Read Angel Beach (Summer Romance Collection) for Free Online

down on the patio lounge where I’d slept all night. Julie had stayed in my room and in her obvious state of heartbreak had invited Brandon to join her . . . in my bed. I had been tempted to burst in there and drag them out of my room, but Julie would probably have convinced herself that I had done it out of jealousy. With everybody passed out drunk inside, the patio had looked more inviting.
    I was so absorbed in the cinnamon roll, I hadn’t noticed that Matt was buried beneath a beach towel, crashed out on the lounge next to me, until he groaned.
    He yanked the towel off his face and sat up groggily. “What the heck smells so good?” His eyes were bloodshot.
    I proudly held up the half of the roll I had left. He lunged for it, but I held it out of his reach and he fell off the lounge with another groan.
    I took another bite. It was like biting into heaven. “Sure hope that rum and coke was worth all this suffering, Matt.”
    He pulled himself back up on the lounge and rubbed his head. “Not really.” He waved his hand lazily toward the ocean. “And I missed the morning swell.”
    I glanced back at the house. It was still completely quiet. “How come you’re out here?”
    “I couldn’t stand to smell my own puke anymore.” He stared over at my plate. “Shit, that thing smells good. It reminds me of those cookies Mom used to bake at Christmas.”
    It was rare for my little brother to get nostalgic about Mom. He was only five when she left, but there was definitely some sadness in his expression.
    I ripped off a piece of the roll. “Here, have some. I can’t stand to look at that stray puppy face anymore.”
    He stuffed the piece in and sat back against the lounge. “Man, that tastes as good as it smells.”
    “Well, you have to get in line early in the morning to get one, so maybe you should lay off the rum today. Then you can get up with me tomorrow to surf and wait in line.”
    The glass door slid open. Reeve stood in the doorway scrubbing his hair with his fingers. “What smells so good out here?”
    I held up the plate. There was only a sliver left, and I had no intention of sharing it with Reeve.
    “Is that one of the witch’s cinnamon rolls?”
    I lowered the plate wondering why I’d responded in the first place.
    “Reminds me of something . . .” Reeve said.
    Matt sat up and looked over the back of the lounge. “Those cookies Mom used to make at Christmas?”
    “Reeve, shut the door. It’s cold in here,” a female voice called from within.
    He slid the door shut and stepped outside. “No, it reminds me of that oatmeal we used to eat when there wasn’t any other food in the house. Mom used to pour cinnamon sugar on it and let us eat in front of the television.”
    “Oh yeah,” I said, “the ‘cupboard is bare’ oatmeal. I used to love that oatmeal,” I said. I finished the last bite of roll and stared at the icing covered plate.
    Matt looked over at it. “If you’re not going to lick that thing, Dude, send it my way.”
    I handed it to him. Slowly, the fragrance disappeared with the breeze, and our sudden trip down memory lane seemed to go with it.
    “Shit, it’s too early to be up.” Reeve turned to go back inside.
    Several hours later, the waves glossed with sunlight and a decent offshore breeze coaxed even the most hung-over out to the sand. Except for taking her time to shoot an icy glare my way, Julie had decided to turn her full attention to Brandon. Reeve and Kiley were the last to trudge out of the house and throw their towels down on the beach. They were talking and sweet on each other for the moment, but with them that could change in an instant.
    “No board?” I asked Reeve. “Come on, it’s hot enough outside to skip the wetsuits.”
    “Nah,” Reeve grabbed Kiley and kissed her, “had a long night and I need my rest.” Kiley punched him on the arm as if she was embarrassed. It was a great act.
    Matt was already in the water, and since the people on the beach