The Shore Read Online Free PDF Page B

who shook their heads.
    A husky, broad-shouldered, football player type with a diamond stud in his ear came into the kitchen and looked in the fridge “Got any ice?”
    “Who are you?” Polly asked.
    “Martin, who are you?”
    “I’m Polly and I live here, do you?”
    “In this dump? No way.”
    “Can I ask what you’re doing here?” Polly said.
    Martin gave her a strange look, then gestured at the crowd. “What’s it look like?”
    Just then two guys came in the front door carrying a half keg of beer.
    “Hey, where’s the keg go?” one yelled.
    “Ask Owen.” The guy named Martin pointed at polo shirt guy.
    “This is ridiculous!” Polly declared. Avery watched with surprise as she marched up to the guy named Owen. “Are these your friends?”
    “Who wants to know?” Owen asked with an amused look.
    “I do.”
    “And you are?”
    “Polly, and I live here.”
    “Hey, roomie!” Owen grinned and raised his hand for a high five. “I’m Owen, and guess what? I live here too!”
    Polly didn’t high-five his hand. “So these are your friends?”
    Owen squinted at the crowd. “Well, let’s see. Some of them are . . . I think. Some of them I never saw before in my life.”
    “Don’t you think it’s a bit . . . rude . . . to bring them all here without asking?”
    Way to go, Polly, Avery thought, impressed.
    “Rude?” Owen scowled at her. “Who are you, my mother? Whoa, loosen up, honey, you need a drink.”
    “But I don’t—” Polly’s protest was cut short by loud catcalls. All around the room the festivities momentarily paused while heads turned toward the front door. Sabrina Morganthal had just entered the house.

Two
    It was morning. Lying in bed, Sabrina realized that she had a headache at the same moment that she realized the sun must be up. She opened her left eye a slit and confirmed that the sun was indeed shining on her. The brightness seemed to make her head throb more. She tried to remember the events of the previous night. All that came back to her, though, was being in her new summer rental house and a party going full blast. Hadn’t there been some cute guy . . . ?
    She opened her eyes wider and momentarily stiffened as she realized she didn’t recognize the room. But then she relaxed. Oh, of course, she was in the new house. She wasn’t used to the room yet. She winced, the thoughts buzzing inside her brain only making her head pound more loudly.
    Her mouth tasted like a gutter, and her stomach felt rocky. Hangovers suck, she thought.
    An unexpected groan startled her. Sabrina turned her head to find a short mop of unruly brown hair. A guy? In my bed?Horrified, Sabrina instantly inched all the way to the edge of the mattress. What is he doing in my—? No, wait! She looked around. This wasn’t her new room! This room was much smaller than hers and had a yellow comforter instead of the dark blue one she’d brought from home. She slid out of bed, only to realize that she was naked. She yanked the yellow comforter off the bed and wrapped it around herself.
    The guy slept through it all, his face partly covered by the pillow, and shoulders bare, but the rest of him tangled in a sheet. Thank God! Who in the world? What did I do? Think, she wracked her brain. Think. But her head throbbed, and thinking hurt.
    She couldn’t remember. Oh, this was awful. Completely humiliating. She had to find her clothes and get out of there! But first she had to know who he was. Gingerly, she leaned forward and carefully lifted the pillow off his face. She saw dark, tousled hair, and a strong jaw covered with a little stubble.
    Owen? Oh, no! Not Owen! She remembered a little more of the previous night now. No! I didn’t! I couldn’t have! Not with him! Not with one of my roommates!
    Just then Owen rolled over lazily and yawned. He opened his eyes slightly and caught sight of her as she was wrapping the blanket around herself more tightly. He grinned. “Hey, wuzzup? What a night, huh?”
    What