6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Later that day, Ty opened the door to the Erickson Pier business office, above the arcade, the air conditioning a welcome relief from the humidity of the late June day. The office had gone through several transformations over the years, but the main things that stayed consistent were the open-concept desks with common areas for staff to gather and brainstorm.
His father had been against cubicles and closed-in offices. Shortly after taking over the business from Ty’s grandfather, he had updated the conference rooms and all offices with glass walls and doors and, over time, changed cubicles to open seating.
The whiteboard he instituted in the months after he became president still hung on the wall in the common area, which was the hub for morning coffee, casual meetings, and lunch breaks. It was used to post monthly birthdays, events, and news.
Weekly, the Mark Erickson Foundation team met at the Erickson Pier office to discuss the status of the projects and funds for town renovations. During the meeting, each committee chair provided an update for their area. As head of marketing, Tyler would discuss advertising in place and, based on what others were doing, make any changes or additions .
Since his sister, as project manager, ran the meeting and was a stickler for punctuality, Ty arrived fifteen minutes early. Plus, it gave him an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
A time and place where Maddy couldn’t avoid him.
Bypassing the conference room where they would meet, he weaved his way to the offices, stopping outside one of the smaller rooms used for visitors. As he expected, Maddy commandeered the space with her large tote bag haphazardly on the floor, papers and a coffee mug on the desk.
She hadn’t seen him, which gave him the opportunity to study her—hunched over her laptop, her fingers flying over the keys in the way a concert pianist played a baby grand. Today, she wore her hair in a messy bun. Several dark red curls had come loose and framed her face and her neck, complementing the peach floral shirt. With her brow furrowed in concentration as she worked, she reminded Ty of Dylan when she colored.
Knowing he was procrastinating, he knocked on the doorjamb.
She held up her index finger. “I still have ten minutes, Em.”
“It’s not Emma,” Ty said, and entered the office.
She stopped typing and turned to meet his gaze. “Ty.”
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said, stepping further into the room and standing on the other side of the desk.
“Have not.”
“You’ve had my sister bring Dylan to swim lessons the past few times.”
She lifted her chin. “I had conflicts, and Emma offered.”
“Uh huh.” He walked around the desk and behind her chair, turning it so she faced him. “And my texts?”
“I was busy with Dylan.”
He knew facing her would be hard, but hell if she wasn’t going to make things impossible .
“Dammit, Maddy. We need to talk about what happened the other night.”
She tried to push back the chair, but it hit the desk. “No, we don’t.”
“You’re going to ignore it?”
He saw her slight hesitation before she spoke. “I think it’s best if we forget it happened.”
Forget it happened?
Never in a million years could Ty forget the look on her face when she came or the pressure on his cock as she fisted him.
“Why?” To him it sounded like a silly question from a desperate guy, but that was how he felt. Vulnerable and desperate.
“Because it could never lead to anything.”
“It sure felt as though it could lead to something.”
Her face flushed. “My life is complicated, Ty. There’s Dylan, this work, and my music.”
“Life’s busy for both of us. You can’t put your life on hold for the next fourteen years until Dylan is out of school.”
She stood and tried to push past him, but he held his ground. She came up just above the middle of his chest with heels, and Ty wouldn’t be surprised if she could hear how hard his heart was pounding.
“I’m not putting my life on hold. I’m prioritizing,” she said.
He covered her hand with his own, circling her wrist and sliding upward to stroke her arm. “The thing is, I can’t forget it, Mad.” He moved his hands to her waist. “And I don’t think you can, either.”
When he dropped his gaze to her mouth, her lips parted and her eyes widened. Yeah, there was definite interest.
A knock at the door caused him to drop his hands.
“Meeting’s starting soon, you two,” Connor called from the doorway .
“We’ll be right there,” Maddy replied, and pushed at Ty’s chest.
Knowing the moment was gone, Ty stepped back.
Maddy grabbed her laptop and headed to the door. She paused and gave him a backward glance. “You’re wrong about me not forgetting. You need to do the same. For the sake of Dylan and our friends.”
Then she walked out.
Ty took a minute to collect himself, taking a few deep breaths to curb the desire and anger that flowed through him.
She was lying about not thinking about the bay and her interest in him. He needed to find another opportunity to talk to her when they weren’t surrounded by an office full of people.
With a lingering glance at her chair, he made his way to the conference room. He was the last to arrive and took the only empty seat…next to Maddy.
Emma cleared her throat. “Let’s get started.”
After a few groans, they all settled down and took turns with their reports. Jason and Connor started.
“A few business owners with stores on the boardwalk reached out for renovations,” Jason began. “Meanwhile, construction has started on what’s officially called Percy’s Putt & Cone Mini-Golf.”
“Same goes for Jersey Boy at the marina,” Connor said. “You need a better name, man.”
“I’m going with Jersey Boy Paddle Company,” Ty said.
“Perfect,” Connor said.
“I like it,” Emma added.
“Filming for each will last about three weeks,” Jason said. “In addition, John and the city council have approved us to update the entire waterfront area. ”
He grabbed a cable off the table and plugged it into his laptop. A few seconds later, renditions of the waterfront area were displayed on the large TV on the wall.
Jason used the mouse to point at items on the screen. “Here’s Ty’s place. The dock is in decent condition, but we may reinforce planks if they need it. I understand that a few other buildings along here have been leased.”
“The Jolly Roger Pirate Boat Tours and the Crab Trap restaurant,” Emma said.
Connor spoke up. “We’ll take the existing road between the stores and the bay and make it all functional waterfront space.” He took the mouse Jason passed to him. “We’ll add a walkway plus areas with tables for people to grab food and hang out. We’ll install new, matching street lights with hanging flower baskets.”
“It looks fantastic,” John said. “We’re working on getting other businesses to sign leases.”
“Something more artsy to complement water activities and food establishments,” Anna added. “Clothing and jewelry stores, but different from what’s on the boardwalk. Maybe an art gallery.” She looked pointedly at Emma.
“You should totally do that, Em,” Ty said.
Emma had been prepared to go to the Pratt Institute right before Hurricane Samantha upturned her plans. While she never got her degree in fine arts, she had spent the past decade painting and also expanded her passion for photography. Ty and their mom had been trying without luck to get her to display and sell her art for years. Maybe now was the time.
“I’m thinking about it. It’s a lot to juggle, since I also have Erickson Pier work and Shore Treasures to think about,” Emma said.
Shore Treasures was something that had evolved out of Hurricane Samantha. Emma collected ruined or damaged items and restored them to something functional. Until now, it was more a hobby than an actual business, but perhaps she was thinking of something more.
“The foundation financials are good,” his mother began. “We’ve set aside money for the waterfront renovation and Boardwalk Hall improvements. Plus, there are the beach volleyball courts and the park and playground we want to update, including new basketball and pickleball courts.”
“We used to love to play basketball,” Evan said. “I haven’t been on a court in years.”
“Just something else for us to kick your ass at,” Connor said.
Ty’s mom cleared her throat. “I wanted to discuss Pelican’s Flight. Where are we with getting bids, Evan?”
Pelican’s Flight was the name of the new roller coaster to be built on Erickson Fun Pier to replace the Sun Jet coaster, which fell into the ocean during the hurricane. Evan had a design in mind and wanted to work with a company that could help make his vision become a reality.
As president of Erickson Pier, Anna had a large stake in the coaster and wanted to make sure it stayed in alignment with their vision.
“I received two bids and am waiting for a third,” Evan said. “The costs are mostly in line with what I estimated. One company can’t start until next year, though. The second came in higher but can start at the end of the summer.”
“Let’s nudge the third bidder or look for another,” Anna said.
“Already on it,” Evan replied.
“Maddy, where are we with the festivals and end-of-summer concert?” Emma asked.
They’d held a charity concert a few weeks ago during the reopening of the amusement pier and boardwalk, and it went so well that they had talked about having another at the end of the summer. All proceeds would go to an organization that gave funds to families still struggling from Hurricane Samantha.
“We’re all set for the Fourth of July. We’ll start with a bike and wagon parade on the boardwalk, followed by a sand-sculpting contest, and fireworks at night,” Maddy said. “There’s the Girls’ Weekend with the Mermaid Parade in August, a block party and comic fair in September, Oktoberfest, and the Holiday Craft Fair in November. I need to finalize a few details for the end-of-summer concert. I’ll work on that after I get back.”
Get back?
“Get back from where?” Evan asked.
Maddy concentrated on the screen of her laptop. “I need to go west for some music stuff.”
“You’re leaving?” Ty said before he could help himself.
She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Just for a week. After July Fourth.”
“What about Dylan?” he asked.
“I offered to watch her,” Emma said. “I offered all of you up, too, so be on the lookout for a schedule.”
The other guys groaned, knowing Emma would have every hour accounted for while Maddy was gone.
While Ty was relieved Dylan was staying—he loved seeing her face every day—he didn’t want to see Maddy go, even if it was only for a week.
Connor nudged his arm. “You’re up, man.”
Ty blinked and skimmed his notes before speaking. “Ads for the pier reopening are running in the weekly papers along the coast, plus other papers in Jersey and Philly. The subscribers on the Erickson Pier website have been growing, as have advance ride ticket sales, so that’s a good sign that the advertising is working.”
“I agree,” John said. “We’ve hired a new tourism director to work on refreshing our materials at the visitor center and the town’s website. She’s going to be hiring a small team who can manage and transition event oversight from Maddy. And the marketing and promotion for the town from Tyler.”
“It’s nice seeing vacant positions being filled and new employment opportunities,” Anna added.
“Maddy, can you write up the details about the upcoming festivals and concert and give them to Ty?” Emma said.
Maddy choked on the sip of water she’d just taken. “Okay, sure.”
“I’ll work with the tourism director to update the town website,” Ty said. “I’ve created a page for the end-of-summer concert, along with info on buying tickets. If you give me the details on the festivals, I can have that added.”
He made a note to talk with his mom about hiring an intern or someone who could take over the Erickson Pier website, newsletter, and social media accounts. Now that Lisa, their new marketing director, was on board, Ty could take a less-active role in that part of the business.
A three-person-owned business had its pros and cons. His family kept the structure of Erickson Pier relatively flat. With his mom as president, Emma as VP of operations, and he as VP of marketing, it was a lot to juggle besides their other responsibilities, including the Mark Erickson Foundation.
For the past decade, the lack of tourists had meant prior department heads left and staffing was reduced, since the only part of the business that had been pulling in revenue was the arcade. Now that the business was growing, it provided an opportunity for Ty and Emma to step in as department heads.
Starting the Jersey Boy stores as a subsidiary of Erickson Pier had given Ty the backing and funds to open his first store and helped keep money coming in. Now, with those stores thriving and Paddle Company opening soon, he’d be even busier and would have to delegate more responsibility to his team while still maintaining oversight.
They spent another thirty minutes covering other items before Emma adjourned the meeting. As soon as it ended, Maddy jumped up and dashed from the room, saying she had to pick up Dylan.
Ty said a quick goodbye to his mom and sister and left. He needed to talk to Maddy.
Outside, Connor waited by Ty’s SUV. “Let’s go.”
“Go where?” Ty asked.
“To the lighthouse for a bonfire. Jace and Evan are picking up food. I’m picking up you,” Connor said.
“Why?”
“I heard the tail end of your conversation with Maddy earlier. Plus, what she said about leaving for a week.”
“It’s nothing,” Ty said automatically.
Connor clapped a hand on his shoulder. “That’s bullshit, and we both know it. It’s time for a guys’ night, Pelican Bay style.”
After picking Dylan up from camp, Maddy buckled her daughter into her car seat and got into the driver’s seat. She told Emma she’d pick up dinner, which meant a stop at Tonino’s for pizza. Not sure who would be at the house, she ordered three large pies plus a couple of salads.
She pulled into the lot behind Erickson Arcade and parked in one of the spots reserved for family members.
“Mommy, I want to ride the white horsey,” Dylan said from the back seat. She was obsessed with the carousel and wanted to ride it repeatedly until it made Maddy dizzy .
Maddy unfastened her seatbelt and turned to look in the back seat. “Listen, sweetie. Mommy needs to talk to you.”
“I didn’t do potty outside today,” Dylan said.
“That’s real good, baby. I’m proud of you.”
“What’s wrong, Mommy?”
How did Maddy tell her daughter she was returning to their California home for a week without her?
“You remember how Mommy has a singing job?” she began.
Dylan nodded. “You sing in the house, and I remember when you sang on the beach.”
That was last month and part of the concert she’d put together for the grand reopening of Erickson Pier.
“That’s right. I also sing in a special room where I make a record that people buy and play whenever they want.”
“Like on the radio?” Dylan asked.
“Like that and other ways,” Maddy answered.
“I like when you sing to me at bedtime,” Dylan said.
They had a ritual where Maddy would sing a song and Dylan had to finish brushing her teeth, go potty, and get into her nightgown before the song was over. Most nights Maddy sang a few extra choruses, but she didn’t mind.
“That’s my favorite part of the day,” she said. “Second to when we cuddle in bed together or watch a movie.”
She got out of the car, slid into the back seat next to her daughter, and unfastened her seatbelt. “Mommy has work stuff to do for my new record, and I have to go back to California for a few days.”
“We’re leaving?” Dylan asked, reminding Maddy that Ty had asked the same question.
“Just I am, and only for a few days, maybe a week.”
“But who will take care of me? ”
“Aunt Emma, Uncle Jace, Uncle Evan, and Uncle Ty. Probably Uncle Connor and Aunt Abby, too.”
“That’s a lot of people.”
“They’ll all take turns. You’ll still take swim lessons with Uncle Ty and go to day camp. One of your aunts or uncles will pick you up after camp is over and be with you for dinner and bedtime.”
“Can we get ice cream?”
Ice cream was the cornerstone of Dylan’s life, reminding Maddy of Broadway Betty’s.
“Not every day, but I can almost guarantee you’ll have it a couple of times while I’m gone.”
“But I won’t see you?” Dylan’s lashes lowered and her lip quivered the way it did right before she was about to cry.
Guilt washed over Maddy, and she hated that she’d caused her daughter’s tears. Some would tell her to toughen up, that being separated would be good for them, but they were wrong. Maddy needed Dylan almost as much as her daughter needed her mommy. She needed to make some hard decisions, with Dylan as the priority.
Thoughts for the plane, and a discussion when she was in L.A.
She pulled Dylan onto her lap. “I’ll FaceTime you every day. It’s not the same, but we can do it for a few days, right?”
Dylan buried her head against Maddy’s neck and nodded. Maddy could feel the dampness of her daughter’s tears against her neck and tried to hold back her own.
She swallowed hard. “When I get back, it will almost be time for the Mermaid Parade and your birthday party.”
“Can I pick out my mermaid costume?”
Since Dylan’s party theme involved mermaids, Maddy had already planned on getting costumes for all the girls. With the party the weekend after the parade, they could wear them to both .
“When I come back, we’ll pick out something together. Sound good?”
“Okay, Mommy.”
Maddy brushed away the tears. “I love you, my sweet Dylan.”
“I love you, Mommy.” Dylan pressed a wet kiss on Maddy’s lips.
“How about we take a ride on the carousel before we pick up our food for dinner?”
Dylan’s face radiated joy like she’d won the Powerball. “Maybe I can ride it twice?”
Maddy laughed, knowing her daughter would likely squeeze another ride out of her. Helping her out of the car, Maddy clasped her hand before walking to the boardwalk.
Three rides later, Maddy picked up the food and made her way back to Emma’s house.
“There you both are,” Emma said, reaching for the bag with the salads.
“Sorry. We were detained by the carousel,” Maddy said.
“I rode the white horsey three times, Aunt Emma,” Dylan said.
“Lucky you. Maybe you and I can go on it together soon,” Emma said.
“Uncle Jace, too?”
“Absolutely.”
“Why don’t you wash your hands, Dyl, and then we can eat dinner?” Maddy said.
After her daughter skipped down the hall, Maddy slumped her shoulders.
“You told her about L.A.?” Emma asked.
“I did. She was a little upset at first, but I think she’s okay now.”
“She’ll be fine. We’ll keep her busy.” Emma put an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “Now it’s time to take care of you.”
“What do you mean? ”
There was a knock at the back sliding glass door and Abby and Jenna walked in. Abby held a white cardboard box along with a bag from the Pelican Bay Soap Shop. Jenna carried two bottles of wine.
“The guys are doing their own thing, so we’re having a girls’ night here,” Emma announced.
Maddy put a hand on her chest. “How do you know exactly what I need even before I do?”
“It’s a gift,” Emma said.
“Red or white?” Jenna asked.
“Yes,” Maddy answered.
“I got homemade chocolate chunk brownies,” Abby said.
“And we have ice cream in the fridge,” Emma added.
“You all are the best,” Maddy said.
Jenna opened the wine and poured glasses for everyone.
It was after eight by the time they’d eaten their fill of pizza and salad and polished off a good amount of the brownies and ice cream. Afterward, Maddy bathed Dylan and put her to bed, promising she’d still be there when her daughter woke up in the morning.
She poured the last bit of red wine in her glass and made her way to the patio, where the girls sat around the firepit. Fairy lights illuminated the area, and Emma had lit citronella candles to fend off mosquitos.
Maddy curled up on the chaise lounge. “Thankfully, she conked right out.”
“I don’t know how you do it. She’s a bundle of energy,” Abby said.
“And curious. The litany of questions starts the moment her eyes open and doesn’t end until they’re closed,” Maddy said. “Yesterday she wanted to know when her chest would get big like mine.”
They laughed .
“She’s going to be a handful once she hits puberty and starts to like boys,” Abby said.
“I think she already has a crush on Jeremy Walker, the son of the lady who runs the camp,” Maddy continued.
“The boy who dared her to pee in the flowerbed?” Emma said.
Maddy sipped her wine. “The very one.”
“That’s the kind of boy you want her to stay away from,” Jenna added.
“Speaking of boys, how are things with Evan?” Abby asked.
Jenna shrugged. “There isn’t a thing.”
“I thought you hooked up a few weeks ago,” Emma said.
“Ev and I have an understanding. If we’re both not attached, we spend the night together. But nothing serious,” Jenna explained.
“Why not? You know Ev’s a great guy,” Maddy said.
“He is. He also has issues to work through. Family issues that he won’t open up to me about,” Jenna said.
Maddy was one of the few people who had an insider’s view of Evan’s family life. As an only child of two doctors who worked in NYC, he spent a lot of his time alone, leaving him feeling unloved and scarred.
“He has a complicated family history,” Maddy said.
“I get it. We’re both fine being friends with benefits,” Jenna said. “When it works, it works, and there’s no commitment or expectations.”
Maddy wished she could be as casual as Jenna was with her feelings and sexuality. But Maddy believed in marriage and family and didn’t want to settle for less.
Which was why she was afraid to chance something with Tyler. Not because she thought he felt differently, but because she was worried she couldn’t give him what they both needed.
“How are wedding plans coming along?” Abby asked Emma .
“Come on, this is Emma. How do you think they’re coming along?” Maddy said.
Emma dashed into the house and returned with a three-ring binder. She opened it and flipped the labeled tabs until she got to a page with lots of rows and columns.
Maddy shook her head. “Now you’ve gone and done it.”
Emma laughed and removed a spreadsheet from her perfectly organized binder.
“Are those color-coded boxes?” Jenna asked.
“Don’t judge me,” Emma said, spreading out the legal-sized paper. “We’ve picked out the photographer and met with the florist last week. We were going to have it here, but since we want to get started on renovations, we decided to have the ceremony at the lighthouse and the reception at the Barnegat Inn.”
“That’s a lovely place,” Abby said with a wistful tone. “Very quaint and romantic.”
“I can give you the manager’s contact info if you want to look into having your and Connor’s wedding there,” Emma said, and flipped to another part of the binder. “Here’s a brochure.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Connor and I aren’t ready to set a date,” Abby said.
“What are you waiting for?” Jenna asked.
Abby flipped through the pamphlet. “The shop just opened, and I’ve put all my money into it. Things are a little tight now.”
“Didn’t you take out a small business loan?” Emma asked.
“Yes, but I’m nervous about being able to make rent payments.”
“Have you forgotten who you’re marrying?” Jenna said. “Maguire Brothers Renovations draws in a huge profit. Plus, there’s what Connor makes with Beach House Flippers . He’s loaded.”
“I know.” Abby squirmed. “Paying for our wedding shouldn’t be all on him.”
“I get that,” Maddy said. “When I received the advance from my first album, I looked over my shoulder all the way to the bank. And my mom and I stayed in the same crummy apartment until I went on tour and started worrying about stalkers.”
“That’s gotta be creepy,” Abby said.
“It’s the price of fame…a sucky one, for sure. My point is, Connor is the same person with the money. He doesn’t blow it on fancy sports cars or frivolous stuff,” Maddy continued.
“Hardly,” Jenna said. “Both Con and Jace invested a lot of their money into their business. They made sure their mom is taken care of and even helped my dad buy a place as a way to thank him for taking them in after Samantha.”
“Talk to him about the wedding and what you both want,” Emma said. “He loves you, and all he wants is what will make you happy.”
Abby brushed away tears. “Thanks. You all are the best.”
Maddy sat next to her and leaned over to give her a hug. “You’ll figure it out, honey.”
“There is something I need all your help with,” Emma said, and picked up her phone. “Wedding dress shopping.”
They all whooped.
“You have to wait until I come back,” Maddy said.
“Of course. Plus, Tie the Knot Bridal is opening a location on Crocus Avenue next week. I’ve become friendly with the owner, and we’ve talked a little about what I’m looking for.”
“Then let’s pick a date, ladies,” Maddy said.
Focusing on her best friend’s wedding was exactly what she needed to get her mind off her own problems and give her something to look forward to upon returning.
After a quick stop at the house to change into swim trunks, Ty jumped in Connor’s truck and rode to the lighthouse. Located at the northern end of the island, the Pelican Bay Lighthouse was originally built in the early 1900s. It had been rebuilt fifty years later when parts of it became unstable because of erosion from natural elements and storms. Legend had it that the island was home to a specific variety of pelican. During a storm over a hundred years ago, when a boat hit a patch of rocks and started to sink, the pelicans led the rescue boat to the inlet of the island. Years later, when they started building on it, they named it Pelican Bay. From that time on, pelicans could be found near the lighthouse and helped guide anyone through the inlet.
Unfortunately, the pelicans disappeared after Hurricane Samantha and had yet to return. But with Jason and Connor building the Pelican Bay Museum and Bird Sanctuary, they hoped it would lure the pelicans and other birds back into the area.
Evan’s BMW convertible was already in the lot. After parking, Connor hopped out and opened the bed of his truck. “Help me grab this stuff.”
Ty took a step back when he saw two surfboards and a couple of duffel bags.
Surfing was a way of life in a beach town. Ty had learned at a young age, along with a variety of other water sports like water skiing, boating, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Nothing was off the table for him to try.
Until Samantha.
“No pressure, man. I swear,” Connor said, and handed Ty a board .
The warmth of the hard surface was like a welcome reminder of the past. The sound of the back of the truck being shut jarred Ty out of his stupor.
“Let’s go,” Connor said.
Ty trailed behind his friend and regretted coming. Since the foundation meeting, he wasn’t in the mood for company. His frustrating conversation with Maddy and learning she was returning to L.A. for a few days was a reality check on where things stood between them.
Nowhere.
But he had nowhere to go unless he went to work. A text on the ride over from his sister told him she was having a girls’ night at the house.
Translation: don’t come home until late.
It was times like this when he wished for his own place to live. With limited options, he planned to go to the JB Pelican Bay store and work on finalizing the equipment order for Paddle Company. He wanted to submit the order so everything would arrive by the reveal.
Now, his friends had pressured him to join them at the beach. Truth be told, Ty was not in the mindset to think about work. Maybe a game of beach volleyball or a few brews would help him push aside his worries for a few hours.
As they passed through the gate of the construction site that would be the future location of the museum, Ty saw the framing was almost complete. They continued across the path through the sand dunes to where everything opened up to the beach. There, Jason and Evan had started a bonfire and set out four beach chairs. Two coolers sat in the sand alongside a large thermos.
Was it Ty’s imagination, or did this seem like a stage set for an intervention versus a guys’ night?
“About time,” Evan said .
“Let’s get this party started,” Connor said. He opened a duffel bag and handed a wetsuit to Jason.
Evan held up a hand before he tossed him one. “I’ll sit this one out.”
Because of me .
“Don’t sit out on my account,” Ty said.
“There’s only two boards, and I’m not the best surfer,” Evan said.
“You’re a pitiful surfer,” Jason said.
Connor shook his head as he stripped down to his boxer briefs and worked on pulling up the suit. “You grew up in a beach town and lived on the West Coast, too. How could you not have been tempted by all those fabulous swells?”
“I focused my efforts on the swells of the female form,” Evan shot back.
“Nude beaches…That’s right. Can’t even imagine that,” Connor said.
They joked and, once suited up, grabbed their boards and sprinted toward the water.
“Nude beaches?” Ty said.
“It’s not as appealing as it sounds,” Evan said. “And there’s a very large challenge for us guys.”
Ty snorted. No way to hide an erection unless you were in the water.
“I’m sure. Not for me, man,” he said.
“Me either, to be honest,” Evan said. He grabbed the other duffel bag. “While those two get their surf on, we have another project.”
“What’s that?”
“Sand sculpting.”
Ty raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
“Damned straight. I remember you used to create some pretty cool designs. ”
“When we were kids.”
Evan opened the bag and tossed Ty a couple of buckets. “Time to get your game on, man. I’ve entered us in the Fourth of July contest.”
“Get out.” Ty caught the buckets. “I smell a rat, and her name is Maddy.”
Evan and Maddy were close friends, almost as close as Maddy and Emma, especially since Evan had lived nearer to Maddy in California and kept in touch more over the past ten years.
Truth be told, it was hard for Ty not to be the slightest bit envious of Evan’s relationship with Maddy. While he knew they were only friends, she talked to Evan and shared her worries and plans.
Ty couldn’t even get her to return his text messages, and they lived in the same damn house.
“We’re all entered. Guys against the girls. So, let’s grab water and get started,” Evan said.
With his interest piqued, Ty followed behind. In the distance, he could see Connor and Jason catch a wave and ride in, only to race back out with shouts of laughter. The ocean called to him, but like he had all the other times, he pushed it aside. He paused at the water’s edge, wading in far enough to fill the buckets and ignoring Evan, who went in a little further, returned to the chairs, and started preparing the surface, adding water and flattening out the sand.
Ty’s dad had shown him how to build his first sand sculpture, and had even given him his own sculpting kit. He and Emma had built plenty of sandcastles, but this was different. Forming a crab, a fish, or even a person out of sand took time and more than a bucket, shovel, and sand. Learning from his dad was special because it had been just the two of them.
Ty hunted through the duffel bag and removed a variety of sculpting tools. A little more childish than what he had at home, but he could work with it. He started on the body, wetting sand and forming it with his hands.
Evan returned and dropped down beside him. “How can I help?”
“Fill two of the buckets with sand, alternating between layers of sand and then adding water and packing it down,” Ty said.
Evan did as instructed while Ty worked in silence, intent on nothing but the image in his mind and bringing it to life with his hands. The artistic gene hadn’t stopped with Emma. While his sister could draw and paint, Ty was better at three-dimensional designs. It wasn’t anything he’d wanted to pursue as a career, but it was a fun pastime.
Forty-five minutes went by, during which Ty sculpted and Evan handed him sand or refilled buckets when asked. Finally, Jason and Connor returned.
“Wow, man. Great mermaid,” Connor said. “You nailed the breasts.”
“Forget the breasts, check out the face and hair,” Evan said.
“It’s Maddy,” Jason said.
Ty paused and stared at what he’d created: a life-sized mermaid, her arms crossed over her belly with a lotus flower cupped in her hands. Evan must have found shells and used them to decorate the bottom of the tail. At her face, Ty had to blink a few times. Wild curls of hair streamed out from a face…a face that looked eerily like Maddy’s.
Pouting lips that puckered like she was waiting to be kissed. High cheekbones and petite nose. Wide eyes with perfectly shaped eyebrows.
“You need to tell her how you feel,” Evan said.
Ty pushed to his feet. “Maddy’s made it clear she wants nothing to do with me.” With a turn, he walked to the water’s edge.
He expected at least one of them to follow him, but they gave him space. Ty rinsed his hands and watched waves swell, then crash before racing their way toward shore and splashing his feet. The sea had once been his sanctuary, his own place where he could think…and dream.
Like a longtime lover who’d left.
He missed it.
Ty waded in to his knees. The water was cool, but he pressed on.
It was time to face the demon. He was tired of not being in control of this part of his life.
Now he stood up to his waist and bobbed with the swells. When it was up to his chest, he had a moment of panic but breathed through it.
He saw the wave out in the distance. Rising high, it would likely crash over him. But the time for running was over.
Ty stood his ground, wanting it— daring it—to take him down.
When he saw it start to break, he took a step back and then went down, under the water, fighting to find his way to the surface.
Need to kick harder…need to get Maddy to safety.
He breathed out his nose and swung his arms, trying to figure out which way led him to the surface.
Two pairs of arms hauled him up. Someone patted him on his back. “We’ve got you,” Connor called.
“You’re okay,” Jason said.
Ty coughed and felt the sting of his own tears mix with the salt water from the sea. “I’m fine.” He wanted to push his friends away but wasn’t sure if his knees would hold him up, so he let them half carry him in.
“You’re not okay,” Evan said.
At the water’s edge, Ty shrugged free and sat in the sand. “At least I didn’t pass out this time.”
“You didn’t pass out back then. You were hit in the head by a part of the coaster and got a goddamned concussion,” Jason said .
“I didn’t mean then. I meant weeks afterward,” Ty said. His friends flanked his sides, and Ty swiped at the water and tears on his face. “After I was released from the hospital, I came down here. Tried to swim but couldn’t make it past my knees. Passed out as I was making my way back to the beach.”
“Who was with you?” Evan asked.
Ty shook his head. “No one.”
“Fuck, man. You could have drowned,” Jason said.
“I didn’t care much back then.” Ty knew it sounded dramatic, but he was tired of holding everything in.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Evan said.
“I couldn’t.” Tears flowed freely now, but Ty couldn’t stop them. “With my dad gone, I had to be strong for my family. They were all a wreck, and I needed to be there for them.”
“You needed to be there for each other, and they would have wanted to help you,” Jason said. “We all would have been there.”
“I know that now, but back then…” Ty picked up a shell and threw it at an oncoming wave.
It was hard to talk about. Losing part of his hearing had been nothing next to losing his dad. And knowing it happened because his father rescued him made it even worse.
“I lost my dad, my home, part of my hearing, and my chance at the Olympics. That was a dream my dad wanted for me…something we both wanted. And I would have given up that, my hearing, and more if I could have had him back.”
“It’s because of our dad that we were even on the coaster when the pier collapsed,” Jason said. “You don’t know how many times I wished I hadn’t insisted on checking the pier…that I listened to you, Ty, when you said we needed to get to safety.”
“We were kids,” Evan said. “What happened was the unthinkable. We handled it the best we could. ”
“We did, and I know it. There’s no blame or resentment.” Ty pushed to his feet. “Which is why I’m tired of running…of being afraid…incomplete.” With sure feet, he faced the ocean.
“This time you’re not alone,” Connor said, and joined him.
They made the journey into the water.
Together.