas. He and his sisters—that’s them out in the dinghy—are spending the summer with me. Nicholas, Charlie here is just about the best pitcher you’ll ever see. Has a curve that can go around corners.”
    Oh God. Here it comes
, thought Nicholas.
    But Charlie threw Nicholas a life ring. “Maybe I canshow you sometime,” she said, winking right at him. “Nick taught me how to throw it.”
    “Uh-huh,” mumbled Nicholas, not at all sure how to proceed with this strange ponytailed creature.
    “Mom sent over a big tray of lasagna for you, Nick,” Charlie said. “It’s in the kitchen. I had it on the back of my bike and almost dropped it.”
    “Well, I’m glad you didn’t—would have been a crime. Nicholas, Charlie’s mom makes the best lasagna in town—maybe the whole state—and she’s not even Italian. Hey, I’ve got an idea, Charlie. Why don’t you stay for dinner? Get to know these three—tell ’em that life out here in the country isn’t so bad. I’ve been trying my best, but they’re more likely to believe it coming from someone their own age.”
    Charlie grinned. “I’ll have to call Mom, but I’m sure she’ll be okay with it.”
    “Tell her to come, too,” Nick said. “If I know her, she made enough for a small army.” He looked out at the twins, who were making slow progress toward the dock. “We’re not quite that many—more of a platoon, I suppose.”
    Charlie’s attention turned to the twins. “Are they okay out there? I mean, they don’t seem to know what they’re doing. Maybe I’d better help them.” She pulled her T-shirt over her head and stepped out of her shorts, revealing a peach-colored bathing suit underneath. With no hesitation, she dived off the dock and aimed for the dinghy. Shestayed underwater for several long seconds, finally surfacing halfway to her objective. When she reached the girls, she held on to the transom and pushed them toward the dock, kicking noisily all the way.
    Once they were safely at the dock, Hayley stuck her tongue out at Nicholas as she ceremoniously dropped his shirt in the lake, and then she and Hetty walked back to the house with their new best friend Charlie, one on each side and peppering her with questions.
    * * *
    Dear Dad
,
    First sail on Goblin today—a BLAST. Wondering why you never talked about sailing. Uncle Nick says you loved it when you were a kid—??
    The twins are homesick, especially Hetty. She called Mom and told her she wanted to go home RIGHT NOW. Mom told her it was either here or Aunt Betty’s house on Long Island. Suddenly she wasn’t homesick anymore
.
    Love,     
Nicholas

CHAPTER FOUR

    A few hours later, Charlie’s mom pulled in the driveway at Nick’s, and Nick sent Nicholas out to help carry in the huge bowls of Caesar salad and green beans and the two loaves of homemade garlic bread that Charlie and her mom had made to complete the Italian feast that was taking shape.
    “Um, can I