Chapter Three #2
“Okay, well, see you around, Jasper,” Francesca mumbles before leaving the store. I assume she was quickly followed by her friends. I barely notice she’s gone, and when I do, I realize I asked Avery to meet me for both the benefit of pissing off Francesca, but also for me.
I slowly remove my arm from around Avery’s shoulder. “Awesome.”
When I stepped back, she was not the only one flushed.
Embarrassed, I play it cool, running a hand through my hair. “Okay, well, see you around.”
Without waiting for her response, I turn on my heels and power walk out of the store with the tips of my ears burning all the way out. Although choking at the last minute, that could not have gone better.
I take a seat on the bench outside the store. I’m not waiting long because Avery walks out exactly twenty minutes later.
My heart pounds in my chest. I smile, nervous but excited. I try to make eye contact, but she keeps her head down and continues to walk toward the parking lot.
Did she not think I was serious?
Popping off the bench, I jog over to her. “Hey, where are you going?”
“Home,” she replies as if I should already know.
“I thought we were meeting down on the beach?”
She stops walking and turns to face me. “You were serious?”
We had a moment—or so I thought. Now I feel self-conscience. I’m such an idiot.
“Yes.” I wipe the beads of sweat from my forehead and suck in a deep breath. I can’t punk out. “Do you want to take a walk along the beach with me?”
Her eyes lower. “It’s sunset. Which means it’s almost dark, and I don’t know you.”
I chuckle, then extend my arm for her to grab my hand. “Come on.” Avery hesitates. Her green eyes fall to the ground, then back up to me. “I don’t bite, I promise.”
“Okay,” she agrees, then cautiously slips her hand into mine. Her hand is small and soft and feels good.
With the sounds of the surf in front of us and the chatter from the boardwalk behind us, I lead her through the sand toward the water. Not thinking any of this through, I struggle with what to say. Should I make small talk? I want to get to know her, but she makes me nervous.
“So, you work at Shore’s?” I ask, immediately turning my head away to curse at myself for such a stupid question.
Avery nods. “I wanted to get a job for the summer.”
“You’re only here until August, right?”
I briefly heard from Helen about how her niece was coming to stay with her because her parents died.
“Yeah, then I head back to Arizona for college.” Her fingers twitch inside my hand, but she doesn’t pull them away. “I’m sure you know I’m here because my parents died.”
“I do.”
“And you haven’t asked me about it yet?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
“Why?”
“If you wanted to tell me, you would.”
“Oh.” Avery chews on her bottom lip, looking deep in thought or just trying to explain to herself that I’m not here to judge her. “Okay.”
“So, you wanted to work?” I tease, gesturing for Avery and me to walk around a family building a massive sandcastle.
She coyly tucks a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, giving in my attempt to change the conversation. “What else should I do in a town where I know no one?”
“You could have just hung out at the beach all summer and enjoyed a little vacation before you go back to school,” I say.
“Last time I was on the beach, I was knocked in the face by a volleyball,” she quips.
She’s flirting with me.
I laugh. “Yeah, sorry about that.”
“It’s alright.” She looks down, smiling. “Thanks for the ice.”
“No problem.”
We’re still holding hands. Should I let go? I only held my hand for her to follow me, but now I don’t want to let go.
“So, do you have a job?” she asks.
I smile while we slowly walk along the shore. The sun sets over the horizon, and the light rays create a yellow hue, making it impossible for me to stop staring at her.
Whenever she catches me, we both look away.
“I work at my dad’s surf shop,” I tell her proudly. “I also teach surf lessons to tourists.”
She rakes a hand through her windblown hair. “That’s really cool. Do you like it?”
“I love it. When my dad retires, my plan is to take over. I’d also like to buy a few beach properties out here to fix up and rent out.” Without realizing it, my thumb caresses the insides of her palm.
“A man with a plan,” she teases. “Thanks for stepping in with those girls earlier.”
I gently kick the sand at my feet, keeping my focus on the ground. I get a little flutter of butterflies when she thanks me, and for a brief moment, I don’t know what to say in return. “You’re welcome.”
“You don’t have to be nice to me just because I’m Helen’s niece.”
Is that what she thinks? Should I admit to her I find her energy intoxicating and her personality intriguing? Not to mention how beautiful she is?
I can’t say any of those things.
I stop walking and turn to face her with a slight smile on my face. “That’s not why I did that.”
Her eyes blink rapidly. “Then why did you?”
“For one thing, Francesca is an awful person.” I pause, capturing her gaze in mine. “And for the second thing, I think you’re absolutely beautiful.”
Under the dusk sky, I can see Avery’s cheeks turn three different shades of red.
“You do?”
She’s blushing. She likes me too. I nod. “Yeah.”
Now what to do with that information, I don’t know.