Free Wake (Watersong Novels) by Amanda Hocking Page A

girls can’t be friends,” Marcy insisted. “You really need to watch When Harry Met Sally .”
    “Brothers and sisters can be just friends, and Alex is like a brother to me,” Harper explained. “Which is the only reason why this is weird for me. Because a guy that’s like my brother is dating my actual sister.”
    “That’s gross.”
    “Thanks. Can we get back to the game now?” Harper asked.
    “No, this game is boring, and I’m starving.” Marcy had a beanbag in her hand, and she gave it a half-assed toss to the side. “Let’s get some cheese curds.”
    “You’re the one who wanted to play this,” Harper said as she got off the picnic table.
    “I know. But I didn’t realize how boring it was.”
    Marcy walked through the park, pushing people if they were in her way. Harper followed more slowly behind her, glancing back over her shoulder to see if she could catch a glimpse of Gemma and Alex together.
    Originally, Gemma was going to go with Marcy and Harper to the picnic, but this morning Alex had called over to invite her to go with him. That was when Harper had tried to talk to Gemma about him, but Gemma had refused to give her any details.
    Harper was so busy looking for them that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, and she bumped right into someone, knocking an ice-cream cone out of his hand and smashing it all over his shirt.
    “Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Harper said hurriedly, trying to wipe the chocolate ice cream off his T-shirt.
    “You really do hate me, don’t you?” Daniel asked, and Harper realized with dismay that he was the one she’d covered in ice cream. “I mean, destroying someone’s ice-cream cone? That’s vicious.”
    Her cheeks reddened. “I didn’t see you there. Honestly.” She wiped at his shirt more frantically, as if she could prevent it from staining if she rubbed hard enough.
    “Oh, now I see your plan, and it’s far more devious than I thought.” Daniel smirked. “You were looking for an excuse to grope me.”
    “I was not!” Harper instantly stopped touching him and took a step back.
    “Good. Because you need to buy me dinner first.”
    “I was only…” She gestured to his shirt and sighed. “I am sorry.”
    “I’m covered in chocolate. Why don’t you apologize while we go get some napkins?” Daniel suggested.
    Harper went with him over to a concession stand, where he grabbed a stack of napkins. Taking a handful from him, she walked to a drinking fountain, and Daniel followed her.
    “I am sorry,” Harper repeated. She wet her napkins under the fountain as he wiped at his shirt.
    “I didn’t actually mean for you to keep apologizing. I know it was an accident.”
    “I know, but…” She shook her head. “I didn’t even properly thank you for helping out my sister, and then I attacked you with your own ice cream.”
    “That’s true. You are a menace and must be stopped.”
    “I know you’re teasing, but I feel bad.”
    “No, I’m dead serious. I should report you for your abhorrent behavior,” Daniel said with a straight face, telling her the same thing she’d told him the day before.
    “Now you’re making me feel worse.” Harper looked down at her shoes and balled up the wet napkins in her hands.
    “That’s my plan,” Daniel said. “I like to guilt pretty girls into going out with me.”
    “Smooth.” Harper narrowed her eyes at him, unsure if he was kidding or not.
    “That’s what the ladies tell me.” He grinned at her, and his hazel eyes had a gleam to them.
    “I’m sure they do,” she said skeptically.
    “You do owe me an ice cream, you know.”
    “Oh, right, of course.” She dug in her pocket for some money. “How much was that? I can give you the cash for it.”
    “No, no.” He waved his hand, stopping her when she pulled out a few crumpled-up dollar bills. “I don’t want your money. I want you to have an ice cream with me.”
    “I, uh…” Harper fumbled for a reason not to.
    “I