Toe the Line Read Online Penelope Ward

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, College, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance Tags Authors:
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Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
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While the parents lingered at the table after we noshed, I decided to take a walk and scope out the area. I’d planned on jogging while I was here, so I wanted to decide on a route before tomorrow morning.

I walked for a bit but ended up stopping at a cute boutique clothing store down the road. A bell dinged as I entered.

I was perusing the selection of beachy wear when a girl around my age came up to me.

“Can I help you find something?” she asked.

“Oh no.” I shook my head. “I was just browsing.”

“Are you a tourist?” she asked.

“My family just bought a house here, so I guess I’m not exactly a tourist anymore, although I’ll only be here in the summertime.”

“Where’s your house?”

“On Shady Oak Drive.”

“Nice.” She paused a moment then asked, “Is it you and your parents or…husband?”

“No husband.” I laughed. “I’m only eighteen.”

“I figured you were close to my age. I’m nineteen.”

I nodded. “It’s just my parents and me. We bought the house together with some family friends. Do you know the Remingtons?”

Her eyes widened. “I do, actually. My sister dated Archie one summer.”

“Oh wow. Okay.”

“Yeah. He broke her heart, ended things before he left for college. She sort of hates him now.” She shrugged.

“I’m sorry.” I frowned. “I mean, I don’t know Archie very well. But that really sucks.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t know him, but you’re living with him?”

“He’s not even here yet. Our parents are friends, but the past summers I spent here, he acted like I didn’t exist. So I’ve barely spoken to him.”

“Ah, I see.” She nodded. “Anyway, I’m sorry. I should’ve properly introduced myself. I’m Cici. I live here year-round, and this is my mother’s shop.”

I looked over at a mannequin in a terry-cloth swimsuit coverup. “I’m Noelle. This shop is really nice. I’m just kind of wandering around today.”

“If you’re bored and want to chill, a few of my friends and I get together by the clam shack at the beach most nights. There’s usually live music and a bonfire. It’s pretty much where everyone goes to hang out.”

“That would be awesome. I don’t know anyone here.”

“Well, you do now.” She winked. “Give me your phone. I’ll enter my contact information.”

“Cool.” I handed it to her.

“I’ll check in with you tomorrow,” she said as she gave the phone back to me.

“Sounds good.”

I walked out of there with a new pep in my step. I’d vowed to meet people while I was here, and I’d done it within the first couple of hours. All I needed was one person who knew their way around this place, and it seemed I’d found her.

• • •

The following morning, I started my day with a run at sunrise. I left the house right around 5 AM before anyone else got up. It was as if I had the entire island to myself, and jogging with the beautiful Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop was like a dream.

When I returned to the house, my parents were at the kitchen table with the Remingtons. I joined them for breakfast and listened as they discussed plans to charter a boat later that day. That sounded like a recipe for barfing, with my tendency toward seasickness, so I opted out of that.

Once they’d departed, an anxious feeling loomed over me, as I knew Archie would be here sometime today. I had no idea what time he was arriving and hadn’t wanted to seem interested by asking.

Rather than hang around the house with my nervous energy, I texted my new friend, Cici, to find out what she was up to. She told me she had to work at the shop until two but would be free after that.

At 3 PM, I rode my bike to Cici’s house. The property was just as beautiful as the one we now co-owned. Gorgeous hydrangea bushes surrounded the home, which had a wide staircase leading up to the front porch.

I texted her that I’d arrived, and she met me out front.

“Hey! You found it.” Cici’s long, blond hair blew in the sea breeze as she came out to greet me.

“Yeah.” I stepped off my bike and parked it. “It’s beautiful.”

“I was just making some lemonade to bring out to the pool.” She waved me in. “Come meet my friends.”

Cici led me through the house to the pool out back. Her parents didn’t seem to be home.

She introduced me to two girls who were sunbathing on lounge chairs.

“This is Lara. And that’s Crystal.”

I lifted my hand. “Hey.”

While Crystal offered a simple wave, Lara held her hand up to her forehead to block the sun. “Nice to meet you, Noelle.”

Just then another girl burst through the French doors at the back of the house.

“Hey, have you seen my Michael Kors wedges?” she asked Cici.



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