I walk over to the recycling bin and toss in my water bottle. I move to the boardwalk and say, “Trust me, if anyone doesn’t know what’s going on, it’s you.”
11
Summer
I don’t know how Justin feels about my new bikini when I arrive at the beach that afternoon, but if Pete is any indication, Jessica chose well.
I’m walking down the boardwalk with my bag and chair when he runs up the steps from the sand. His light brown hair is wind-tousled and his skin isn’t quite tan yet, but his board shorts hang perfectly over his hips and my heart flip-flops.
“Hey, you
,” he says, taking both items from my hands and leaning them against the railing. Then he gives me a kiss. “I feel like it’s been forever.”
“You’re too busy. I don’t like it.”
“It’s been a crazy summer so far. I’m still finishing my internship in Myrtle Beach, but it only lasts until the end of May. Once June gets here I’m all local, between working at trailer park and marina.”
“Good. I hate missing you all the time.” Once again, I came home to find flowers on the bed. It’s a nice little reminder. “I feel like we’re ships passing, or whatever that saying is.”
“Well, I’m here now. Want to get wet?”
He grabs my stuff and I follow him down to the beach. Warmer weather is creeping up on us and the afternoon turned hot, encouraging everyone to get in the water. Ivy and Maggie are floating in tubes in the deep-set tide pools. My boys are deeper in the water, sitting on their boards, waiting for the perfect wave.
“Why aren’t you with them?” I ask, pulling my shirt and shorts off.
Pete’s eyes are glued to my body. “And miss you? Not a chance. That bikini is fantastic.”
“It’s new,” I say, fidgeting with the fabric.
“It’s…uh, wow.” He looks like he may drool.
Yeah, Jessica definitely had a gift.
Fingers linked, we walk to the edge of the water, talking about our jobs and the impending tourist season. I tell him how Justin took me to the Camp and how the girls at the shop next door helped me pick out the bathing suit he couldn’t keep his eyes off of.
“Now I know who to thank,” he says, pulling me close as the cold water rolls over our toes.
“They know about me and Justin,” I say, touching his hard sides. His lips meet my forehead. “I mean, they saw me at the Camp with him.”
“Isabel and Jessica are notorious gossips, babe. They’re younger but we all went to school with them. They’ve tried to hang out with our crowd since they were fourteen. They think it’s their job to notice everything.”
“Do you think they’ll notice us? All of us?”
He looks down at me and because of the roar of the ocean, it’s like we’re all alone in that moment. Which is what makes it dangerous. I scan the beach but there’s not many people out. Even so…
I glance around and take small step back. He notices.
“You’re worried they’ll talk about us?”
“It’s a small town, Pete. One girl with four guys…it doesn’t look great.”
“Fuck them,” he replies. “It’s none of their damn business and there’s not a soul in this town that should judge.”
I sigh and look out into the ocean. Both Whit and Nick caught a wave and are riding it toward the shore.
“I’m just not used to the scrutiny.” I brush my hair out of my eyes. “My mom always had the attention on her, you know? I mean, no one even noticed when I was dating my teacher. I’ve always been pretty invisible.”
He shakes his head. “Bullshit. There’s no possible way you were invisible.”