6 Beach Blanket Barbie Read Free Page A

Ellie’s Beach Hut only recently opened, featuring a small but cozy interior with a soup-and-sandwich counter, a small wood-burning stove, and limited tables, as well as a large outdoor deck with an industrial-size BBQ and plenty of lakefront seating. From my table next to the railing that lined the pier, I had a bird’s-eye view of Barbie as she soaked up some afternoon rays.
    Barbie is n’t just a beautiful woman, she’s a stunningly beautiful woman. A small and extremely fit body, perfect skin, long blond hair, and huge blue eyes combine to create a vision that men everywhere—and some women, as well—can’t help but stare at. Barbie knows her effect on men and uses it to her advantage by flirting with anyone and everyone she wants or needs something from. It wasn’t just Levi who was going to flip out when the news of Barbie’s return hit the Ashton Falls gossip network; most of the women in town were going to be less than happy as well.
    “Ham and cheese sub okay?” Ellie asked as she placed a plate with the sandwich accompanied by her famous potato salad and a diet soda on the table in front of me, along with a plate with leftovers, which she put on the ground for Charlie.
    “Ham is fine,” I answered as Charlie licked Ellie’s hand in gratitude for the treat. “So fill me in on your morning entertainment.”
    “Barbie showed up at around ten -thirty with lifeguard guy.”
    “Lifeguard guy?”
    “That’s what I’ve been calling the guy in the red board shorts sitting under the umbrella Barbie is lying next to.”
    I used the binoculars to check out the guy Ellie was referring to. He did sort of look like a lifeguard with his dark tan and shaggy hair. “So they’re together?” I confirmed.
    “They arrived together and are sitting together , but they don’t seem to be a couple,” Ellie clarified.
    “How can you tell?”
    “Because when Conan came over and kissed Barbie full on the lips, lifeguard guy didn’t seem to care.”
    “Conan ?”
    “Look to Barbie’s left and up a few rows. You ’ll see a huge man with dark hair and dark swim trunks who looks like Conan the Barbarian.”
    I did as instructed. “You mean the guy sitting next to the blonde in the yellow bikini?”
    “Yeah, that’s him.”
    “And yellow bikini didn’t care that her caveman kissed another woman?”
    “She hadn’t arrived yet, although once she did , she made Conan move his towel away from his original position, just behind Barbie.”
    I laughed. “It looks like nothing has changed. Men are still falling all over our former yoga instructor and women are still busily running interference.”
    “That’s not the half of it.” Ellie giggled. “Lisa and Jason Grover came by shortly after Conan and his girlfriend moved. Jason just glanced at Barbie and Lisa slapped him, turned around, and headed back toward the parking lot.”
    T he rumor mill had reported a short-lived affair between Barbie and Jason last summer, although I’m not sure anyone had proof of such a deed. “What did Jason do?” I asked.
    “He took off after his wife.”
    “Sounds like you’ve had quite a show.”
    “I saved the best for last .” Ellie was grinning.
    “Do tell.”
    “Another man stopped by to speak to the fabulous B. At first I thought maybe Barbie was in trouble, until I noticed her run one of her perfectly manicured fingernails across his chest before she stood on tiptoe to rub seductively against his body while whispering in his ear.”
    “Whose ear did she whisper into?” I had to admit I was getting hooked on Ellie’s story.
    “Sheriff Salinger.”
    “No!” I gasped. “Salinger is a married man and a good twenty years older than Barbie.”
    “They seemed pretty familiar with each other from where I was sitting.”
    “Was Salinger here in his uniform?”
    When Ellie first mentioned that Barbie had run her finger across someone’s chest, I’d been picturing a naked chest, which is what most men sport at the