My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer Read Online Free

too, it was hard to imagine.
    â€œC’mon—I’ll flash my green light tomorrow when I’m ready to go,” he said, climbing back into his boat. Then he paused. “I’ll look for your red light if there’s trouble, OK?”
    â€œPie trouble, you mean?”
    He grinned. “I’ll row right over.”
    â€œThanks.” I watched his oars turn as he rowed home. Neither of us had ordinary families—how many kids live without a car or phone on an island?—but mine took the prize. I turned from the lake and walked up to the house. Through the kitchen window, I could see Mom and Eva preparing dinner together. Mom was smiling while Eva talked. I closed my eyes and wished it were just the two of us again. Then I could pretend my parents were divorced and that my dad was on the road, selling stuff, and everyone would leave us alone.

Chapter Four
    THE NEXT MORNING, the lake was frenzied, all choppy and wavy. I rested my head on my hands and watched the water crash against the shore, battering it. Just like the angry words crashing around in my head.
    Downstairs, I could hear Eva talking about the wedding, about whether black-eyed Susans would be better than Queen Anne’s lace on every table. Mom was too busy; I could tell. She was saying
uh huh
to everything as if she cared.
    I flicked on my weather radio to drown out Eva’s voice. “Today, northwest wind five to ten knots, waves around one foot,” the announcer said in his gravelly voice. “The Lake Champlain lake level at the King Street ferry dock is ninety-six point six feet. The water temperature is sixty-seven degrees. Chance of afternoon showers.”
    It was comforting to hear the weatherman say what I could see—clouds low, waves crashing. Maybe it was a good day to make plans for the Champlain Valley Fair pie competition. I let my mind fill with memories of pies—ones I’d made and those I’d had from Mrs. Costa’s farm stand. I examined my fingertips, still faintly red from hulling strawberries the day before. Maybe I’d make strawberry-rhubarb tonight. Maybe Luke was right—I could get some ideas from Mrs. Costa.
    I turned away from the water and stared at the ceiling. No way did I want to go visit Tina, not even for pie research. Even with Luke with me, I didn’t want to run into her brother.
    The only person I wanted to see was Luke. I looked out the window, but his signal was yellow. I got up and clambered down out of the loft.
    â€œGood morning, June,” Mom said from the breakfast table. Eva was filling her travel mug with coffee. “Luke dropped by to say he and his father were heading into Burlington all day.”
    So much for doing something with my one friend. I popped a slice of bread in the toaster.
    â€œShelly called,” Mom said.
    â€œMrs. Costa?”
    â€œYes, Mrs. Costa.” Mom looked at me. “She said she needs some sixteen-plait running rigging. I told her you could bike some over today.”
    â€œWon’t that be too heavy?” Eva asked. “I could drive.”
    Mom and I exchanged a look. “It’s just rope,” she explained.
    I took a bite of toast. I didn’t want to go without Luke. “Don’t you need me at the marina?”
    â€œI need you to run this errand to the Costas.” Mom put her arm around my shoulders. “I hope you’re not hiding from your friend, just because grownups disagree sometimes.”
    I didn’t say anything, flushing at the memory of Tina’s silence after Eva’s outburst. Obviously, Mom and Mrs. Costa were talking again, although I couldn’t see how. Mom and Eva had been really mad at her after the softball game. Tina and I hadn’t talked at all.
    Mom handed me my backpack. “Shelly said Tina is going to enter Moonbeam in the fair this year.”
    Last year it was Sam who had entered a calf, his father patting him on the back, guiding