17. Brooke
brOOKE
Ihurry to Stuart’s side. “What happened?”
He rolls over, a grimace on his face. “There’s something stuck in the bottom of my foot. God, it hurts.” He winces, grasping his foot and angling it toward his face.
Reaching for his injured appendage, I calmly take over. “Lean back. Let me take a look. Ah. I see the problem. You have a giant splinter lodged in the bottom of your foot.”
He’s biting his upper lip, trying to be the manly guy who pretends pain doesn’t bother him. I hate that he’s hurting, but he’s so incredibly adorable when he’s vulnerable. “Can you pull it out?” he asks, gritting his teeth.
“I think so. Hold still. Let me take a closer look.”
Examining the area, I see that a sliver of dark wood from the steps is stuck in a thin line under his skin. I decide not to tell him that the splinter is the diameter of a thin toothpick. It makes me cringe. I can’t imagine how much it’s hurting him.
And it’s not going to be easy to remove because the wood broke off near the surface of his foot. It’s barely exposed, but hopefully, my fingernails will be able to grasp it.
A long minute later, I hold up the offending splinter, exclaiming, “That was a big one. It must have hurt like hell. I’ll help you back upstairs. We’ll find some antiseptic and a bandage.”
“No. It feels much better now. Let’s go for our walk in the sand before the sun sets.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Only if you agree to let me clean and bandage it when we go back upstairs.”
“If you insist.”
“I do. You’ve been looking after me enough. I’d rather you weren’t hurt, but it’s about time that I can do something for you. Now, wrap your arm around me and take some weight off that foot. I don’t want you making it worse as we walk.”
“You’re so adorable. You know I probably weigh twice what you do, right?”
“Don’t worry. I work out. I’ve got you.”
“If you only knew,” he sighs.
We walk slowly toward the water, arms wrapped around each other’s waists. There’s nowhere I’d rather be right now.
After a few steps, I ask, “How does your foot feel?”
“It’s ok. The warm sand feels good. Let’s move closer to the edge of the water. The sand will be firmer and make walking easier.”
Without thinking, I grab his hand as if we’re on a date, pulling him toward the foamy, blue tide.
He gives my hand a quick squeeze, and we jog to the water’s edge, laughing as if we don’t have a care in the world.
We make quite the pair in our business attire.
I don’t care though. I haven’t felt this free in ages.
I’d forgotten the healing power of a sunny day by the water. It’s incredibly calming.
For the next half hour, we splash in the water, walk down the beach holding hands, and occasionally stop for me to pick up a shell. It’s pure heaven.
When the sun nears the horizon, I say, “Let’s find a dry spot on the sand and watch for the green flash.”
“What’s the green flash?”
“Occasionally, at sunset there’s a flash of green light just when the sun dips below the horizon. You can’t blink, or you’ll miss it.”
We walk away from the water, and sit on a flat, dry area of sand. I pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. Stuart follows suit as we silently stare at the horizon, waiting as the sun quickly begins to disappear.
He leans his head toward mine, asking, “How long do we need to wait?”
“Just keep staring and don’t blink.”
Less than two minute later, in unison, we say, “That’s it.”
We laugh. And Stuart remarks, “That was magnificent. I’ve never seen a green flash before.”
“It’s special, right? Some say that it brings good luck to those who see it.”
I leave out the version of the folklore that suggests those who see a green flash will have good luck in their love life. A chill runs through me at that thought, but I brush it off. The air cools down quickly at sunset, and I’m probably just cold.
Stuart notices me shiver and moves a little closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. My mind tells me to pull away, but I can’t make myself. His touch feels right, even though it shouldn’t.
“I bet you spend a lot of your time at the beach. The rainbow of colors filling the sky now is spectacular. It looks like a fine painting.”
I sigh with regret. “It is beautiful, isn’t it? I wish I could spend more time here, but that’s not possible.”
“Really. It’s sad you live so close to this and don’t have time to enjoy it.”
Staring at the ocean, I say, “Such is the life of a junior attorney. Well, if I’m honest, it may be the life of all successful lawyers. Sometimes I wonder why I signed up for this profession.”
“Why did you?”
I hesitate, letting my big toe trace random swirls in the sand as I gather my thoughts.
Finally, I reply, “I guess there are several reasons. The money’s good.
The work is intellectually challenging. It’s rewarding to find solutions to tough problems. And the stories our clients share are often the stuff of movie plots.
The downside is that it’s an all-consuming profession.
Had I known . . . Never mind. It doesn’t matter now.
I was taught to finish what you start, and I will.
Not making partner would mean I’ve wasted years of my life. I won’t let that happen.”
“You’re already a success. You haven’t wasted anything. It’s also okay to change your mind about what you want from life.”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
He tilts my head with his free hand and leans in for a soft, reassuring kiss. Pulling back, he says, “Trust me. You’re allowed to reevaluate your original plans and make new ones. What would you do if you had a second chance to choose?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve lost part of me along this path. Sometimes it’s hard to remember who I was before.”
“What do you mean?”
“Prior to joining the law firm, my friends teased me for being so adventurous and such a risk-taker. But after a few mishaps that threatened my job, I vowed to follow all the rules and not take any chances. Now, it seems like I’m sacrificing too much for something I’m not even sure I want anymore.”
“Maybe it’s time you break a few rules again and see if you like what happens.”
“I’m definitely doing that with you already.”
“And how does that feel?”
“In a way, it’s freeing. But it’s also frightening. I can’t afford to lose my job.”
“You won’t. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Thanks. And thank you for this afternoon. I can’t believe you arranged this detour to the beach. It’s wonderful.”
“For me too.”
“Why did you do it though? I’m sure you have other responsibilities that needed your attention today.”
“The story about your aunt and the pearl necklace resonated with me. You see, my grandfather left me this special signet ring when he died. I’d be lost without it,” he says, holding out his hand that has an ornate ring on his pinkie.
“So, you really do understand.”
“I do. And don’t worry, we’re going to find your necklace.”
“I’m not so sure about that but thanks for the reassurance. And for this afternoon. It’s helped so much.”
“I’m glad.”
Stuart’s phone buzzes.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Evan and Sean want us to return to the house. Their chef is firing up the grill for dinner.”
Just then a wave hits the beach in front of us. Unlike the earlier ones where the water receded before reaching us, water rushes up the sand and soaks our trousers before we can move to higher ground.
“Oww. That’s cold,” I say, as we both jump to our feet. Hugging myself for warmth, I look down. We’re both drenched with salt water and covered in sand.
“I guess Sean’s right. It’s time to go upstairs.” I laugh.
“Agreed.”
I’m disappointed though. Even drenched in water, I’d love to sit here next to Stuart all night. He makes me feel secure, safe, and special, all at the same time.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think I’m falling for him.
But that’s impossible. Things are moving too fast. I barely know him.
Besides, I can’t fall for anyone. I’m on the partnership track.
Plus, I can’t move to England, where the viscount lives.
I’m an entertainment lawyer. I need to be in LA, where the action is.
While Stuart’s in town, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun.
What could go wrong while enjoying a beach party in Malibu?