Good Girls Do Read Online Free PDF

skinny-dipping.”
    “That’s a shame.” Angel’s curly brown hair glimmered in the moonlight, as did the amethyst crystal she wore around her neck. “It’s so liberating to be free of these artificial restrictions that confine the natural beauty of the human body.” She plucked at the floaty, tie-dyed Indian cotton dress she wore.
    Julia was afraid Angel would start peeling off her clothing and step into the water. It wouldn’t be the first time.
    She had to get her mother out of here.
    How fitting that her wacky family showed up out of the blue right before Halloween, the holiday that celebrated the weird and other-worldly. Both adjectives applied to her mother and sister.
    She’d ask how they tracked her down to the municipal pond later. Her mother would probably tell her that she’d sensed Julia’s vibes or something New Age-y like that.
    Julia shivered. It had been unseasonably warm all day and evening, but now it was getting downright cold with the edgy wind. “I’ve got to get out of these wet clothes. Why don’t you follow me home?”
    “Works for me.” Luke grinned.
    “Not you. I meant them.” She tilted her head toward her family.
    “I’m Julia’s mother.” Angel moved closer, her clothing flowing around her like a cosmic cloud as she moved. “My chosen name is Angel.”
    “Nice to meet you, ma’am. I’m Luke.”
    Angel laughed. “You’re very polite, Luke.”
    “You’re the first one who’s thought so.”
    Angel shrugged. “I often see what others don’t. You should come over to the house, and I’ll read the runes for you.”
    “Hello?” Skye waved both hands over her head, her multiple silver bangles jangling. Her neon red hair was short and spiky while her how-low-can-you-go jeans revealed the glint of a navel ring in the street light. “What am I, invisible here?”
    Angel made the introductions. “This is my youngest daughter, Skye. And her daughter, Antonia.”
    “Also known as Toni the Biter,” Skye added. “She just turned four, but she’s got quite a grip with those baby teeth of hers.”
    “Be careful, honey.” Julia watched nervously as Toni headed straight for the pond.
    Skye wasn’t the least bit concerned. “Don’t worry. She can swim like a fish.”
    “Swimming isn’t allowed in the municipal pond.” Julia pointed to the sign.
    “Still conforming to rules, huh, sis?”
    “Still trying to break them?” Julia retorted, irritated as always by her sister’s attitude.
    “Oh, I don’t merely try . When I put my mind to something, I get it done.”
    “Does that mean you’ve gotten yourself a job?”
    “No way.” Skye scoffed. “I’m not participating in the corporate repression of the working classes.”
    “Capitalist pigs,” Toni added. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the koi gliding by. “Fishie!”
    She made a beeline for the pond. Julia was too far away to stop her. But Luke wasn’t.
    “Luke, grab her!” Julia yelled.
    “Me? Why me?” He looked panicked, like she’d just ask him to deactivate a bomb.
    “Just grab her.”
    He did, holding her between his two hands as if she were some sort of alien life-form.
    “Here,” he hurriedly handed Toni over to the still water-logged Julia. But not before Toni tried to nip him. He moved fast enough to avoid her teeth. Just barely.
    “Nice kid,” he muttered.
    “She’s just expressing her frustration at not having the linguistic skills to voice her aggravation with the world situation,” Skye said.
    “She cannot go around biting people,” Julia said. “No biting,” she warned Toni with the same kick-butt voice she’d used on Billy earlier.
    It had little effect.
    “ ‘No’ is a negative element we don’t want interfering with Toni’s life energy force,” Skye loftily stated.
    Biting is a negative element I don’t want in my life energy force Julia wanted to say but didn’t. What was the point? Skye wasn’t going to change. Neither was their mom.
    “Here, I’ll take