Party Summer Read Online Free PDF Page A

bus?” Cari asked.
    Jan laughed. “Why don’t we just hail a taxi, Eric?”
    â€œWhy is everybody picking on
me?”
Eric asked in a little-boy voice.
    â€œIt’s probably not a long walk,” Cari said, picking up her bag. “Your aunt said the island is very tiny.”
    â€œBut she didn’t say it was all uphill!” Jan exclaimed, groaning as she hoisted up her two bags.
    Eric swung his canvas bag over his shoulder. He tried to adjust it, but the strap had become caught in his ponytail.
    He tries so hard to be cool, Cari thought. But it doesn’t always work for him. But he is kind of cute anyway.
    He grinned at her, as if reading her thoughts.
    The four of them walked off the dock, onto the road, and into the shadows of the trees.
    â€œParty summer!” Eric muttered under his breath.
    â€œStop complaining,” Jan said. “We’re here, aren’t we? We’re not hanging around in Shadyside, wondering what to do tonight, hanging out at Cari’s house, wondering which movie we’ve seen forty times to rent again.”
    â€œYeah, Jan’s right,” Cari quickly agreed, picking up the pace as they followed the road up. “We’re here. We’re not in Shadyside. And there are no parents around, no one to tell us what to do and—”
    â€œI hope Aunt Rose is okay,” Jan interrupted.
    â€œYou can call as soon as we get to the hotel,” Cari said.
    A stone gatehouse loomed into view. Behind it, a tall wrought-iron fence enclosed the hotel grounds. They walked up to the gatehouse, which was deserted, and read the green and white sign on the fence: HOWLING WOLF INN. PRIVATE PROPERTY.
    â€œIf the gate is locked, we’re in trouble,” Craig said.
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous,” Jan said. “The gate won’t be locked.” Her words were positive, but her voice revealed her nervousness.
    â€œOnly one way to find out,” Eric said. He gave the gate a push.
    It didn’t budge.
    â€œTurn that handle there,” Craig said, pointing.
    â€œRight,” Eric said. “The handle. Why didn’t I think of that?”
    He turned the handle and pushed.
    The gate still didn’t budge.
    â€œIt must be locked,” Jan said. “I knew it!” She tossed down her bags and sighed dramatically.
    â€œTake it easy. There’s a phone in the gatehouse,” Cari said, peering inside. “Look. We can use it to call up to the hotel.”
    â€œGreat!” Jan cried, obviously relieved.
    â€œIt’s getting dark so early,” Craig said, raising his eyes to the sky.
    â€œIt’s just the trees,” Cari said. “They’re blocking the sun.”
    She opened the narrow glass door, stepped into the gatehouse, and picked up the phone.

    â€œHey—there’s no dial!” she exclaimed.
    Eric poked his head in. “It must be some kind of intercom phone,” he said. “It’s probably connected to the hotel.”
    â€œBut there’s no dial tone or anything,” Cari said, the receiver at her ear. “Guess it’s not on.” She replaced the receiver and stepped out of the tiny gatehouse.
    â€œSo we’re locked out,” Eric said, sighing unhappily.
    â€œWell, so what?” Cari said, a devilish look on her face. She’d had a sudden inspiration. “We’ll spend the night on the beach!”
    â€œGreat! A beach party! It’ll be beautiful!” Jan quickly agreed, brightening a little.
    â€œWhat’ll we eat?” Eric asked glumly.
    â€œThe gate’s open,” Craig said.
    â€œHuh?” Cari wasn’t sure she heard right.
    â€œThe gate’s open,” Craig repeated, a broad grin on his handsome face. “There was a latch down there,” he explained, pointing. “It just had to be flipped.”
    He pulled open the gate.
    â€œLet’s go!” Jan cried happily, picking up her