Sun-Kissed Christmas (Summer) by Katherine Applegate

sat up. “I don’t think it’s fair to Vera,” he said tensely. “If she had something she didn’t want to share with Harris, it’s not your business to unearth it. God, that was over five decades ago! Can’t you just let it rest?”
    “Yesterday you weren’t this upset about the idea.”
    “Yesterday I didn’t know that Vera had a secret she didn’t want revealed.”
    “I see.”
    “Besides, I thought about it last night some more,after the boat parade.” Austin shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep.”
    “Me either,” Summer said, a little hopefully.
    “Man, it’s been hot. I always have a hard time sleeping when it’s this muggy.”
    “Oh.” She looked down at her hands, willing away the look of disappointment from her features.
    “Why couldn’t you sleep?” he asked.
    “Um, I … I ate some Beefaroni before I went to bed,” Summer lied. “Big mistake.”
    “Beefaroni at any time of the day or night is a mistake.”
    Summer got off the bed. She felt suddenly weary. “So you’re saying no to the whole reunion plan?”
    “I’m saying I think it’s a lousy idea,” Austin said flatly. “I’m saying sometimes people have good reasons for keeping things private. Maybe Vera was trying to protect Harris.”
    “Maybe. But they’re in their seventies, Austin. I mean, get real. It’s not like the patter of little feet is in their future.” She shook her head. “I don’t get why you’re being such a jerk about this.”
    “Well, I don’t get why you’re pushing the whole idea so hard. He’s my relative. Write your little paper and get on with your life.”
    “Fine,” Summer said, holding up her hands. “Whatever. Sorry to bother you. I’ll see myself out.”
    She stalked out of the room, slamming the door even harder than Esme had.
    Esme was on the couch, mesmerized by a couple making out on the TV. “Leaving?” she asked.
    “Oh, yeah. Definitely leaving.”
    Summer flung open the screen door and tromped across the lawn. To think she’d planned to come here and deliver her Big Speech! Little had she known Austin was going to behave like such a jerk.
    She was almost to the corner when she heard someone running behind her. She stopped and spun around, just in time for Austin to crash right into her at a full sprint.
    Austin tackled her. They went rolling onto a nicely manicured lawn.
    When they landed, Summer blinked. They were lying together, a tangle of limbs on a cushion of grass.
    “You okay?” Austin panted.
    “Yeah. You?”
    A carload of teenage boys drove by. “Go for it, dude!” one of them yelled.
    “I’m fine,” Austin said. “Although I’m feeling pretty depressed.”
    Summer yanked a piece of grass out of her hair. “Why?”
    “Well, it’s always kind of depressing to realize what a complete jerk you’re capable of being.” Hegave a lopsided grin. “I don’t know what I was thinking. Or maybe I do … I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”
    “Austin?”
    “Hmm?”
    “You’re not making any sense.”
    “Yeah. I know.”
    “Austin?”
    “Yeah?”
    “You’re crushing my ribs.”
    “Okay, then,” Austin said. “I should stop crushing you, shouldn’t I? Only I was …”
    “You were what?”
    His eyes held hers. His lips were so close. His chest was pressed so hard against hers that Summer was finding it hard to breathe. She couldn’t tell whether it was because she’d punctured a lung or because she felt exhilarated at being close to him again.
    Austin tipped his face toward her, and suddenly their lips were touching. He was kissing her the way he had that very first time, and it didn’t really matter whether she could breathe or not.
    “What are you kids doing on my lawn?”
    The shrieking voice forced its way into Summer’s consciousness. She blinked twice before she could focus on a large, angry-looking woman wielding a broom from the porch above them.
    Austin pulled away from Summer, looking confused.He jumped up, helped her to her feet,