Trading with the Boys

Jacob looked as disappointed as I was, maybe even more. “For now, huh?” he angled. “What about later?”

Turning an all new shade of red, I smirked back at him. “You just got two whole weeks’ worth of payment,” I pointed out. “Maybe even three or four.”

“Yeah, well maybe I can’t get enough of this,” he said plainly. Looking me up and down, he grinned. “You neither.”

Fifteen

COLE

I pulled up to the house again, noticing it looked a lot different than it did the last time. And that’s because this time around, it seemed like the house had thrown up all over the driveway.

Or more accurately, the basement.

Damn.

The entire driveway and most of the lawn was covered in a colorful array of just about everything. No fewer than a dozen people milled around, picking things up and putting them down. Some had stuff pinned beneath one arm, holding it there as they browsed the rest.

I parked across the street and grabbed a few things from the truck I knew I’d need on day one. Halfway to the front door, I ran into Serena.

“Boy you weren’t kidding,” I chided her.

“About what?”

“When you said you were clearing out the basement, you really meant it.”

She smiled, squinting into the sun. Somehow it made her face even more beautiful.

“Yeah, well when you agreed to the job I remember you saying something about needing a clean slate.”

“Yup,” I affirmed. “I definitel

y did say that.”

“And here you go.”

She extended one lovely arm and swept it wide, looking like a hostess from one of those afternoon game shows my parents had been so addicted to watching. Most of all, my mom.

Love you, mom.

My smile turned bittersweet. My mother had been gone more than a year now, though it somehow still seemed like yesterday. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about her, and that was fine by me.

“So how much for the surfboard?” I asked, pointing. Standing behind Serena, leaning against the house, was a big orange tri-fin with colorful trim.

“This old thing?” she said, thumping it. “Actually, it’s never been used. My ex bought it, shoved it in the basement, and never took a single surfing lesson.”

“Sounds stupid,” I grunted.

“He sure was,” confirmed Serena. She looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. “Do you surf?”

“Not even a little bit,” I laughed. “But I always wanted to learn.”

“Well consider it yours then,” my new employer told me. She swept an arm again, grandly. “Take it.”

”I can’t just take it,” I snorted. “I’ll buy it from you if you tell me how mu—”

“Cole, can I ask you something?” she interjected.

“Sure.”