Chapter 28 #2
As I slow down to a jog, I can see the end of the beach up ahead, so I keep going and collapse where the water curves back into the land.
Nick sits beside me, and the smell of salt and seaweed fills the air as we sit alone on the beach.
My problems seem smaller out here with the vastness of the ocean in front of me.
This recent issue isn’t nearly as bad as others I’ve faced, but the thought of being tied to Ben for the rest of my life is like a twisted mind puzzle.
Perhaps that’s something I can talk to Nick about.
“Can I ask you something you may not want to discuss?”
“Yeah,” he grunts.
“The thought of a lifelong connection with Ben is messing me up, and I don’t know how to process this,” I say, as a wave of anxiety washes over me.
He gives me an eyebrow raise.
“Okay, so a relative has harmed you, and I might be in the same situation soon. How do I not let that mess me up?”
He nods as I wait for a reply. Nick seems to stare into the depths of the ocean for a minute before taking a deep breath.
“It will fuck you up at first. But who they are doesn’t change who you are.
Your family isn’t made by blood. It’s the people you can depend on, who sacrifice for you, and who do shit receiving nothing back.
At the end of the day, a piece of paper or a blood test means nothing unless you give it the power to. ”
I roll over what he said in my mind. It makes sense, and it’s true. “Thanks, Grumpy. Any advice on how to skip the fuck you up part?”
Nick shakes his head no.
“I figured that was easier said than done,” I reply. “So, how long have you been an artist?”
Both eyebrows rise this time.
“What? You didn’t think I’d notice how good you are at drawing after last night? How many of your tattoos did you design?”
“All of them,” he replies.
“Think you can design one for me?” I ask. “I’ve always wanted a tattoo, and I think I’d like to get one for Mom and Lily bee.”
Nick nods before standing up and holding out his hand to me. I let him pull me up before we start a jog back to the beach house at a much slower pace.
Seb and E are lying on the beach under the canopy when we finally get back. “Sunshine. There you are,” he smiles. “Alex and Bay went to get you a new phone. It’s under warranty, so Z called the closest store to arrange everything.”
“Oh, that’s great. I appreciate it. I’m going to get a shower, so I’ll be back in a bit,” I tell them as Nick and I walk to the house.
After my shower, I get a bottle of water from the fridge and check my email.
There’s one from Rose, and she’s officially offering me a position.
I have two choices for work. The first is part-time and involves growing plants from seed or propagation, then planting them out in the gardens.
Once I’m trained, I can set my own hours, although she recommends mornings for that type of work.
The second is maintaining the garden grounds, but I will be there while the public is, so I’d need to interact with them if they asked questions, and it has set hours.
The choice is simple for me. Option one.
The flexibility is perfect since I can’t drive yet, and I don’t need to worry about crowds.
Nick joins me in the kitchen and gets his own water. “I got a job offer from the plantation,” I say to him, so he walks over to read over my shoulder.
“The first one,” he states.
“Yeah, that’s my choice,” I reply. “I’m going to keep working on the schedule on the beach. Are you coming?” I ask.
He nods and grabs a few more water bottles before following me outside.
I stop under the house and get another blanket before joining Seb and E.
Handing E my laptop; I spread my blanket out beside them and sit down.
Nick lays down beside me on his back as I grab my laptop back.
“Hey, I got a job offer from the plantation, and I can set my own hours after training,” I tell Seb and E.
“Awesome Sunshine,” Seb smiles.
I reply to Rose’s email asking for the first job and when she wants me to start and get an immediate reply of July 8th at 8am. I get back to working on our schedules while the guys relax. Hopefully, focusing on something else will help me process.
Alex and Bay join us a while later. They got me a new phone and put my old case on it for me. “Thanks so much, guys,” I smile. I text Zander I have my phone back before going back to work.
Seb and Bay discuss summer plans while Alex and E fetch lunch. My phone rings, and I see it’s Zander calling. “Hi.”
“Hello Summer. What do you think about my going up to Virginia tomorrow to get what you need? Next week will be very busy.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll call the bank up there and see what I need to do to give you access, and I can call the property management company, too. I’ll text you when I have more info.”
“Thank you, darling.”
I spend the rest of the day between my laptop and phone, getting everything arranged for Zander tomorrow. The bank is a pain in the butt, but once I get the manager on the phone, it goes faster, and Mr. MacLeod quickly creates a power of attorney for us to use. Hopefully, the trip goes smoothly.
That evening, I’m watching tv with the guys while Nick is sketching on a notepad. I’m secretly hoping it’s a tattoo for me, but I leave him be for now.
Later, after everyone has gone to bed, I’m lying on my back with the patio doors open, listening to the ocean. Today was stressful, and I’m not sure if I’ll have nightmares. I’m taking what Nick said to heart, but my head is still a mess, thinking of Ben and his dad.
I decide to get up and see if Nick is still awake.
Tiptoeing down the hall, I listen but don’t hear any noise.
Tapping gently on Nick’s door, I turn the handle and peek inside.
He’s lying on his bed wearing headphones, watching something on his phone.
I step inside and walk over to him. He looks up, pulls his headphones down, and raises an eyebrow, so I offer him my hand.
He takes it as I lead him back to my room.
I let his hand go and get back under the covers.
Nick closes the door and walks around to the far side and gets into bed. “TV?” He asks.
I nod, turning to reach my laptop on the nightstand and hand it to him. He brings up a show as I snuggle into his side to watch. I get through a few episodes before falling asleep.