Angel Beach (Summer Romance Collection) Read Online Free PDF Page B

figure standing out front.
    “The wave- stealer,” I mumbled.
    “Who?” Mimi asked.
    I shook my head. “Nothing.” I could not stop myself from occasionally peeking up from my task to watch him. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his Levi’s, and he definitely looked cold. His black hair stuck up in every direction making it obvious that he’d already been out in the water this morning.
    Twice I glanced up and our gazes caught, but I pulled mine away quickly. His face had a quality that didn’t mesh with the arrogant, self-indulgent image I’d formed about the Freely family. It was certainly just his extraordinarily handsome face that made it hard to accept that he was a first class jerk.
    “I’m going to let you finish up here, Coco. We’re down to the last five customers, and we’re almost sold out. I’ve got some work to do in the office.”
    “No problem.”
    The line was short enough that Jamison could now stand inside the warmth of the shop. I tried my best to ignore him even though I could feel him watching me while I worked behind the counter. The customer in front of him ordered six rolls, exactly the amount I had left.
    The bustle and noise of the busy morning had faded, and he stood there alone and silent, his hands still shoved in his pockets. His light green eyes had much more thoughtfulness and emotion then I would have credited him with. The tips of his hair, the black stubble on his jaw, and even his gunmetal gray earrings had a thin coating of salt.
    I lifted an eyebrow. “Were you using my waves this morning?”
    He smiled softly. He pulled his hands from his pockets and combed his fingers through his black, spiky hair, dislodging a fine powder of sea salt. “No, I made sure to avoid the waves labeled Echo.”
    “You remembered my name.”
    “It’s hard to forget. It’s pretty unusual.”
    “My mom’s creativity, I’m afraid. She was living in a big warehouse when she had me. She was all alone and couldn’t get to a phone. A passerby heard my cries echoing off the walls and called an ambulance.”
    “She must have been scared, all alone in a big empty building and having a baby.”
    I was speechless for a moment. I’d told many people that story but never had I gotten that kind of response. Some people thought it was a strange story or even amusing, but no one had ever shown sadness or concern for my mom, the young woman who went through the agony of child birth completely alone. Jamison Freely was certainly working hard at shattering my preformed opinion of him.
    He looked at the empty baking pan. “I will be so bummed if you tell me I’m too late for a cinnamon roll. I know it sounds strange, but I swear I could smell them all the way out on the water. My mouth has been watering ever since.”
    I glanced back toward the office where the desk light streamed into the dark hallway then turned back to him. “Actually, it doesn’t sound strange at all, but I’m sorry to tell you that you’re too late. The last customer bought the last of them.”
    His long black lashes lowered, and he looked truly disappointed. I felt sort of bad about it.
    “I forgot one in the pan,” Mimi said as she walked out with a roll on a paper plate. There was no telling where she’d come up with the extra roll, but with Mimi it was always best not to figure out how things happened. It was just easier to accept that they had.
    Mimi poured some glaze on it and handed it to Jamison. “It’s on the house.”
    “Wow,” he smiled at the roll, “you made my day.” He lifted the plate in silent thanks and left the shop.
    Mimi and I watched him walk down the sidewalk and out of sight.
    I looked at her. “That was generous of you.”
    “Who can resist a face like that?” She elbowed me again. “Right?” She headed back to her office.
    “It’s easy to resist a face that comes with the name Freely,” I called to her. Now I just had to convince myself of it.

Chapter 6
    Jamison
    I sat