Giving In (The Sandy Cove Series Book 1) Read Online Free

came
down for the weekend with Willow, she drove, and of course, I
didn’t pay attention. My nose was most likely stuck in a book.
Studying for the Praxis was a bitch. So was student teaching, but I
loved it. They were amazing kids, and I’ll miss them, but since it
all went so well, I pray that they will hire me before the end of
the summer. For now, I just want this summer to be relaxing before
I enter into the real world. I want to sleep till noon if I want. I
want to go to the beach, read, drink, and just have fun. I want a
no-worry, stress-free summer. God knows these past few years have
been horrific, for reasons I can’t allow myself to think about
right now.
    This cop is going so fast, someone should pull
him over. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m bringing this jerk
down.
    Dickcop, yep new name for him, pulls up to the
address I gave him. Dickcop is rolling down his window and sticks
his hand out to point to the house. It’s a three-story twin, with a
huge deck on the top floor, spanning the length of the front of the
house and the house attached to it. There are parking spots under
the deck that are now occupied, so I guess my car will be ok if I
park in front of the house. I can still see a few people on the
deck. Red solo cups as far as the eye can see cover tables, and the
only lights that are on are the ones on the street illuminating the
deck. Guess I missed a good party. I get out of the car, and I can
smell the salt in the air, and the distant, sweet scent of cotton
candy from the boardwalk. I inhale as droplets of memories flood my
senses about the last time I was here. They are blurry, but I
didn’t forget. I can feel my cheeks heat up, and all I can do is
shake my head.
    I see a guy in a short, black mohawk peek over
the railing. He doesn’t spot me yet.
    “Who’s down there?” I look up at him as he
notices Dickcop’s car. Dickcop is ignoring him. He’s now backing up
his patrol car, and rip roars it down the street. Nice. Doesn’t
even wait to see if I get inside okay. So much for depending on the
safety of law enforcement. That just solidifies the fact that cops
are pigs. Bacon bits, pork heads, I can’t think of another analogy
right now. My head hurts.
    “Hey, who are you? Is that Cruz?” Mohawk man
yells down to me.
    “Harlow.”
    “Harlow…” He taps his finger to his chin,
squints his eyes, and takes a sip from his cup. “Harlow, oh,
Willow’s friend. You are in big trouble, Missy. She’s been having a
heart attack waiting for you.” Mohawk man smiles. I roll my eyes. I
knew it. Willow is so high strung, and I’m surprised she didn’t
have a search party out looking for me. I pop my trunk and grab my
suitcase. When I close the trunk and look back up towards mohawk
man, he’s gone. Second man tonight who has the manners of a
Neanderthal. Twenty three year old guys are assholes. I spin around
after retrieving my suitcase, and standing there, hand extended out
to me, is mohawk man.
    “Max Vincent. Nice to meet you.” I return the
gesture.
    “Nice to meet you. Harlow Hannum.”
    “You are in the dog house with that crazy friend
of yours. She’s nuts, you know that right?”
    I chuckle because his statement is right on the
nose.
    “Yes, this is true. I’ve known her since the 6th
grade.” I give him a half-smile.
    I know she’s nuts. Now a stranger knows it too.
Way to make a good first impression, Willow.
    “Well, I’ve known her for less than a day, and I
too know this is true. Let me grab that suitcase for you. Anything
else I can bring up?”
    Max seems like a nice guy. Cute, polite, and I
dig the close-cropped mohawk, his ‘Keep Calm and Party On’ t-shirt,
and the black Chuck Taylor’s. “I’m good. Just have to get a box of
stuff from the back seat.”
    “Ok, great. I’ll carry this up for you.”
    Max grabs my suitcase and begins to walk up a
flight of wooden steps that are located beside the house I’m
staying in. It’s dark so I’m not really